Texas State Favored to Repeat as Sun Belt Softball Champions

Bobcats lead preseason poll, with star players Coleman and Azua earning top individual honors

Jan. 29, 2026 at 9:23am

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The Texas State Bobcats are the favorites to win the 2026 Sun Belt Conference softball title, according to the preseason coaches' poll. The Bobcats received 138 points and 8 first-place votes, returning a significant portion of their 2025 roster that achieved a 34-19 overall record and 16-8 mark in conference play. Senior first baseman Aiyana Coleman was named the Preseason Player of the Year, while junior pitcher Madison Azua earned Preseason Pitcher of the Year honors for the second straight season.

Why it matters

Texas State's continued dominance in the Sun Belt reflects the strength of their program and the individual talent of standout players like Coleman and Azua. As the defending regular season champions, the Bobcats will be the team to beat in 2026, with other contenders like ULM, Louisiana, and Coastal Carolina looking to challenge their reign atop the conference.

The details

In the preseason poll, Texas State was followed by ULM (113 points), Louisiana (109 points, 1 first-place vote), Coastal Carolina (104 points, 2 first-place votes), and Marshall (100 points, 1 first-place vote). Coleman led the Sun Belt in several offensive categories last season, including slugging percentage, OPS, RBIs, and walks, while Azua posted a 20-8 record with a 2.76 ERA and a league-high 93 strikeouts in conference play.

  • The 2026 softball season is scheduled to begin on Thursday, February 5.
  • The Sun Belt Conference Softball Championship will be held May 6-9 at Yvette Girouard Field at Lamson Park in Lafayette, Louisiana.

The players

Texas State Bobcats

The defending Sun Belt Conference softball champions, who are favored to repeat in 2026 after returning a significant portion of their 2025 roster.

Aiyana Coleman

A senior first baseman at Texas State, who was named the 2026 Preseason Player of the Year after leading the Sun Belt in several offensive categories last season.

Madison Azua

A junior left-handed pitcher at Texas State, who was named the 2026 Preseason Pitcher of the Year for the second consecutive season after posting a 20-8 record with a 2.76 ERA and a league-high 93 strikeouts in conference play last year.

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The takeaway

As the 2026 Sun Belt softball season approaches, the Texas State Bobcats will be the team to beat, with their star players Aiyana Coleman and Madison Azua leading the way. However, other contenders like ULM, Louisiana, and Coastal Carolina will be looking to challenge the Bobcats' dominance and potentially dethrone the defending champions.