MELBOURNE, Fla. – The Sunshine State Conference announced its yearly awards for softball on Tuesday morning. Seven Saint Leo University softball student-athletes have earned conference postseason honors. Madyson Coe highlights the 39 SSC softball student-athletes earning recognition as she was named the 2024 SSC Softball Player of the Year and earned first team honors at the catcher position.

Joining Coe on the first team are Alyssa Perez at first base and Hailey Beuerlein at DP. Briana Neal at second base, Alexis Barber at shortstop, and Haleigh Thomas at pitcher all earned second team honors. Two Lions earn a spot on the All-SSC defensive team in outfielder Hope Epps, and pitcher Haleigh Thomas.

Coe was the leading hitter in the SSC in 2024 with a league-best 1.081 OPS and .405 average. She was second in the SSC in walk, on base %, and doubles, and was third in slugging %, and hits. Coe was named to the NCAA DII Tucci/NFCA Player of the Year watchlist. Coe's hard work finally paid off as she was recognized in her senior season with All-SSC honors for the first time in her career. She becomes the fifth Lion to be named the SSC Player of the Year and the first since Kacie Kelly earned the honors in 2017.

Perez made 49 starts at first base in 51 games played for the Lions. She finished the regular season with the most putouts on the team, second in doubles, and third on the team in average, hits, and OBP. She is fourth on the team in RBI, HBP, and total bases. All-SSC first team selection at first base.

Hailey Beuerlein was one of the top producers in a potent Lions lineup as she led the team in RBI, and home runs. She was second on the team in slugging percentage, doubles, and sacrifice flies. Her 41 RBI led the SSC.

Barber was named to the second team at shortstop as she was one of the top freshmen on the team and in the conference. She led the Lions in triples, hits, runs scored, total bases, total plate appearances, and at-bats. She was second in the team in average, doubles, and games played/started. She finished the regular season leading the SSC in hits and at-bats and was in the top 10 in average, doubles, and triples. Barber had sixteen multi-hit games including eight three-hit games.

Thomas earned a spot on the second team and the defensive team as she was the top pitcher for Saint Leo in 2024, she led the pitching staff in ERA, wins, appearances, starts, complete games, shutouts, innings pitched, and strikeouts. She led the SSC in strikeouts and was second in opposing BA. At the plate, Thomas led the team in HBP, was second on the team in OB%, third in walks, and fifth in runs scored. Thomas pitched her first career no-hitter against Converse on March 12, as she struck out six batters while allowing no hits and walking just two. Thomas earns her first career SSC postseason honors.

The 2023 SSC Freshman of the Year, Neal was the only Lion to start all 54 games, all at second base. Neal posted the fifth-best average, and was a threat on the base paths all season long as she opened the season 9-for-9 and finished with 18 stolen bases in 22 attempts. Twice on the season she scored a season-high three runs (Rollins, Valdosta State).

Epps earned a spot on the All-SSC defensive team as she was the leading outfielder for the Lions routinely making highlight catches in the outfield. She led all outfielders in all offensive categories. Epps set career highs in putouts (63), assists (3) as she posted a .985 fielding percentage. At the plate, she posted a .311 average, with 47 hits, 23 runs scored, two doubles, a triple, and 12 RBI. On the base paths, she had 16 stolen bases in 18 attempts.

2024 ALL-SSC Softball Teams
Player of the Year
Madyson Coe 

First Team 
1B - Alyssa Perez
C - Madyson Coe
DP - Hailey Beuerlein

Second Team 
2B - Briana Neal
SS - Alexis Barber 
P - Haleigh Thomas

Defensive Team 
OF - Hope Epps
P - Haleigh Thomas

On Monday morning the Lions were informed of their NCAA regional plans. Saint Leo earned the five seed and will take on the four seed Nova Southeastern Sharks at 2 p.m. from Auburn University at Montgomery.