The 2021 Nicholls Colonels softball team represented Nicholls State University during the 2021 NCAA Division I softball season. The Colonels played their home games at Swanner Field in Geo Surfaces Park and were led by tenth-year head coach Angel Santiago. They were members of the Southland Conference.
Preseason
Southland Conference Coaches Poll The Southland Conference Coaches Poll was released on February 5, 2021. Nicholls was picked to finish seventh in the Southland Conference with 131 votes.
Coaches poll 1 Stephen F. Austin 235 (17) 2 McNeese State 217 (4) 3 Southeastern Louisiana 183 4 Sam Houston State 172 (1) 5 Central Arkansas 162 (1) 6 Northwestern State 156 (1) 7 Nicholls 131 8 Lamar 86 9 Abilene Christian 82 10 Houston Baptist 81 11 Texas A&M–Corpus Christi 47 12 Incarnate Word 32
Preseason All-Southland team
First Team Kaylyn Shephard (UCA, R-SR, 1st Base) Cayla Joens (NSU, JR, 2nd Base) Cylla Hall (UCA, R-SR, 3rd Base) Cori McCrary (MCNS, SR, Shortstop) Ella Manzer (SELA, SR, Catcher) Samantha Bradley (ACU, R-SR, Designated Player) Linsey Tomlinson (ACU, R-SR, Outfielder) Kaylee Lopez (MCNS, SO, Outfielder) Elise Vincent (NSU, SR, Outfielder) Madisen Blackford (SELA, SR, Outfielder) Megan McDonald (SHSU, SR, Outfielder) Kayla Beaver (UCA, R-FR, Pitcher) Kassidy Wilbur (SFA, JR, Pitcher) E. C. Delafield (NSU, JR, Utility)
Second Team Shaylon Govan (SFA, SO, 1st Base) Brooke Malia (SHSU, SR, 2nd Base) Bryana Novegil (SFA, SR, 2nd Base) Caitlin Garcia (NICH, JR, 3rd Base) Alex Hudspeth (SFA, JR, Shortstop) Alexis Perry (NSU, SO, Catcher) Bailey Richards (SFA, SR, Catcher) Caitlyn Brockway (HBU, SO, Designated Player) Reagan Sperling (UCA, R-JR, Outfielder) Alayis Seneca (MCNS, SO, Outfielder) Hayley Barbazon (NSU, SR, Outfielder) Saleen Flores (MCNS, SO, Pitcher) MC Comeaux (SELA, FR, Pitcher) Sammi Thomas (TAMUCC, SO, Utility)
Roster
2021 Nicholls Colonels roster Pitchers 4 Alexis LaBure - Junior 16 Taryn Westbrook - Freshman 28 Emily Danehower - Sophomore 33 Brittney Turner - Freshman 37 Jordan Moon - Sophomore
Outfielders 13 Corynn Major - Junior 15 Shelby Devine - Freshman 23 Kelsey Miller - Junior 27 Bree Aguillard - Redshirt Freshman 32 Kennedy Hebert - Sophomore 42 Jaida Choice - Freshman Catchers 2 Catrin Hoffman - Freshman 14 Lulu Vasquez - Freshman 25 Yasmeen Williams - Junior 36 Caitlin Garcia - Junior
Infielders 5 Samantha Gwiazda - Freshman 6 Emma Holland - Junior 9 Alexa Poche' - Freshman 12 Skylar Hamilton - Junior 21 Sydnee Shelton - Freshman 22 Ashlyn Reavis - Freshman 34 Nikki Whitehead - Junior
Utility 1 Danielle Duplay - Sophomore 7 Kelsey Johnson - Freshman 19 Scout Blades - Freshman 20 Melise Gossen - Sophomore
Coaching staff 2021 Nicholls Colonels coaching staffAngel Santiago – Head Coach – 10th year Jessica Seamon – Assistant Head Coach – 5th year
Schedule and results Legend Nicholls win Nicholls loss Postponement/CancellationBoldNicholls team member
