Houston and Darnell named All-Sun belts

NEW ORLEANS – For just the third time as a member of the Sun Belt Conference, two App State softball players received All-Sun Belt honors, the league announced Tuesday.

Senior outfielder Kayt Houston was named to the first team, making her the first Mountaineer to be named to the All-Sun Belt first team twice and the first player to earn multiple first-team all-conference nominations since Allie Cashion (2011 -13). This is Houston’s third career postseason honor, making her just the second App State player to earn an all-conference selection three times (Cashion).

In her first season in the High Country, catcher Peyton Darnell was named second team All-Sun Belt, marking her fourth career all-conference nod. The Fort Mill, South Carolina, native was named first team All-Big South three times at USC Upstate while also earning Big South Player of the Year honors in 2022.

Kayt Houston (OF) – First Team All-Sun Belt

Houston posted one of the best seasons in program history, finishing the regular season as the Sun Belt leader with a .434 batting average and surpassing Lindsay Glover’s mark for most career hits at App State, finishing the season with 247 career hits. Houston’s 72 hits this season were the second-most in a season in App State history, and her 18 doubles tied her with Cashion and Glover for the most in a single season by a Mountaineer.

The Rock Hill, South Carolina native also finished the regular season among the top two in slugging percentage (second), on-base percentage (second), OPS (second) and hits (second ). Houston was the only Sun Belt player to rank in the top three in batting average, slugging percentage, on-base percentage and OPS.

Her fourth year in the High Country saw her total 22 multi-hit games, including a four-hit, two-homer game against Le Moyne on February 16 at the Winthrop Eagle Classic and earning her the Sun Belt . Player of the Week honors. In Sun Belt play, the left-hander posted the eighth-best batting average in the league at .395 while also posting the fifth-best on-base percentage at .505.

Peyton Darnell (C) – All-Sun Belt Second Team

Darnell made an immediate impact in his first season as a Mountaineer, finishing third on the team with 54 hits and driving in a team-leading 45 runs. His 45 RBIs were fourth-most in the Sun Belt Conference in the regular season and tied for third-most in a single season in program history. The graduate student had at least one point in 28 games and recorded a team-best 11 multi-point games.

She fits perfectly in the middle of the Mountaineer order as she started all 51 games at the third spot in the lineup. She had her 200th career hit as part of a three-hit effort against Coastal Carolina in App State’s 5–2 series-opening victory, while also hitting a home run in the same game. Darnell hit three home runs against RPI top 75 teams, including two homers against South Alabama in early April.

With 11 home runs, Darnell was one of 12 players in the conference to hit double-digit home runs during the regular season. It was the third time in her career that she hit at least 10 home runs in a season. Acting as the primary catcher, she was one of two Mountaineers to post an OPS over 1.000 and one of three players with at least 50 hits.

2024 Sun Belt Conference Softball Playoff Awards

Player of the Year: Mihyia Davis, Louisiana
Pitcher of the Year: Jessica Mullens, Texas State
Newcomer of the Year: Brooke Ellestad, Louisiana
Freshman: Payton List, James Madison
Coach of the Year: Gerry Glasco, Louisiana

First team

Georgia Hood, Coastal Carolina
Brooklyn Ulrich, Marshall
Hannah Earls, Texas State
Brooke Ellestad, Louisiana
Sara Vanderford, Texas State
Mihyia Davis, Louisiana
Reed Butler, James Madison
Kayt HoustonApplication Status

Mackenzie Brasher, South Alabama
Bella Henzler, James Madison
Hannah Borden, Miss Southern
List Payton, James Madison
Olivia Lackie, South Alabama
Jessica Mullins, Texas State
Sam Landry, Louisiana

Second team

Sam Roe, Louisiana
JJ Smith, Texas State
Alexa Langeliers, Louisiana
Taylor McKinney, Troy
Audra Thompson, Troy
Sydney Bickel, Marshall
Delaney Keith, Coastal Carolina
Lourdes Bacon, ULM
Emma Davis, South Georgia
Bella Gerlach, Marshall
Peyton DarnellApplication Status

Laney Credeur, Louisiana
Jana Lee, Miss Southern
Raelee Brabham, Coastal Carolina
Chloé Riasseto, Louisiana