MONROE, La. — Sophomore outfielder Meagan Brown and junior pitcher Maddie Nichols have been named to the 2025 Preseason All-Sun Belt softball team. ULM has also been selected to finish seventh in the Sun Belt Preseason coaches poll, receiving 76 votes. 
 
West Monroe native Maddie Nichols made her mark in her sophomore season at ULM, making 33 appearances and 21 starts in the pitching circle. Nichols posted an 11-10 record with a 2.57 ERA, seventh in the Sun Belt. She posted five complete games, ranking third in the Sun Belt in opposing batting average and seventh in strikeouts.
 
Meagan Brown had a phenomenal freshman season, completing 2024 as one of the top freshman hitters in the Sun Belt. The outfielder started in 52 of 54 games, leading the Warhawks in slugging percentage, OBP, OPS, doubles, triples and home runs. She posted a batting average of .367, which led all freshmen in the league. 
 
ULM is coming off a historic season in 2024, finishing with a 31-24 record under sixth-year head coach Molly Fichtner. The Warhawks achieved the most Sun Belt wins in a season in program history and the most regular season wins since the 1997 season. ULM finished the season by competing in the Sun Belt Tournament, falling to South Alabama in the quarterfinals.
 
The 2025 season opens in eight days, the season opener at Lamar taking place on Thursday, Feb. 7 in a double-header at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. in Beaumont, Texas. The softball team will open at home on Feb. 18, taking on Jackson State for a midweek game. Conference play for ULM will begin on March 14, hosting Georgia State for the weekend. The Warhawks will take on Sun Belt preseason first-ranked Texas State in Monroe to conclude regular season play on May 1-3.
 
The 2025 Sun Belt softball preseason awards are listed below:
 
Preseason Player of the Year:
Brooklyn Ulrich, Marshall [R-Jr. | 2B | Mesa, Ariz.]
 
Preseason Pitcher of the Year:
Madison Azua, Texas State [So. | P | Round Rock, Texas]
 
Preseason All-Sun Belt Team
Bella Henzler, James Madison [Jr. | C | Allison Park, Pa.]
Georgia Hood, Coastal Carolina [So. | 1B | Mount Gambier, Australia]
Sam Roe, Ragin' Cajuns [Sr. | 1B | Destin, Fla.]
Brooklyn Ulrich, Marshall [R-Jr. | 2B | Mesa, Ariz.]
Taylor McKinney, Troy [Sr. | 2B | Montgomery, Ala.]
Delaney Keith, Coastal Carolina [Jr. | 3B | Nampa, Idaho]
Cecilia Vasquez, Ragin' Cajuns [Jr. | SS | New Waverly, Texas]
Meagan Brown, ULM [So. | OF | Katy, Texas]
Reed Butler, James Madison [Gr. | OF | Pomfret, Md.]
Emma Davis, Georgia Southern [Jr. | OF | Grayson, Ga.]
Maddie Hayden, Ragin' Cajuns [Sr. | OF | West Monroe, La.]
Ciara Trahan, Texas State [Sr. | OF | Sante Fe, Texas]
Payton List, James Madison [R-So. | DP | Beaver, Pa.]
Madison Azua, Texas State [So. | P | Round Rock, Texas]
Maddie Nichols, ULM [Jr. | P | West Monroe, La.]
  
2025 Sun Belt Conference Softball Preseason Coaches Poll 
1. Texas State (5) – 134
2. Ragin' Cajuns (6) – 131
3. South Alabama – 106
4. Troy – 103
5. James Madison (1) – 99
6. Coastal Carolina – 94
7. ULM – 76
8. Georgia Southern – 51
9. Marshall – 50
10. Southern Miss – 44
11. App State – 33
12. Georgia State – 13 

*Parentheses indicate first-place votes