Louisiana Softball Lands Six Signees From Class of 2025 Recruits

LAFAYETTE – The Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns Softball program announced on Thursday the six student-athletes from the Class of 2025 recruits that have signed with head coach Alyson Habetz and her coaching staff to join the program beginning with the 2026 season.

Louisiana's Class of 2025 signees includes: shortstop/second baseman Haley Hart (Spanish Fort, Ala./Spanish Fort HS), pitcher Bailey Mackles (Slidell, La./Slidell HS), infielder/utility Kennedy Stutes (Lafayette, La./St. Thomas More HS), catcher Shyanne Irvin (Lafayette, La./St. Thomas More HS), catcher Natalie Johnson (Mint Hill, N.C./Independence HS) and infielder/utility Miki Watts (Loranger, La./Loranger HS).

Each future student-athlete will enroll at Louisiana beginning with the fall semester of the 2025-26 academic year which begins in August.

Hart, who has played shortstop for Spanish Fort (Ala.) High School's varsity squad since 2021, enters her senior season having accumulated 212 total hits, 183 runs scored, 47 doubles, 14 triples, 27 home runs, and 169 RBI and boasts a career .432 average.

A four-time all-county selection, Hart was named First Team All-State and Team Offensive MVP in 2024 after posting single-season bests of 72 hits, which included 18 doubles and 11 home runs, and 62 RBI.

Mackles is coming off a banner junior season for Slidell (La.) High School that saw her post 155 strikeouts and a 1.43 ERA in 93.1 innings. She allowed just 50 hits and 38 runs (only 19 earned) with a 12-5 record while stranding 105 runners.

Adding a .448 batting average to her stat line for 2024, Mackles was named First Team All-District, selected to the All-State Team and was awarded St. Tammany Parish Pitcher of the Year honors.

Stutes and Irvin are teammates on Lafayette-based St. Thomas More High School's softball squad having led the Cougars to four playoff appearances and a state championship in 2023.

A first team all-district and all-state performer each of the past two seasons, Stutes has produced a .400-plus yearly average since she was a freshman and has shown power-hitting ability with a combined 18 home runs over her sophomore and junior seasons. She'll be joining her sister, Gabbie Stutes, on the Ragin' Cajuns roster.

Irvin has played catcher and corner infield for STM, receiving all-district, all-metro and all-state honors in addition to D1 select state tournament MVP during the Cougars' 2023 state title run. She heads into her senior season as a career .475 hitter with 31 home runs and 120 RBI to her credit.

Johnson is in heading toward her fourth season at catcher for Independence (N.C.) High School in the Charlotte, North Carolina region. The team's Offensive Player of the Year three years running, she claimed all-conference honors as a freshman and sophomore and then elevated to all-state honors as a junior in 2024.

Coming off back-to-back .400-plus seasons, Johnson has produced 28 doubles, five triples, 18 home runs and 73 RBI over 220 career at bats with Independence HS.

Watts has handled catching duties and played shortstop for Loranger (La.) High School. She's earned First Team All-District honors the past three seasons, was named First Team All-Parish in 2024 on Tanhipahoa's first-ever team named and was a USA 2023 National Selection Top Performer 16u.

Her batting average rising each season, Watts elevated to a .637 mark in her junior season totaling 44 hits with over half going for extra bases (17 doubles, five triples, three homers), scored 52 runs and posted 27 RBI. She stole 20-plus bases for the third straight year ending a perfect 35-for-35.

ABOUT LOUISIANA
The Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns Softball program's rich tradition includes six Women's College World Series appearances, eight NCAA Super Regional berths and 33 NCAA Regional appearances which ranks as seventh-most in NCAA history.

Louisiana (45-19, 22-2 SBC in 2024), the five-time reigning Sun Belt Conference regular season champions, made its 25th consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance last spring which was highlighted by a national seed (No. 13) and host site at Lamson Park.

The Ragin' Cajuns are currently preparing for the 2025 season which marks the first under Alyson Habetz's guidance. A celebrated Ragin' Cajuns student-athlete and renowned softball coach, she was named the fifth head coach in Louisiana Softball's storied history on June 25, 2024.

A native of nearby Crowley, Louisiana, Habetz ascends to the head coach ranks in her hometown area of the Acadiana region. A basketball and softball player for the Ragin' Cajuns from 1990-95, she returns to where her impactful contributions to women's athletics began.

Louisiana Softball season ticket sales will resume on Monday, December 9, available for purchase online at RaginCajuns.com/tickets or by calling the Louisiana Athletics Ticket Office at (337) 482-GoUL (4685). Fans can also support the softball student athletes, and invest in the program's future, through the Krewe Allons NIL Collective (click here).

FOLLOW THE RAGIN' CAJUNS
Follow the Ragin' Cajuns on Facebook (/RaginCajunsSB), Twitter (@RaginCajunsSB) and Instagram (@Louisiana.SB) to stay up-to-date on all that is happening with Louisiana Softball.

Fans are also encouraged to stay engaged with the Ragin' Cajuns by downloading the #GeauxCajuns app. Click here for iOS/Apple platforms and here for Android platforms.

- www.RaginCajuns.com -

Louisiana Softball Lands Six Signees From Class of 2025 Recruits

Players Mentioned

Gabbie Stutes

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