McClain Garners Sun Belt and NFCA Co-Player of The Week Honors
NEW ORLEANS – For the third time this season, App State Softball junior infielder Makayla McClain has been named the Sun Belt Player of the Week. McClain also garnered NFCA Co-Player of the Week honors, marking the first time an App State player has received that award.
After making history against Coastal Carolina in the final weekend of the regular season, McClain became the first Mountaineer to be named conference player of the week three times in the same season. She joined Katie Boyd (five times) and Kayt Houston (three times) as the only players in program history to earn a conference player of the week award three or more times in their career.
The Liberty, N.C., native posted a .818/.846/1.545 slash line in the Mountaineers’ series victory over Coastal Carolina. She picked up nine hits in 11 at-bats and reached base all but two times in 13 plate appearances. McClain posted four extra-base hits – three doubles, a triple and a homer – and scored six of App State’s 20 runs in the series.
In the series finale, McClain became the first Mountaineer in program history to hit for the cycle, recording a double in the first, a single in the third, a home run in the fifth and a triple in the seventh. It was just the 29th four-hit game ever produced by a Mountaineer.
Nationally, McClain’s outstanding week helped her solidify top-25 rankings in batting average (11th), doubles (sixth), hits (fourth), on-base percentage (10th), runs scored (15th), total bases (eighth), triples (seventh) and slugging percentage (18th).
App State and McClain will next hit the field at the Sun Belt Tournament in Troy, Ala., on Thursday against third-seeded Louisiana. When the Mountaineers take the field, it will mark their first appearance at the Sun Belt Tournament since 2022. First pitch from the Troy University Softball Complex is scheduled for 11 a.m. ET (10 a.m. CT). All games at the tournament prior to the championship game can be streamed on ESPN+.
App State Softball Trio Named All-Sun Belt
NEW ORLEANS – The App State Softball trio of Makayla McClain(Providence Grove High School), Grace Barrett and Sophie Moshos earned All-Sun Belt accolades on Tuesday, as the league announced its postseason awards. Both McClain and Barrett were named to the All-Sun Belt first team, and Moshos was named to the second team.
It marks the first time since 2014 that the Mountaineers have had at least three players named All-Sun Belt and the first time since the Mountaineers joined the league that two players have received first-team distinction. It’s only the third time in program history that two more Mountaineers have received first-team all-conference honors (2012 and 2014).
For Moshos, she became just the second App State pitcher to be named All-Sun Belt, joining Kenzie Longanecker, who received first-team distinction in 2019 and a second-team honor in 2021. Moshos is the fifth pitcher in program history to be named all-conference, along with Longanecker, Hannah Dow (2011), Kayla Richardson (2009) and Yancy Moose (2006).
“I am very proud of the work our players have put in to earn these conference honors,” said head coach Whitney Jones. “These honors are a reflection of their dedication and commitment to being the very best they can be for their team and their teammates.
Makayla’s consistency and her confidence continue to elevate our program daily. Grace has led with her composure and sound presence at both shortstop and in the box all year. Sophie chose App State to do exactly what she has done all season, which is to be the very best she can be for her team and win at a high level. I know each of them would accredit their successes to their teammates and what this team has been able to accomplish together. I couldn’t be more proud.”
Makayla McClain (2B) – All-Sun Belt First Team
In her first season in the Black and Gold, McClain has put together one of the best offensive seasons in program history. Entering the postseason, she boasts a .386 batting average, 14 home runs, 50 RBIs, a program-record 55 runs scored, 119 total bases, a .753 slugging percentage, a .479 on-base percentage and a 1.232 OPS. Her totals for home runs, RBIs, total bases, batting average and runs scored are all in the top 10 for a single season in program history.
McClain, who started all 49 games during the regular season, finished in the top 25 of the Sun Belt Conference in almost every major offensive category. Most notably, she is in the top 10 entering the postseason in hits (seventh), home runs (sixth), home runs per game (fourth), on-base percentage (sixth), RBIs (sixth), runs (first), runs per game (first), slugging percentage (fourth) and total bases (fifth).