2021 Nicholls Colonels Softball Game Log Regular season (12–28) February (6–5) Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record SLC Record Lion ClassicFeb. 13 vs. SIU Edwardsville North Oak Park • Hammond, LA Game Canceled due to unsafe traveling conditionsFeb. 13 vs. North Texas North Oak Park • Hammond, LA W 9-7 Danehower (1–0) Wall (0–1) None 119 1-0 Feb. 13 vs. South Dakota North Oak Park • Hammond, LA W 17-1 (5 inns) Moon (1–0) Fletcher (0–3) None 119 2-0 Feb. 14 vs. SIU Edwardsville North Oak Park • Hammond, LA Game Canceled due to unsafe traveling conditionsFeb. 14 vs. South Dakota North Oak Park • Hammond, LA W 6-4 LaBure (1–0) Lisko (1–2) None 65 3-0 Feb. 14 vs. North Texas North Oak Park • Hammond, LA Game Canceled due to threat of freezing rain/sleet/snow in HammondFeb. 19 Southern Miss Swanner Field at Geo Surfaces Park • Thibodaux, LA W 6-2 LaBure (2–0) Pierce (1-1) None 87 4-0 Feb. 19 Southern Miss Swanner Field at Geo Surfaces Park • Thibodaux, LA L 0-3 Ladner (2–0) Danehower (1-1) None 87 4-1 Feb. 20 Houston Baptist Swanner Field at Geo Surfaces Park • Thibodaux, LA L 4-9 Patak (1–0) Moon (1-1) None 101 4-2 Feb. 20 Houston Baptist Swanner Field at Geo Surfaces Park • Thibodaux, LA L 3-5 Cotton (1–0) LaBure (2–1) None 96 4-3 Feb. 25 at Alcorn State Alcorn Softball Complex • Lorman, MS Game Canceled UAB Softball InvitationalFeb. 26 vs. Alabama State Mary Bowers Field • Birmingham, AL L 1-8 Sullivan (2–3) LaBure (2-2) None 122 4-4 Feb. 26 at UAB Mary Bowers Field • Birmingham, AL Game CanceledFeb. 27 vs. Alabama State Mary Bowers Field • Birmingham, AL W 8-0 (5 inns) Danehower (2–1) Myers (0–3) None 130 5-4 Feb. 27 at UAB Mary Bowers Field • Birmingham, AL L 1-7 Conrad (2–0) Moon (1–2) None 235 5-5 Feb. 28 vs. Eastern Illinois Mary Bowers Field • Birmingham, AL W 4-0 Danehower (3–1) Montgomery (3-3) None 78 6-5 March (2–8) Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record SLC RecordMar. 9 Southern Swanner Field at Geo Surfaces Park • Thibodaux, LA Game PostponedMar. 12 Northwestern State Swanner Field at Geo Surfaces Park • Thibodaux, LA L 3-8 Rhoden (2-2) Danehower (3–2) None 123 6-6 0–1Mar. 12 Northwestern State Swanner Field at Geo Surfaces Park • Thibodaux, LA L 1-10 (5 inns) Howell (4–3) Moon (1–3) None 123 6-7 0–2Mar. 13 Northwestern State Swanner Field at Geo Surfaces Park • Thibodaux, LA L 0-4 Delafield (2–1) LaBure (2–3) None 101 6-8 0–3Mar. 19 at Stephen F. Austin SFA Softball Field • Nacogdoches, TX L 0-6 Wilbur (10–3) Danehower (3-3) None 236 6-9 0–4Mar. 19 at Stephen F. Austin SFA Softball Field • Nacogdoches, TX L 2-12 (5 inns) Chism (1–0) Turner (0–1) None 217 6-10 0–5Mar. 20 at Stephen F. Austin SFA Softball Field • Nacogdoches, TX L 4-9 Wilbur (12–3) Moon (1–4) None 229 6-11 0–6Mar. 26 Incarnate Word Swanner Field at Geo Surfaces Park • Thibodaux, LA L 2-3 Gunther (3–5) Danehower (3–4) None 101 6-12 0–7Mar. 26 Incarnate Word Swanner Field at Geo Surfaces Park • Thibodaux, LA L 0-3 Trapp (2–3) Westbrook (0–1) None 101 6-13 0–8Mar. 27 Incarnate Word Swanner Field at Geo Surfaces Park • Thibodaux, LA W 5-3 Westbrook (1-1) Gunther (3–6) None 88 7-13 1–8Mar. 30 Southern Swanner Field at Geo Surfaces Park • Thibodaux, LA W 6-3 Westbrook (2–1) Corona (0–2) Turner (1) 101 8-13 April (3–12) Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record SLC RecordApr. 