The 2024 McNeese Cowboys baseball team represented McNeese State University during the 2024 NCAA Division I baseball season. The Cowboys played their home games at Joe Miller Ballpark and were led by eleventhâÂÂyear head coach Justin Hill. They are members of the Southland Conference. They compiled a 32âÂÂ27 overall record and a 11âÂÂ13 record in conference play to tie for 4th place. Qualifying for the SLC tournament, the 5th seeded Cowboys were 3âÂÂ2 in tournament play. They defeated 4th seeded Northwestern State 10âÂÂ5 and 8th seeded Incarnate Word 6âÂÂ2. The Cowboys were defeated by 1st seed Lamar 9âÂÂ18 and then defeated Lamar 14âÂÂ4 to reach the tournament championship game where they were defeated by 2nd seed Nicholls 15âÂÂ1.
Previous season
The Cowboys had a regular season record of 35âÂÂ23 and a conference record of 12âÂÂ12 finishing in a three way tie for fifth place in conference play. They participated in the 2023 Southland Conference baseball tournament as the sixth seeded team. After winning their first conference tournament game against seventh seeded Texas A&MâÂÂCorpus Christi, the Cowboys lost to first seeded Nicholls and defeated second seeded Incarnate Word before being eliminated losing to fifth seeded Northwestern State.
Preseason
Southland Conference Coaches Poll
The Southland Conference Coaches Poll was released on February 8, 2024. McNeese was picked to finish fifth in the Southland Conference with 67 votes.
Preseason All-Southland team
Cooper Hext was named to the conference preseason second team.
First Team
- Edgar Alvarez* (NICH, SR, 1st Base)
- MaCrae Kendrick (NICH, SR, 2nd Base)
- Ethan Ruiz (LU, SR, 3rd Base)
- Parker Coddou* (NICH, SR, Shortstop)
- Miguel Useche (UNO, SR, Catcher)
- Rey Mendoza* (UIW, GR, Designated Hitter)
- Mitchell Sanford* (UNO, RJR, Outfielder)
- Samuel Benjamin* (HCU, SR, Outfielder)
- Issac Williams (UNO, SR, Outfielder)
- Jacob Mayers* (NICH, SO, Starting Pitcher)
- Brooks Caple* (LU, SR, Starting Pitcher)
- Hunter Hesseltine* (LU, JR, Starting Pitcher)
- Gavin Galy* (NICH, RJR, Relief Pitcher)
- Kanin Dodge (LU, SR, Utility)
*-2023 Southland All-Conference Selection
Second Team
- Cameron Crotte (UIW, SR, 1st Base)
- Austin Roccaforte (LU, SR, 2nd Base)
- Dylan Mach (UNO, SR, 3rd Base)
- Jake Haze* (SLU, GR, Shortstop)
- Bo Willis (NWST, SR, Catcher)
- River Orsak (LU, SR, Designated Hitter)
- Garrett Felix (NICH, SR, Outfielder)
- Cooper Hext (MCNS, SR, Outfielder)
- Christian Smith-Johnson (TAMUCC, SO, Outfielder)
- Chase Prestwich (NWST, JR, Starting Pitcher)
- Isaiah Zavala (UIW, GR, Starting Pitcher)
- Jacob Ellis (LU, SR, Starting Pitcher)
- Jackson Cleveland (LU, JR, Relief Pitcher)
- Isaiah Zavala (UIW, SR, Utility)
*-2023 Southland All-Conference Selection
Schedule and results
Conference awards and honors
2024 All-Southland Conference team
Source:<br> Cooper Hext was named to the conference first team. Cooper Hext, Conner Westenburg, and Cameron LeJeune were named the All-Defensive Team.
First Team
- Miguel Useche (UNO, SR, Catcher)
- Edgar Alvarez (NICH, SR, 1st Base)
- Isaac Webb (TAMUCC, RJR, 2nd Base)
- TJ Salvaggio (SLU, JR, Shortstop)
- Shea Thomas (SLU, SR, 3rd Base)
- Mitchell Sanford (UNO, RJR, Outfielder)
- Samuel Benjamin (HCU, SR, Outfielder)
- Cooper Hext (MCN, SR, Outfielder)
- Dalton Beck (UIW, JR, Designaterd Hitter)
- Bryce Calloway (UNO, JR, Utility)
- Brooks Caple (LU, SR, Starting Pitcher)
- Colton Mercer (UNO, JR, Starting Pitcher)
- Brennan Stuprich (SLU, RJR, Starting Pitcher)
- Nico Saltaformaggio (NICH, SR, Relief Pitcher)
Second Team
- ak Skinner (LU, JR, Catcher)
- Brayden Evans (LU, JR, 1st Base)
- Diego Villescas (UNO, JR, 2nd Base)
- Parker Coddou (NICH, JR, Shortstop)
- Sebastian Trinidad (TAMUCC, SR, 3rd Base)
- Reese Lipoma (NWST, JR, Outfielder)
- Basiel Williams (NICH, RSR, Outfielder)
- Cameron Caley (UIW, SR, Outfielder)
- River Orsak (LU, SR, Designaterd Hitter)
- Drake Anderson (NICH, JR, Utility)
- Matthew Watson (TAMUCC, RJR, Starting Pitcher)
- Jacob Ellis (LU, SR, Starting Pitcher)
- Hunter Hesseltine (LU, JR, Starting Pitcher)
- Caleb Bunch (NWST, JR, Relief Pitcher)
2024 All-Southland Defensive team
- Miguel Useche (UNO, JR, Catcher)
- Edgar Alvarez (NICH, SR, 1st Base)
- Dalton Hurst (UNO, JR, 2nd Base)
- Kanin Dodge (LU, SR, Shortstop)
- Rocco Gump (NWST, JR, 3rd Base)
- Cooper Hext (MCN, SR, Left Fielder)
- Conner Westenburg (MCN, JR, Center Fielder)
- Mitchell Sanford (UNO, SR, Right Fielder)
- Cameron LeJeune (MCN, RJR, Pitcher)
Weekly awards
See also
2024 McNeese Cowgirls softball team
References