Marshall University Athletics
Diamond Leslie Selected to Softball Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference Team
1/28/2026 12:00:00 PM | Softball
Herd picked 5th in Preseason Coaches’ Poll
NEW ORLEANS - Marshall Softball's Diamond Leslie has been named to the 2026 Preseason All-Sun Belt Conference Team, as announced by the league Wednesday.
The Herd's sophomore outfielder earned SBC First Team All-Conference in 2025 following a memorable freshman season. Leslie finished the season leading Marshall with a .381 average and three triples - both Top-10 marks in the SBC. Leslie had a team-leading 17 multi-hit games with a four-hit performance coming against South Alabama (Apr. 13).
The freshman had seven home runs including a grand slam against Texas State (Mar. 28). With the ability to have a clutch hit, Leslie hit a go-ahead two-run home run in a dramatic win at JMU (Mar. 21). The Herd's rising sophomore has already earned several preseason accolades, including being named the No. 53 overall player in the D1Softball Preseason Mid-Major rankings.
Leslie's .381 average was the 3rd-best mark by a freshman in MUSB program history, surpassing a mark held by Head Coach Morgan Zerkle's .358 average as a freshman in 2015.
"Diamond is the real deal as only a sophomore and will be one of the top athletes in the Sun Belt Conference for the next three years," said Coach Zerkle.
As a team, the Herd has been picked 5th in the 2026 SBC Preseason Coaches' Poll. Marshall has 13 letterwinners returning from 2025, a season that saw the Herd elevate to a 2nd place finish. Coach Zerkle's team also welcomes eight newcomers, including Rylan Miller and Sydney Turner, a duo named to Softball America's Mid-Major Freshman Watch List.
"The only thing that matters is that our athletes personally know how good they are and that our coaches and community believe in them," Coach Zerkle said.
The full preseason awards and poll are listed below.
2026 Sun Belt Conference Softball Preseason Awards
Preseason Player of the Year
Aiyana Coleman, Texas State (Sr., 1B – College Station, Texas)
Preseason Pitcher of the Year
Madison Azua, Texas State (Jr., LHP – Round Rock, Texas)
Preseason All-Sun Belt Team
P Madison Azua, Texas State (Jr., LHP – Round Rock, Texas)
P Alana Barnard, Georgia Southern (Sr., RHP – Statesboro, Ga.)
C Megan Kelnar, Texas State (Sr., C – Kyle, Texas)
1B Aiyana Coleman, Texas State (Sr., 1B – College Station, Texas)
1B Georgia Hood, Coastal Carolina (Jr., 1B – Mount Gambier, Australia)
2B Morgan Brown, ULM (R-So., 2B – Katy, Texas)
2B Makayla McClain, App State (Sr., 2B – Liberty, N.C.)
3B Olivia Branstetter, South Alabama (Jr., 3B – Liberty, Mo.)
3B Cali Legzdin, James Madison (So., 3B – Beaver Falls, Pa.)
SS Grace Barrett, App State (Jr., SS – Milton, Ga.)
OF Meagan Brown, ULM (Jr., OF – Katy, Texas)
OF Hannah Christian, Southern Miss (So., OF – Hoover, Ala.)
OF Diamond Leslie, Marshall (So., OF – Alpharetta, Ga.)
OF Brooklin Lippert, ULM (Jr., OF – Loganville, Ga.)
DP Payton List, James Madison (R-Jr., DP – Beaver, Pa.)
2026 Sun Belt Conference Softball Preseason Coaches' Poll
1. Texas State (8) – 138
2. ULM – 113
3. Louisiana (1) – 109
4. Coastal Carolina (2) – 14
5. Marshall (1) – 100
6. App State – 85
7. James Madison – 75
8. Georgia Southern – 64
9. Troy – 63
10. South Alabama – 42
11. Southern Miss – 29
12. Georgia State – 14
(First-place votes in parentheses)
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