Hannah Christian Earns First Team All-Sun Belt Honors
5/6/2025 1:59:00 PM | Softball
NEW ORLEANS – Southern Miss freshman outfielder Hannah Christian has been named to the All-Sun Belt First Team, as announced by the conference Tuesday afternoon.
Christian delivered a freshman campaign for the record books. Starting 50 games in right field, she led the Golden Eagles with 55 hits and 30 runs scored, the most ever by a Southern Miss freshman. Her selection marks the first time in program history that a true freshman has earned First Team All-Conference honors.
"I am unbelievably proud of Hannah," head coach Natalie Poole said. "She has been making an impact the whole season, and that can be tough to do as a freshman. She plays and hits with maturity and has stepped up for us time and time again when we've needed it. I am glad to see her recognized by other coaches in our conference, and I am excited about her future."
Christian joined the Golden Eagles this season from Hoover High School in Hoover, Ala., alongside her twin sister, Olivia, and made an immediate impact in the Black & Gold. She batted .355 with a .477 slugging percentage and totaled a team-best 74 bases, tying for the team lead with 23 RBI. Christian also tallied six doubles, two triples, three home runs, 16 walks and 12 stolen bases.
Her consistency was especially notable in conference play, where she recorded 29 hits, the fifth-most in the Sun Belt, and hit safely in all but four league games. She set a freshman program record with a 15-game hitting streak from March 15 to April 13 and also reached base in 21 consecutive games during her standout season.
A proven threat at the plate, Christian notched 14 multi-hit games, including five three-hit performances against Nicholls, North Dakota State, Troy and ULM.
Christian's selection marks the third consecutive season the Golden Eagles have placed a player on an All-Sun Belt team. Last season, Hannah Borden was named First Team All-Sun Belt, along with Jana Lee's Second Team All-Sun Belt selection. Borden was a Second Team All-Sun Belt honoree in the program's inaugural season in the Sun Belt in 2023.
Christian looks to carry her momentum into the opening round of the Sun Belt Championship Wednesday in Troy, Ala., as the Golden Eagles take on Coastal Carolina at 4 p.m.
Below is a complete list of the 2025 Sun Belt Conference Postseason Awards:
Player of the Year: Aiyana Coleman, Texas State (Jr., 1B – College Station, Texas)
Pitcher of the Year: Nicolette Picone, Coastal Carolina (Sr., LHP – Bethpage, N.Y.)
Freshman of the Year: Emily Smith, Louisiana (Fr., 1B – Kountze, Texas)
Newcomer of the Year: Aiyana Coleman, Texas State (Jr., 1B – College Station, Texas)
Coach of the Year: Molly Fichtner, ULM
All-Sun Belt First Team
P Madison Azua, Texas State (So., LHP – Round Rock, Texas)
P Maddie Johnson, Georgia Southern (Fr., RHP – Athens, Ga.)
P Nicolette Picone, Coastal Carolina (Sr., LHP – Bethpage, N.Y.)
C Megan Kelnar, Texas State (Jr., C – Kyle, Texas)
1B Aiyana Coleman, Texas State (Jr., 1B – College Station, Texas)
2B Morgan Brown, ULM (R-Fr., 2B – Katy, Texas)
2B Makayla McClain, App State (Jr., 2B – Liberty, N.C.)
3B Olivia Branstetter, South Alabama (So., 3B – Liberty, Mo.)
SS Grace Barrett, App State (So., SS – Milton, Ga.)
OF Meagan Brown, ULM (So., OF – Katy, Texas)
OF Hannah Christian, Southern Miss (Fr., OF – Hoover, Ala.)
OF Diamond Leslie, Marshall (Fr., OF – Alpharetta, Ga.)
OF Brooklin Lippert, ULM (So., OF – Loganville, Ga.)
OF Taylor McKinney, Troy (Sr., OF – Montgomery, Ala.)
DP Payton List, James Madison (R-So., DP – Beaver, Pa.)
All-Sun Belt Second Team
P Alana Barnard, Georgia Southern (Jr., RHP – Statesboro, Ga.)
P Alyssa Faircloth, Troy (So., LHP – Northport, Ala.)
P Sophie Moshos, App State (Jr., LHP – Brazil, Ind.)
C Maddie Jennings, Coastal Carolina (Sr., C – Belton, S.C.)
1B Georgia Hood, Coastal Carolina (Jr., 1B – Mount Gambier, Australia)
1B Emily Smith, Louisiana (Fr., 1B – Kountze, Texas)
1B Gabby Stagner, South Alabama (Sr., 1B – Mobile, Ala.)
2B Keirstin Roose, Coastal Carolina (Sr., 2B – Wolcottville, Ind.)
3B Sam Roe, Louisiana (Sr., 3B – Destin, Fla.)
SS Haleigh Adkins, Marshall (So., SS – Hamlin, W.Va.)
SS Delanie Thames, Georgia Southern (So., SS – Statesboro, Ga.)
OF Kayla Falterman, Louisiana (Sr., OF – The Woodlands, Texas)
OF Maddie Hayden, Louisiana (Sr., OF – West Monroe, La.)
OF McKinnon Howard, Troy (So., OF – Smiths Station, Ala.)
DP Layla Thompson, ULM (Sr., DP – Gonzales, La.)
For the latest information and updates on Golden Eagle Softball, follow the program on Facebook (facebook.com/SouthernMissSB), Twitter (@SouthernMissSB), and Instagram (@southernmisssb).
