NEW ORLEANS – Following the conclusion of the 2022 regular season, Kayt Houston and Mary Pierce Barnes have garnered All-Conference honors from the Sun Belt, the league announced Monday. Houston was named All-Conference First Team while Barnes was named All-Conference Second Team.
 
The outfield duo become just the sixth and seventh Mountaineers to be named to one of the Sun Belt All-Conference Teams since App State joined the league in 2014.
 
Houston was tabbed as one of the top 15 players in the league following a stellar year at the plate. The sophomore started all 53 games of the regular season and led the team in hits, extra-base hits, home runs and runs batted in while being second on the team in runs scored. The right fielder batted .377 during the regular season and posted a conference-high 66 hits and 13 home runs. She also led the league with 115 total bases and was a perfect 7-for-7 when stealing bases this year.
 
Barnes turned many heads this season as well, batting from the clean-up spot in the Mountaineer lineup. Besides Houston, nobody in the Sun Belt stepped to the plate more than senior center fielder. She was second on the team with a batting average of .316 and also was the runner-up on the App State squad with 54 hits, nine extra-base hits and 36 RBIs.
 
2022 Sun Belt Conference Postseason Awards
 
Player of the Year: Melissa Mayeaux, Louisiana
Pitcher of the Year: Jessica Mullins, Texas State
Newcomer of the Year: Jourdyn Campbell, Louisiana
Freshman of the Year: Ciara Trahan, Texas State
Coach of the Year: Becky Clark, South Alabama
 
All-Conference First Team
Leanna Johnson, Troy
Olivia Lackie, South Alabama
Jessica Mullins, Texas State
Sophia Piskos, Louisiana
Caitlyn Rogers, Texas State
Kennedy Johnson, ULM
Kelly Horne, Troy
Melissa Mayeaux, Louisiana
Hannah Earls, Texas State
Jourdyn Campbell, Louisiana
Mackenzie Brasher, South Alabama
Kayt Houston, App State
Caroline Nichols, South Alabama
Makiya Thomas, Coastal Carolina
Karly Heath, Louisiana
 
All-Conference Second Team
Jenna Hardy, South Alabama
Kandra Lamb, Louisiana
Sam Landry, Louisiana
Morgan Rios, UTA
Stormy Kotzelnick, Louisiana
Alexis Chavez, ULM
Alexa Langeliers, Louisiana
Meredith Keel, South Alabama
Lourdes Bacon, ULM
Maddie Hayden, Louisiana
Mary Pierce Barnes, App State
Jade Sinness, Troy
Ciara Trahan, Texas State
Cat Crenek, Texas State
Iyanla De Jesus, Coastal Carolina