The Liberty, N.C., native became the first Mountaineer in program history to be named the conference Player of the Week three times in the same season. She became the first player in program history to hit for the cycle on May 3 against Coastal Carolina. Additionally, she has tallied a multi-homer game (March 28 vs. James Madison), a grand slam (April 18 vs. Georgia State) and three leadoff home runs this season.
Grace Barrett (SS) – All-Sun Belt First Team
In her sophomore season, Barrett enters the postseason with a .318 batting average (the third-best average on the team), 34 RBIs (the second-most on the team and 16th-most in the SBC) and 10 doubles (the second-most on the team and 14th-most in the SBC).
Barrett has been especially good against teams in the top 75 of the RPI, as 14 of her 50 hits this season have come against those opponents. Barrett started her sophomore season by bashing 14 hits in her first nine games, which included a three-hit game against North Carolina on Feb. 8 and a three-hit game against Auburn that included a home run and four RBIs. Barrett carries 17 multi-hit games entering the Sun Belt Tournament, the second-most on the team.
Along with her bat, Barrett has proven to be one of the most reliable gloves for the Mountaineers this season. Starting all 49 games, primarily at shortstop, Barrett has posted a .931 fielding percentage on 144 chances and has committed just two errors in SBC play. She has also been a part of two double plays this season.
Sophie Moshos (P) – All-Sun Belt Second Team
In her first season as a Division I pitcher, Moshos immediately became App State’s go-to arm, as she leads the team in ERA, innings pitched, appearances, starts, wins, strikeouts, batting average against, complete games and shutouts. Moshos currently sits in the top 10 of several program single-season categories, as she is second in wins (16), sixth in strikeouts (117) and ninth in innings pitched (157.0).
In the Sun Belt, Moshos ranks in the top 15 in ERA (13th), complete games (third), starts (third), wins (third, with a national ranking of 48th), strikeouts (fourth), innings pitched (third) and shutouts (sixth). She enters the postseason as one of just three Sun Belt pitchers with 16 victories and one of just five Sun Belt pitchers with at least 110 strikeouts.
Moshos boasts three games with nine punchouts. In Sun Belt play during the regular season, she tallied a 10-4 record and beat seven of the eight teams she faced. Additionally, she became the first Mountaineer to be named Sun Belt Pitcher of the Week since the team joined the league in 2015.
App State is set to compete in the 2025 Sun Belt Softball Tournament, which starts Wednesday. The Mountaineers earned a first-round bye, meaning they will kick off play with a quarterfinal matchup against third-seeded Louisiana on Thursday at 11 a.m. ET (10 a.m. CT). All games of the 2025 tournament can be streamed on ESPN+, with the championship game on May 10 also being broadcast on ESPN2.
2025 Sun Belt Conference Softball Postseason Awards
Player of the Year
Aiyana Coleman, Texas State
Pitcher of the Year
Nicolette Picone, Coastal Carolina
Newcomer of the Year
Aiyana Coleman, Texas State
Freshman of the Year
Emily Smith, Louisiana
Coach of the Year
Molly Fichtner, ULM
2025 All-Sun Belt Softball First Team
Madison Azua, Texas State
Maddie Johnson, Georgia Southern
Nicolette Picone, Coastal Carolina
Megan Kelnar, Texas State
Aiyana Coleman, Texas State
Morgan Brown, ULM
Makayla McClain, App State
Olivia Branstetter, South Alabama
Grace Barrett, App State
Meagan Brown, ULM
Hannah Christian, Southern Miss
Diamond Leslie, Marshall
Brooklin Lippert, ULM
Taylor McKinney, Troy
Payton List, James Madison
2025 All-Sun Belt Softball Second Team
Alana Barnard, Georgia Southern
Alyssa Faircloth, Troy
Sophie Moshos, App State
Maddie Jennings, Coastal Carolina
Georgia Hood, Coastal Carolina
Emily Smith, Louisiana
Gabby Stagner, South Alabama
Keirstin Roose, Coastal Carolina
Sam Roe, Louisiana
Haleigh Adkins, Marshall
Delanie Thames, Georgia Southern
Kayla Falterman, Louisiana
Maddie Hayden, Louisiana
McKinnon Howard, Troy
Layla Thompson, ULM