McNeese’s Cooper Hext Named First Team All-Conference, Three Receive Recognition

The league office announced Tuesday afternoon that three players from McNeese Baseball were named to the Southland Conference All-Defensive Team, and one player was named to the First Team All-Conference team in DeQuincy native Cooper Hext.

Cooper was named to the Southland Conference First Team, while Conner Westenburg, Cooper Hext, and Cameron LeJeune were named to the Southland Conference All-Defensive Team.

After being selected to the Preseason All-SLC Second Team, Cooper Hext made headlines for the Cowboys during his senior year by earning a spot on the All-SLC First Team.

Hext topped the club in batting average (.310), collecting 67 hits, 25 of which were extra-base hits. Additionally, Cooper blasted seven home runs and eleven doubles. Hext also leads the conference and is seventh in the country with seven triples.

Westenburg is as good as they come out in Centerfield with a career .981 fielding percentage. Conner also had s play that was featured on SportsCenter's Top 10.

Cameron LeJeune was the final Cowboy to be named to the All-Defensive Team as a pitcher. The redshirt junior didn't make an error all season for a perfect fielding percentage. He earned 13 assists with one putout, taking part in two double plays.

SLC All-Conference Teams
Player of the Year – Edgar Alvarez, Nicholls
Hitter of the Year – Mitchell Sanford, New Orleans
Pitcher of the Year – Brooks Caple, Lamar
Relief Pitcher of the Year – Nico Saltaformaggio, Nicholls
Newcomer of the Year – Dalton Beck, UIW
Freshman of the Year – Larson Fabre, Southeastern
Coach of the Year – Will Davis, Lamar

FIRST TEAM
C – Miguel Useche, New Orleans
1B – Edgar Alvarez, Nicholls
2B – Isaac Webb, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
SS – TJ Salvaggio, Southeastern
3B – Shea Thomas, Southeastern
OF – Mitchell Sanford, New Orleans
OF – Samuel Benjamin, HCU
OF – Cooper Hext, McNeese
DH – Dalton Beck, UIW
UT – Bryce Calloway, New Orleans
SP – Brooks Caple, Lamar
SP – Colton Mercer, New Orleans
SP – Brennan Stuprich, Southeastern
RP – Nico Saltaformaggio, Nicholls

SECOND TEAM
C – Zak Skinner, Lamar
1B – Brayden Evans, Lamar
2B – Diego Villescas, New Orleans
SS – Parker Coddou, Nicholls
3B – Sebastian Trinidad, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
OF – Reese Lipoma, Northwestern State
OF – Basiel Williams, Nicholls
OF – Cameron Caley, UIW
DH – River Orsak, Lamar
UT – Drake Anderson, Nicholls

SP – Matthew Watson, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
SP – Jacob Ellis, Lamar
SP – Hunter Hesseltine, Lamar
RP – Caleb Bunch, Northwestern State

ALL-DEFENSIVE TEAM
C – Miguel Useche, New Orleans
1B – Edgar Alvarez, Nicholls
2B – Dalton Hurst, New Orleans
SS – Kanin Dodge, Lamar
3B – Rocco Gump, Northwestern State
CF – Conner Westenburg, McNeese
LF – Cooper Hext, McNeese
P - Cameron LeJeune