ORLANDO, Fla. – The top-ranked Saint Leo softball team led the All-Sunshine State Conference ballots with eight players earning all-conference status in addition to boasting back-to-back SSC Coach of the Year, Erin Kinberger, and Freshman of the Year, Abby Hynes.

The Green & Gold had four players collect All-SSC First Team awards as senior Briana Neal, junior Izzy LaRoche, junior Alexis Barber, and senior Tierney Hocquard garnered first team honors.

Junior Sydney Cline and Hynes earned All-SSC Second Team recognition while both Hocquard and Barber obtained All-SSC Defensive Team laurels.

Kinberger earns her fourth Coach of the Year honor as she helped guide the Lions to their highest ranking in program history as Saint Leo was polled at #1 in the country. Additionally, the Lions broke the team record for most wins (44) and longest win streak (38).

Hynes becomes the second Lion to be tabbed Freshman of the Year in the last four seasons as Neal earned the accolade in 2023 and the eighth to win overall. The Florida native ranked 11th in the league with a .392 batting average with a 1.014 OPS. She blasted six home runs and drove in 48 runs (sixth-most in the SSC). Hynes sported a .600 slugging percentage with a .414 on-base percentage. Defensively, she tallied a .986 fielding percentage with 201 putouts and 13 assists.

Neal earned her fourth All-SSC nod of her career and second of First Team status. Neal posted a career-best .416 batting average and led the Lions with a career-high nine home runs. Her .708 slugging percentage ranked fifth in the SSC while she paced the whole league with a .517 on-base percentage. Additionally, Neal broke the program record for most walks in a season with 101 and surpassed the 200-career hits milestone earlier this year.

LaRoche in her first year dawning the Green & Gold produced the fourth-best and team-leading batting average in the conference with a .419 along with a 1.156 OPS. She tied a career-high seven homers this season in addition to driving in 30 runs and 13 extra-base hits. LaRoche scored 34 runs and tallied 54 total hits while going nine-for-nine on stolen base attempts. After putting together a great season, LaRoche earns her first career all-conference nod.

Barber earns her consecutive All-SSC First Team honor while this is the third time in her career that she collected all-conference status. Additionally, Barber garnered her first All-SSC Defensive Team laurel. At the plate, she registered a .369 batting average with 48 hits and 33 RBI. Barber boasted a .438 slugging percentage and a .417 on-base percentage. Defensively, she flashed the leather all season at shortstop as she recorded a .957 fielding percentage with 50 putouts and 61 assists.

In the circle, Hocquard put together one of the greatest seasons in program history. The Canada native notched a staggering career-best 1.60 ERA with a 19-1 record. Hocquard recorded seven shutouts and held opposing offenses to a .194 batting average. In her 127.0 innings pitched she tied a career-high 118 strikeouts and now only sits one strikeout away from 300 in her career.

For the second time in her career Cline was named to the All-SSC Teams as she posted a .333 batting average with 45 hits, 12 extra-base hits, and a pair of home runs. The Florida native also notched a .474 slugging percentage and 38 RBI.

The Lions earned the top-seed in the NCAA South Region and will host fourth-seeded Auburn-Montgomery, fifth-seeded Tampa, and eighth-seeded Spring Hill. Games will start tomorrow, Thursday, May 14 at 12 p.m. with Saint Leo taking on Spring Hill.