MONROE, La. — Three returning Warhawks have been selected for the Preseason All-Sun Belt team, as ULM was selected to finish second in the league. This is the highest ULM has been selected to finish since joining the conference in 2006. This comes after a 35-22 record and third-place finish in the Sun Belt last season under 2025 Sun Belt Coach of the Year Molly Fichtner.
 
Meagan Brown proved her worth at ULM in a stellar sophomore season, now returning for a third year in Monroe. She concluded 2025 with recognition on the All-Sun Belt First Team and All-Louisiana First Team. Brown hit .404 to finish second on the team, recording 60 RBI, 52 runs, 18 doubles and four home runs. She led the conference in sacrifice flies (6), second in the league in hits, doubles and RBI. Brown also ranked nationally in sac flies (11^th), doubles (20^th) and RBI (44^th). The junior collected 21 multi-hit games and a team-leading 17 multi-RBI games. She concluded the postseason named to the Sun Belt All-Tournament team after recording four hits while at bat and six putouts in the postseason.
 
Morgan Brown enters her third season with ULM, having already been listed as the 28^th-ranked mid-major player in the preseason, according to D1Softball. As a redshirt freshman, Brown was named to the NFCA All-Region Third Team, All-Sun Belt First Team and All-Louisiana First team. She was also named as a Freshman All-American from Softball America and D1Softball. She started in all 57 games at second base, hitting .382 with 62 RBI, 48 runs, 13 home runs, 16 doubles and four triples. The infielder led the Sun Belt in RBI, was second in at-bats and third in hits and doubles. With 22 multi-hit games and 14 multi-RBI games, she also saw a multi-home run game last season against App State. 
 
Recognized on the All-Sun Belt First Team and All-Louisiana Honorable Mention team last season, Brooklin Lippert showed off in her sophomore season as ULM's lead-off hitter. She started in all 57 games, hitting a team-leading .416 (74-of-178) to record 53 runs, 10 RBI, a double and two triples. She also led the Sun Belt with a staggering 31 stolen bases on the season, ranking 22^nd nationally. Her 74 hits sat at the top of the league as she placed third in batting average. Lippert captured 23 multi-hit games and a 19-game hitting streak across the season.
 
The Warhawks claimed a historic 2025 season, securing the highest number of Sun Belt wins in a single season (14) in program history and the most regular season wins since 1997 after going 35-22. The Warhawks finished the season third in the Sun Belt, the highest ranking since joining the conference. After starting the season with a 11-7 record in February, ULM went on to claim a 14-10 conference record, going 22-3 at home for the best home record in program history. In the 2025 season alone, ULM broke eight single-season records, placing multiple in the record book top five.
 
ULM will open the season on the road, competing in the Twisted Vines Bayou Bash, hosted by McNeese. On February 6, the Warhawks will open the season against Preseason No. 1 Texas Tech at 1:30 p.m. and follow up at 6:30 p.m. against McNeese.
 
The preseason awards and poll can be found below:
 
Preseason Player of the Year
Aiyana Coleman, Texas State [Sr. | 1B | College Station, Texas]

Preseason Pitcher of the Year
Madison Azua, Texas State [Jr. | LHP | Round Rock, Texas]

Preseason All-Sun Belt Team
P Madison Azua, Texas State [Jr. | LHP | Round Rock, Texas]
P Alana Barnard, Georgia Southern [Sr. | RHP | Statesboro, Ga.]
C Megan Kelnar, Texas State [Sr. | C | Kyle, Texas]
1B Aiyana Coleman, Texas State [Sr. | 1B | College Station, Texas]
1B Georgia Hood, Coastal Carolina [Jr. | 1B | Mount Gambier, Australia]
2B Morgan Brown, ULM [R-So. | 2B | Katy, Texas]
2B Makayla McClain, App State [Sr. | 2B | Liberty, N.C.]
3B Olivia Branstetter, South Alabama [Jr. | 3B | Liberty, Mo.]
3B Cali Legzdin, James Madison [So. | 3B | Beaver Falls, Pa.]
SS Grace Barrett, App State [Jr. | SS | Milton, Ga.]
OF Meagan Brown, ULM [Jr. | OF | Katy, Texas]
OF Hannah Christian, Southern Miss [So. | OF | Hoover, Ala.]
OF Diamond Leslie, Marshall [So. | OF | Alpharetta, Ga.]
OF Brooklin Lippert, ULM [Jr. | OF | Loganville, Ga.]
DP Payton List, James Madison [R-Jr. | DP | Beaver, Pa.]
 
2026 Sun Belt Conference Softball Preseason Coaches' Poll

1. Texas State (8) – 138
2. ULM – 113
3. Louisiana (1) – 109
4. Coastal Carolina (2) – 104
5. Marshall (1) – 100
6. App State – 85
7. James Madison – 75
8. Georgia Southern – 64
9. Troy – 63
10. South Alabama – 42
11. Southern Miss – 29
12. Georgia State – 14