MELBOURNE, Fla. – Junior pitcher/utility player Haleigh Thomas was named the Sunshine State Conference Player of the Week following the opening weekend of the 2025 season. The Lions went 3-1 on the weekend earning a pair of top 10 wins on the final day. Thomas posted a .778/.833/1.111 slash line, leading the conference in batting average. This is the second time in her career that she won Player of the Week (3/25/24).

Thomas posted an impressive slash line (.778/.833/1.111) in the opening weekend as the Lions went 3-1, highlighted by wins over #4 Lenoir-Rhyne (3-0) and #9 Rogers State (4-3).

In four games, she went 7-for-9 with three doubles, four RBI, a walk, and three runs scored. In three of four games, she went 2-for-2 at the plate and had a double in three straight games to open the season.

In the 2-1 loss to West Florida, Thomas had the Lions' lone RBI, with an RBI double in the bottom of the seventh. In a 10-0 run-rule win over Union (Tenn.), she went 2-for-2 with two RBI, two runs scored, and a double. In a 3-0 win over #4 LR, she went 1-for-3 at the plate with a double with a run scored. In the final game of the weekend, a 4-3 walk-off win over #9 Rogers State, she went 2-for-2 with an RBI and a walk. She also was the batter when the Lions made it a 3-3 game as she reached on a throwing error on a sac bunt allowing the runner to score from second.

Thomas leads the SSC in average (.778), on-base % (.833), and OPS (1.944). She is second in doubles (3) and has the third most hits (7), and fourth most RBI (4). 

While this award recognizes her non-pitching performance, Thomas was equally as dominant in the circle.  

The junior pitcher posted a 1-1 record with a 1.00 ERA for the Lions in the opening weekend, pitching 14 innings while striking out 23 batters and allowing just a pair of runs while earning a shutout win over #4 Lenoir-Rhyne. In a 2-1 loss to West Florida, she went the distance allowing just a pair of runs in the third inning while striking out nine batters. She earned her first win of the season with a 3-0 blanking of #4 Lenoir-Rhyne while allowing no runs on five hits while striking out 14 Bears along the way. She struck out the side in both the second and seventh innings. Thomas leads the SSC in strikeouts with 23.
 
Thomas and the Lions are back in action this weekend at home hosting three straight doubleheaders against Gulf South opponents.