The Lamar Lady Cardinals softball team represents Lamar University in NCAA Division I college softball. The team competes in the Southland Conference. The Lady Cardinals are currently led by head coach Amy Hooks. The team played its home games at the offâÂÂcampus Ford Park for the first two seasons following the program restart in 2013. The Lady Cardinals began playing home games at the Lamar Softball Complex located on the university's campus starting with the 2015 season.
LU first sponsored softball from 1971 through 1977 competing in the AIAW. Lamar finished second in the 1972 AIAW Texas state tournament. In addition to other head coaching duties, Pat Park was the Lady Cardinals head coach for the initial seasons. Coach Park also served as women's head coach for basketball, tennis, and golf while she was at Lamar.
The off-campus Beaumont Athletic Complex served as the Lady Cardinals home during the 1971 to 1977 period.
In 1983 Lamar added softball as an NCAA Division I sport and competed in the Southland conference. Tryouts for the team were held on October 16, 1982. The sport was dropped in 1987 when Lamar left the Southland Conference. Patty Calvert was head coach during the 1982âÂÂ1987 period.
On April 22, 2011, Athletic Director Larry Tidwell announced plans to reinstate college softball as an NCAA Division I sport at Lamar University. On August 1, 2011, former Morehead State head coach Holly Bruder was announced as the finalist to fill the head coaching position at Lamar after over 20 years with no program at the university. The Lady Cardinals finished fifth in the Southland Conference in their first season of competition (2012âÂÂ13) following the restart of the program. The team also earned a berth in the Southland Conference softball tournament. Holly Bruder was removed as head coach on May 11, 2018. On June 20, 2018, Amy Hooks was named as head coach for the team.
OffâÂÂcampus Ford Park was the home field for the first two seasons after the program was restarted. A new onâÂÂcampus stadium was constructed in 2014âÂÂ15. On October 17, 2014, a ground breaking ceremony for the new Lamar Softball Complex was held. The first game at the partially completed onâÂÂcampus stadium was played on March 6, 2015, against the Houston Baptist Huskies. The stadium was completed following the 2015 season.
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(Results reflect games through May 3, 2025.)
Below is the Lady Cardinals' home attendance since the 2012âÂÂ13 restart of the program.
<nowiki />*Note: Attendance restricted to 119 fans due to COVID19 precautions.<br /> <nowiki />**Note: Games after March 10, 2020, cancelled due to COVID19 precautions.<br /> <nowiki />*** Note: Temporary seating.<br /> <small>As of the 2023âÂÂ24 season.</small>
The Lady Cardinals have participated in one national tournament, the inaugural National Invitational Softball Championship which started in 2017. The team compiled a 6âÂÂ3 record in that tournament losing to Liberty in the championship game.
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The 2025 Lamar Lady Cardinals softball team represented Lamar University during the 2025 NCAA Division I softball season. The Lady Cardinals played their home games at Lamar Softball Complex as a member of the Southland Conference led by head coach Amy Hooks in her seventh-year at Lamar. The team compiled a 29âÂÂ27 overall record and a 15âÂÂ12 record in conference play for a fifth-place finish. Qualifying as the fifth seeded team in the SLC conference tournament, the Lady Cardinals were 1âÂÂ2 in tournament play defeating East Texas A&M and losing twice to Incarnate Word.
The Southland Conference Coaches Poll was released on January 30, 2025. Lamar was picked to finish fifth in the Southland Conference with 95 votes.
Aubrey Brown and Emma Wardlaw were named to the conference preseason first team. Jane Sepulveda and Makenzie Wright were named as conference preseason second team members.
*-2024 Southland All-Conference Selection
*-2024 Southland All-Conference Selection
<nowiki>*</nowiki>Rankings are based on the team's current ranking in the NFCA/USA Softball poll.
Player of the Year: Victoria Altamirano, Incarnate Word
Hitter of the Year: Victoria Altamirano, Incarnate Word
Pitcher of the Year: Maddie Taylor, McNeese
Freshman of the Year: Kassidy Chance, McNeese
Newcomer of the Year: Macie LaRue, Southeastern Louisiana
Coach of the Year: James Landreneau, McNeese
The 2024 Lamar Lady Cardinals softball team represented Lamar University during the 2024 NCAA Division I softball season. The Lady Cardinals played their home games at Lamar Softball Complex as a member of the Southland Conference and were led by head coach Amy Hooks in her sixth-year at Lamar. The team compiled a 26âÂÂ25 overall record and a 12âÂÂ12 record in conference play for a fifth place finish. As the fifth seeded team in the SLC tournament, the Lady Cardinals were defeated in extra innings by fourth seeded Incarnate Word 4âÂÂ5. Their season ended with another extra inning defeat versus third seeded Nicholls 4âÂÂ5.
On August 2, 2023, Lamar announced that five new players would join the team for the 2024 season.
On November 10, 2023, national signing day, Lamar announced that seven additional new players would join the team for the 2024 season.
The Southland Conference Coaches Poll was released on February 2, 2024. Lamar was picked to finish fourth in the Southland Conference with 78 votes.
Brooke Davis and Cameron Niedenthal were named to the conference preseason second team.
<nowiki>*</nowiki>Rankings are based on the team's current ranking in the NFCA/USA Softball poll.
Shenita Tucker was named Newcomer of the Year. No Lady Cardinals were named to either the first or second teams.
