Courtesy of LA Tech Athletic Communications
Louisiana Tech outfielder Kylie Neel and pitcher Allie Floyd garnered NFCA All-Mideast Region honors, the National Fastpitch Coaches Association announced on Thursday afternoon.
Neel was a second-team selection, while Floyd earned third-team honors. Neel became the fourth Lady Techster to earn second-team NFCA All-Mideast Region honors, while Floyd’s third-team selection was the seventh in program history. The duo’s selection marks the 17th and 18th times Tech has had a representative on the teams since its placement in the Mideast Region in 2015.
Neel put up incredible numbers this season at the plate while excelling defensively in right field. She led Tech with a .351 batting average, 52 hits, 45 RBI, five home runs, 11 doubles, and 80 total bases while posting a .463 on-base percentage. Her 45 RBI tied for the C-USA lead and is the fourth-most all-time in a single season by a LA Tech player. Defensively, Neel recorded 66 putouts and seven outfield assists while making just one error to post a .986 fielding percentage. The Richmond, Texas, native was named Conference USA Player of the Week (April 24) and twice appeared on the NFCA Top Performers list during the season (Feb. 21, April 25). Neel finished the season on a 24-game reached base streak into the conference tournament.
Floyd led LA Tech and ranked eighth in Conference USA with 128 innings pitched while posting a 2.57 ERA and 1.09 WHIP in 2023. Her four saves ranked second among all C-USA pitchers. The East Bernard, Texas, product led a LA Tech pitching staff that posted a 2.36 ERA, the lowest by a Tech team since 1999. Recently, Floyd became just the fourth player in Lady Techster history to earn the C-USA Freshman of the Year Award, joining Anna Cross (2013 Western Athletic Conference), Lindsay Edwards (2019 C-USA) and Sierra Sacco (2022 Conference USA).