2 Southeastern Louisiana Swanner Field at Geo Surfaces Park • Thibodaux, LA L 1-6 Zumo (11–2) Westbrook (2-2) None 244 8-14 1–9Apr. 3 Southeastern Louisiana Swanner Field at Geo Surfaces Park • Thibodaux, LA L 3-5 (8 inns) Comeaux (7–5) Westbrook (2–3) None 205 8-15 1–10Apr. 3 Southeastern Louisiana Swanner Field at Geo Surfaces Park • Thibodaux, LA L 4-7 Zumo (12–2) Westbrook (2–4) None 200 8-16 1–11Apr. 6 at South Alabama Jaguar Field • Mobile, AL L 2-10 (6 inns) Hughen (5–4) Westbrook (2–5) None 200 8-17 Apr. 10 at Central Arkansas Farris Field • Conway, AR L 2-14 (5 inns) Johnson (8–4) Danehower (3–5) None 125 8-18 1–12Apr. 10 at Central Arkansas Farris Field • Conway, AR L 0-2 Beaver (12–5) Moon (1–5) None 152 8-19 1–13Apr. 11 at Central Arkansas Farris Field • Conway, AR L 1-7 Beaver (13–5) Westbrook (2–6) Johnson (2) 132 8-20 1–14Apr. 16 at Texas A&M–Corpus Christi Chapman Field • Corpus Christi, TX W 4-2 Moon (2–5) Lara (11–8) Danehower (1) 178 9-20 2–14Apr. 16 at Texas A&M–Corpus Christi Chapman Field • Corpus Christi, TX L 2-3 Lara (12–8) Westbrook (2–7) None 172 9-21 2–15Apr. 17 at Texas A&M–Corpus Christi Chapman Field • Corpus Christi, TX W 8-2 LaBure (3-3) Lara (12–9) None 172 10-21 3–15Apr. 23 Abilene Christian Swanner Field at Geo Surfaces Park • Thibodaux, LA L 2-3 (8 inns) Bradley (4–13) LaBure (3–4) None 105 10-22 3–16Apr. 23 Abilene Christian Swanner Field at Geo Surfaces Park • Thibodaux, LA W 3-1 Westbrook (3–7) White (4–13) None 137 11-22 4–16Apr. 24 Abilene Christian Swanner Field at Geo Surfaces Park • Thibodaux, LA L 1-9 (5 inns) Bradley (5–13) Westbrook (3–8) None 201 11-23 4–17Apr. 30 at Lamar Lamar Softball Complex • Beaumont, TX L 3-4 Ruiz (2–8) LaBure (3–5) None 119 11-24 4–18Apr. 30 at Lamar Lamar Softball Complex • Beaumont, TX L 1-3 Mixon (3–15) Westbrook (3–9) None 119 11-25 4–19 May (1–3) Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record SLC RecordMay 2 at Lamar Lamar Softball Complex • Beaumont, TX L 4-9 Ruiz (3–8) Turner (0–2) None 119 11-26 4-20May 7 McNeese State Swanner Field at Geo Surfaces Park • Thibodaux, LA L 2-6 Tate (11–7) Westbrook (3–10) None 330 11-27 4-21May 7 McNeese State Swanner Field at Geo Surfaces Park • Thibodaux, LA W 1-0 LaBure (4–5) Edwards (7–2) None 276 12-27 5-21May 8 McNeese State Swanner Field at Geo Surfaces Park • Thibodaux, LA L 2-10 (6 inns) Vallejo (7-7) Turner (0–3) None 202 12-28 5-22 Schedule source: *Rankings are based on the team's current ranking in the NFCA/USA Softball poll.
Postseason
Conference accolades Player of the Year: Kassidy Wilbur – SFA Hitter of the Year: Shaylon Govan – SFA Pitcher of the Year: Kassidy Wilbur – SFA Freshman of the Year: Jenna Wildeman – UCA Newcomer of the Year: Jenna Edwards – MCNS Coach of the Year: Nicole Dickson – SFA
All Conference First Team Shaylon Govan (SFA) Bryana Novegil (SFA) Haylee Brinlee (MCNS) Cori McCrary (MCNS) Heidi Jaquez (HBU) E. C. Delafield (NSU) Mackenzie Bennett (SFA) Jenna Wildeman (UCA) Megan McDonald (SHSU) Aeriyl Mass (SELA) Kayla Beaver (UCA) Kassidy Wilbur (SFA)
All Conference Second Team Kaylyn Shephard (UCA) Mary Kate Brown (UCA) Lindsey Rizzo (SELA) Camryn Middlebrook (SFA) Hannah Scheaffer (SHSU) Gaby Garcia (SFA) Kaylee Lopez (MCNS) Donelle Johnson (ACU) Jil Poullard (MCNS) Audrey Greely (SELA) Jordan Johnson (UCA) Whitney Tate (MCNS)
All Conference Third Team Caitlyn Brockway (HBU) Cayla Jones (NSU) Alex Hedspeth (SFA) Ashlyn Reavis (NICH) Chloe Gomez (MCNS) Jasie Roberts (HBU) Anna Rodenberg (SELA) Kaitlyn St. Clair (NSU) Sheridan Fisher (SHSU) Pal Egan (TAMUCC) Lyndie Swanson (HBU) Heather Zumo (SELA)
References:
References