Christian delivered a freshman campaign for the record books. Starting 50 games in right field, she led the Golden Eagles with 55 hits and 30 runs scored, the most ever by a Southern Miss freshman. Her selection marks the first time in program history that a true freshman has earned First Team All-Conference honors.
"I am unbelievably proud of Hannah," head coach Natalie Poole said. "She has been making an impact the whole season, and that can be tough to do as a freshman. She plays and hits with maturity and has stepped up for us time and time again when we've needed it. I am glad to see her recognized by other coaches in our conference, and I am excited about her future."
Christian joined the Golden Eagles this season from Hoover High School in Hoover, Ala., alongside her twin sister, Olivia, and made an immediate impact in the Black & Gold. She batted .355 with a .477 slugging percentage and totaled a team-best 74 bases, tying for the team lead with 23 RBI. Christian also tallied six doubles, two triples, three home runs, 16 walks and 12 stolen bases.
Her consistency was especially notable in conference play, where she recorded 29 hits, the fifth-most in the Sun Belt, and hit safely in all but four league games. She set a freshman program record with a 15-game hitting streak from March 15 to April 13 and also reached base in 21 consecutive games during her standout season.
A proven threat at the plate, Christian notched 14 multi-hit games, including five three-hit performances against Nicholls, North Dakota State, Troy and ULM.
Christian's selection marks the third consecutive season the Golden Eagles have placed a player on an All-Sun Belt team. Last season, Hannah Borden was named First Team All-Sun Belt, along with Jana Lee's Second Team All-Sun Belt selection. Borden was a Second Team All-Sun Belt honoree in the program's inaugural season in the Sun Belt in 2023.
Christian looks to carry her momentum into the opening round of the Sun Belt Championship Wednesday in Troy, Ala., as the Golden Eagles take on Coastal Carolina at 4 p.m.
Below is a complete list of the 2025 Sun Belt Conference Postseason Awards:
Player of the Year: Aiyana Coleman, Texas State (Jr., 1B – College Station, Texas)
Pitcher of the Year: Nicolette Picone, Coastal Carolina (Sr., LHP – Bethpage, N.Y.)
Freshman of the Year: Emily Smith, Louisiana (Fr., 1B – Kountze, Texas)
Newcomer of the Year: Aiyana Coleman, Texas State (Jr., 1B – College Station, Texas)
Coach of the Year: Molly Fichtner, ULM
All-Sun Belt First Team
P Madison Azua, Texas State (So., LHP – Round Rock, Texas)
P Maddie Johnson, Georgia Southern (Fr., RHP – Athens, Ga.)
P Nicolette Picone, Coastal Carolina (Sr., LHP – Bethpage, N.Y.)
C Megan Kelnar, Texas State (Jr., C – Kyle, Texas)
1B Aiyana Coleman, Texas State (Jr., 1B – College Station, Texas)
2B Morgan Brown, ULM (R-Fr., 2B – Katy, Texas)
2B Makayla McClain, App State (Jr., 2B – Liberty, N.C.)
3B Olivia Branstetter, South Alabama (So., 3B – Liberty, Mo.)
SS Grace Barrett, App State (So., SS – Milton, Ga.)
OF Meagan Brown, ULM (So., OF – Katy, Texas)
OF Hannah Christian, Southern Miss (Fr., OF – Hoover, Ala.)
OF Diamond Leslie, Marshall (Fr., OF – Alpharetta, Ga.)
OF Brooklin Lippert, ULM (So., OF – Loganville, Ga.)
OF Taylor McKinney, Troy (Sr., OF – Montgomery, Ala.)
DP Payton List, James Madison (R-So., DP – Beaver, Pa.)
All-Sun Belt Second Team
P Alana Barnard, Georgia Southern (Jr., RHP – Statesboro, Ga.)
P Alyssa Faircloth, Troy (So., LHP – Northport, Ala.)
P Sophie Moshos, App State (Jr., LHP – Brazil, Ind.)
C Maddie Jennings, Coastal Carolina (Sr., C – Belton, S.C.)
1B Georgia Hood, Coastal Carolina (Jr., 1B – Mount Gambier, Australia)
1B Emily Smith, Louisiana (Fr., 1B – Kountze, Texas)
1B Gabby Stagner, South Alabama (Sr., 1B – Mobile, Ala.)
2B Keirstin Roose, Coastal Carolina (Sr., 2B – Wolcottville, Ind.)
3B Sam Roe, Louisiana (Sr., 3B – Destin, Fla.)
SS Haleigh Adkins, Marshall (So., SS – Hamlin, W.Va.)
SS Delanie Thames, Georgia Southern (So., SS – Statesboro, Ga.)
OF Kayla Falterman, Louisiana (Sr., OF – The Woodlands, Texas)
OF Maddie Hayden, Louisiana (Sr., OF – West Monroe, La.)
OF McKinnon Howard, Troy (So., OF – Smiths Station, Ala.)
DP Layla Thompson, ULM (Sr., DP – Gonzales, La.)
For the latest information and updates on Golden Eagle Softball, follow the program on Facebook (facebook.com/SouthernMissSB), Twitter (@SouthernMissSB), and Instagram (@southernmisssb).
Players Mentioned
Letter to Softball: KK Agner
Sunday, April 28
Letter to Softball: Caroline Worrell
Sunday, April 28
Letter to Softball: Hannah Borden
Sunday, April 28
Letter to Softball: Maria Smith
Sunday, April 28