Player of the Year: Victoria Altamirano, UIW
Hitter of the Year: Ka'Lyn Watson, Southeastern
Pitcher of the Year: Shaelyn Sanders, McNeese
Freshman of the Year: Alexis Dibbley, McNeese
Newcomer of the Year: Shenita Tucker, Lamar
Coach of the Year: James Landreneau, McNeese
The 2023 Lamar Lady Cardinals softball team represented Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas, during the 2023 NCAA Division I softball season. The Lady Cardinals played their home games at Lamar Softball Complex and were led by fifth-year head coach Amy Hooks. The 2023 season marked Lamar's return to the Southland Conference following one season as a member of the Western Athletic Conference.
On September 2, 2022, Lamar announced that seven new players would join the team for the 2023 season.
On November 10, 2022, National signing day, Lamar announced that ten additional new players would join the team for the 2023 season.
The Southland Conference Coaches Poll was released on January 26, 2023. Lamar was picked to finish sixth in the Southland Conference with 49 votes.
No Lady Cardinals were named to conference preseason teams.
<nowiki>*</nowiki>Rankings are based on the team's current ranking in the NFCA/USA Softball poll.
The 2022 Lamar Lady Cardinals softball team represented Lamar University during the 2022 NCAA Division I softball season. The Lady Cardinals played their home games at Lamar Softball Complex and were led by fourth-year head coach Amy Hooks. The 2022 season marked Lamar's move from the Southland Conference to the Western Athletic Conference. Lamar returned to the Southland conference after one season in the WAC.
The Western Athletic Conference Coaches Poll was released on February 3, 2022. Lamar was picked to finish sixth in the Western Athletic Conference Southwest Division with 4 votes.
2022 WAC Softball Preseason Coaches Poll
West Division<br> Seattle U (5) â 25<br> NM State (1) â 20<br> Grand Canyon â 16<br> Dixie State â 13<br> California Baptist â 9<br> Utah Valley â 7 <br> <br> Southwest Division<br> Stephen F. Austin (4) â 16<br> Sam Houston (1) â 13<br> Abilene Christian â 9<br> Tarleton â 8<br> Lamar â 4<br> <br> () â First place votes in parentheses
No Lady Cardinals were named to conference preseason teams.
WAC Digital Network
<nowiki>*</nowiki>Rankings are based on the team's current ranking in the NFCA/USA Softball poll.
The 2021 Lamar Lady Cardinals softball team represented Lamar University during the 2021 NCAA Division I softball season. The Lady Cardinals played their home games at Lamar Softball Complex and were led by third-year head coach Amy Hooks. They were members of the Southland Conference. Home game attendance for the 2021 season was limited to 119 per game due to COVID19 precautions.
The Southland Conference Coaches Poll was released on February 5, 2021. Lamar was picked to finish eighth in the Southland Conference with 86 votes.
No player from Lamar was chosen to the All-Southland Team
<nowiki>*</nowiki>Rankings are based on the team's current ranking in the NFCA/USA Softball poll.
The 2020 Lamar Lady Cardinals softball team represented Lamar University in the 2020 NCAA Division I softball season. The Lady Cardinals played their home games at Lamar Softball Complex and are members of the Southland Conference. The team was coached by Amy Hooks in her second season at Lamar. On March 12, the Southland Conference announced a suspension of Spring sports through March 30 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The conference announced that all remaining Spring 2020 sports contests were cancelled on March 14. The Lady Cardinals played 20 games in the shortened season with an overall record of 8âÂÂ12, and a 0âÂÂ3 record in conference play.
In 2019, the Lady Cardinals finished the season 7th in the Southland with a record of 23âÂÂ34, 14âÂÂ13 in conference play. They lost to Northwestern State in the first round of the 2019 Southland Conference softball tournament.
The Southland Conference Coaches and Sports Information Directors Poll was released on January 30, 2020. Lamar was picked to finish eighth in the Southland Conference with 110 votes.
The preseason all-conference team is based on votes by the conference head coaches. Players who were named to the previous season's first and second teams are automatically named to the preseason team for their respective positions.
The 2019 Lamar Lady Cardinals softball team represented Lamar University in the 2019 NCAA Division I softball season. The Lady Cardinals played their home games at Lamar Softball Complex and are members of the Southland Conference. The team was coached by Amy Hooks in her first season at Lamar. The Lady Cardinals finished the season 7th in the Southland with a record of 23âÂÂ34, 14âÂÂ13 in conference play. They lost to Northwestern State in the single elimination opening round of the 2019 Southland Conference softball tournament.
The Southland Conference Coaches and Sports Information Directors Poll was released on January 30, 2019. Lamar was picked to finish ninth in the Southland Conference with 80 votes.
The preseason all-conference team is based on votes by the conference head coaches. Players who were named to the previous season's first and second teams are automatically named to the preseason team for their respective positions.
First team
Second team
The 1984 Lamar Lady Cardinals softball team represented Lamar University during the 1984 NCAA Division I softball season. The Lady Cardinals played their home games at the offâÂÂcampus Beaumont Athletic Complex in Beaumont, Texas as a member of the Southland Conference. The Cardinals were led by head coach Patty Calvert in her second-year at Lamar. The Lady Cardinals finished the season, their second after reinstating the sport in 1983, with an overall record of 13âÂÂ43 and a 1âÂÂ7 record in conference play.