LSU Baseball Dominates Major Awards, Places Team-High Seven On All-LSWA Baseball Team

EUNICE, La. – For a second consecutive season, LSU took home four of the five major awards for the 2024 Louisiana Sports Writers’ Association (LSWA) All-Louisiana Baseball team, the organization announced on Tuesday.  The Tigers also produced a team-high seven selections among the two squads and honorable mentions.

Louisiana Tech, LSU Eunice, LSU Shreveport and Tulane were second with four selections on the LSWA All-Louisiana team.

The major awards for the All-Louisiana team were given to LSU’s Tommy White (Hitter of the Year), Luke Holman (Pitcher and Newcomer of the Year), Steven Milam (Freshman of the Year) and LSU Eunice’s Jeff Willis (Coach of the Year).  The LSWA All-Louisiana Baseball team is comprised of student-athletes from 14 universities and colleges from across the Bayou State throughout all affiliations of collegiate athletics.

The team was selected through a vote conducted by the state’s baseball athletic communicators and a statewide media panel.  This is the first LSWA All-Louisiana team that takes all postseason statistics and honors into account.

It’s the second straight year LSU’s White was given a major LSWA award after being named the 2023 Newcomer of the Year.  A second-team All-American and second-team All-SEC selection, White was again a force in the middle of the Tigers’ lineup, finishing in the Top 10 of the SEC in hits (92), total bases (178), homers (24) and runs batted in (70).  The third baseman currently holds 75 career home runs, ranking eighth all-time in NCAA Division I history.

Luke Holman becomes the first dual major award winner since LSU’s Alex Lange was named both the Pitcher and Freshman of the Year in 2015.  Holman, named the Pitcher and Newcomer of the Year, served as LSU’s ace during the 2024 campaign going 9-4 with a 2.75 ERA.  The transfer from Alabama racked up 127 strikeouts in 16 starts, finishing second in the SEC in punchouts while also placing in the top four of the SEC in opponent batting average (.174), earned run average (2.75), wins (9), and innings pitched (91.2).

Rounding out the Tigers’ big awards is Steven Milam, the 2024 Freshman of the Year.  Milam, a first-team Freshman All-American and Freshman All-SEC selection, became a breakout star for the Tigers in their postseason run.  The NCAA Regional and SEC All-Tournament member hit two walk-off home runs in the postseason.  In his rookie campaign, Milam hit for a .326 batting average with 40 RBI, 51 runs scored and eight home runs.

LSU Eunice’s Jeff Willis continued to cement his name as one of the best coaches in all of college baseball after his Bengals captured their 8th NJCAA Division II National Championship under his guidance.  LSUE finished the 2024 season with a 56-8 record, the school’s 12th time winning 50-plus games under Willis.  The NJCAA Baseball Coaches Association and ABCA Hall of Fame member captured his 1,000th career win this season, all coming at LSU Eunice in his 22 seasons as the head coach.

The first-team consists of four pitchers – Holman, LSU Eunice’s Blake Lobell, Louisiana’s LP Langevin and LSU’s Griffin Herring.  Milam and White are joined by Louisiana Tech’s Jorge Corona, Nicholls State’s Edgar Alvarez and Louisiana’s Kyle DeBarge in the infield.

The outfield is made up of Louisiana Tech’s Cole McConnell, Mitchell Sanford of New Orleans and ULM’s Easton Winfield.  The first-team is rounded out by designated hitter Hayden Travinski (LSU) and utility Ethan Bates (Louisiana Tech).

Second-team pitchers are Sam Brodersen (Louisiana Tech), Gage Jump (LSU), Luke Barbier (Delgado CC), and Isaach Rohde (LSU Shreveport).  The infield is comprised of UNO’s Miguel Useche, LSU’s Jared Jones, Grambling State’s Kyle Walker, Grambling State’s Cameron Bufford and Dawson Willis of LSU Eunice.

Tulane’s Jackson Linn and Teo Banks are joined by Grambling State’s Tiger Borom in the outifield, while LSU Eunice’s Teddy Johnson (DH) and LSU Shreveport’s Josh Gibson (Utility) complete the squad.

There are 13 overall honorable mentions on this year’s team.

2024 LOUISIANA SPORTSWRITERS ASSOCIATION ALL-LOUISIANA BASEBALL TEAM

FIRST-TEAM

HITTER OF THE YEAR: Tommy White, LSU

PITCHER OF THE YEAR: Luke Holman, LSU

NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR: Luke Holman, LSU

FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Steven Milam, LSU

COACH OF THE YEAR: Jeff Willis, LSU Eunice

SECOND-TEAM

HONORABLE MENTION

Pitcher: Owen Schexnaydre, LSU Eunice; Stephen Still, Loyola (NO); Chase Morgan, Louisiana

Catcher: Tyler McKenna, Louisiana Christian

Second Base: Vantrel Reed, LSU Shreveport

Third Base: Gavin Shulz, Tulane; Jaxon Buratt, Loyola (NO)

Outfielder: Cooper Hext, McNeese State; Trevor Burkhart, LSU Shreveport; Basiel Williams, Nicholls State; Carson Livesay, Centenary College

Designated Hitter: Braden Trull, Louisiana Christian

Utility: Michael Lombardi, Tulane

MAJOR AWARD VOTING BREAKDOWN

Hitter of the Year: White, LSU -11; Alvarez, Nicholls State – 8; DeBarge, Louisiana – 7; Bates, Louisiana Tech – 2; Walker, Grambling State – 2; McConnell, Louisiana Tech – 2

Pitcher of the Year: Holman, LSU – 12; Lobell, LSU Eunice – 8; Bates, Louisiana Tech – 5; Langevin, Louisiana – 4; Still, Loyola (NO) – 1; Martinez, Grambling State – 1; Rohde, LSU Shreveport – 1

Newcomer of the Year: Holman, LSU – 23; Waxley, Louisiana Christian – 4; Brodersen, Louisiana Tech – 2; Tuft, Tulane – 2

Freshman of the Year: Milam, LSU – 16; Morgan, Louisiana – 6; Winfield, ULM – 5; Waxley, Louisiana Christian – 4; Buratt, Loyola (NO) – 1

Coach of the Year – Willis, LSU Eunice – 15; Burroughs, Louisiana Tech – 6; Pierre, Grambling State – 5; Deggs, Louisiana – 4; Byrnes, Louisiana Christian – 2