Courtesy of LA Tech Athletics Communications
Louisiana Tech saw of its female student-athletes earn College Sports Communicators Academic All-District honors as announced by the organization Tuesday.
Tech softball players Allie Floyd, Brook Melnychuk, Katelin Cooper, Caroline Easom and Nicole Hammoude earned honors while tennis student-athlete Tiffani Nash also earned the honor.
Nash, who already received her undergraduate degree in Management, carries a 4.00 grade point average while pursuing her master’s degree in Business Administration.
The senior recently became the first Bulldog in program history to be selected to the Conference USA All-Academic Team. She is also a two-time ITA Scholar-Athlete, two-time CUSA Academic Medalist, and two-time CUSA Commissioner’s Honor Roll recipient.
On the court, the Bossier City, Louisiana native saw action in all 24 dual matches this past spring. She registered a 15-5 singles record, third most wins on the team, in route to being named Second Team All-CUSA.
Nash won nine of her last 11 matches including marquee victories over Houston, New Mexico State, Jacksonville State, ULM, UAB, Wichita State, and WKU. She also teamed up with three partners to produce eight victories in doubles.
Nash was selected as a CSC Academic All-America finalist. First-, second- and third-team Academic All-America honorees will be announced on June 4.
Floyd was a standout in the circle and the classroom for the Bulldogs in 2024. The sophomore recorded a 3.81 GPA while majoring in Biology. She is a two-time CUSA Commissioner’s Honor Roll and Academic Medalist selection (2023, 2024).
She led the Bulldogs with a 13-9 record and 81 strikeouts in 146.1 innings pitched while posting a 2.87 earned run average and five saves. Floyd was a Second-Team All CUSA selection and a three-time NFCA Top Performer during the season. Her 13 wins were the most by a LA Tech sophomore since 2017 and her 2.73 career ERA ranks third among LA Tech pitchers since 2000.
Melnychuk earned CSC All-Academic honors for the second consecutive year. She posted a 3.62 GPA and recently graduated with a bachelor’s degree in management this spring. The Hudson Bay, Saskatchewan product is a four-time CUSA Commissioners Honor Roll Selection (2024, 2023, 2022, 2021) and two-time NFCA Scholar-Athlete honoree (2022, 2023).
In the circle, she posted a team-best 2.77 ERA and a 13-7 record while striking out 67 batters in 124 innings pitched. Melnychuk was a two-time CUSA Pitcher of the Week (Feb. 19 and May 6) and went the distance in her final three starts of the season, allowing one run, one walk, and 13 hits in 21 innings pitched while striking out 11 on her way to earning three victories.
Cooper’s selection was her second in as many years. She holds a 3.87 GPA and is currently pursuing her doctorate in Counseling Psychology. She is a standout in the classroom, achieving Easton/NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete honors in 2022 and 2023. The Choudrant, La., native earned the prestigious Jim Castañeda Postgraduate Scholarship in 2023, which is given to one recipient from each of the conference’s member schools. She was also named to the 2024 CUSA All-Academic Team and earned CUSA Academic Medalist distinction in 2023 and 2024.
She started 51 games in left filed this past season while leading LA Tech with 36 walks, the seventh most in a single season by an LA Tech player. Her 96 career walks rank third in program history.
Easom carried a 3.60 GPA while majoring in accounting and has earned a spot on the CUSA Commissioner’s Honor Roll four times. She has earned Easton/NFCA All-America Scholar Athlete honors in 2022 and 2023.
The Bossier City, La., product had an outstanding senior season, batting .280 with 46 hits, nine doubles, and 26 RBI while leading the Bulldogs with seven multi-RBI games. The senior second baseman finished her career tying Karlee Jensen (2016-19) for the program record in double plays turned with 56.
Hammoude has posted a perfect 4.0 GPA while working towards her master’s degree in business administration. She was recently named to the 2024 CUSA All-Academic Team. Hammoude earned her bachelor’s degree in landscape architecture from Cal and was a 2021 PAC-12 Spring Academic Honor Roll selection.
In 2024, Hammoude led CUSA with 113 assists during the regular season while at shortstop. Hammoude also led Tech with five home runs and 32 RBI while registering 10 doubles and 25 runs scored.
To be nominated on the softball side, a student-athlete must have competed in 90 percent or started in at least 66 percent of the institution’s contests, or – for pitchers – pitched at least 25 innings or made 17 appearances, must be at least a sophomore in academic and athletic standing and must carry at least a 3.50 cumulative GPA (on a 4.0 scale).
LA Tech softball led all Conference USA members with five honorees. The five selections were the most in program history, eclipsing the previous record of three, set in 2023.
As a result of Floyd and Melnychuk earning first-team distinction, they will advance to the CSC Academic All-America® ballot. Academic All-America® honorees will be announced on Tuesday, June 18.
