Anytime a team is put under the leadership of a new coach, most college softball fans tend to use familiar labels. A sticker reading "transitional year" might be placed on the start of a new season, or the incoming recruiting class might be dubbed as part of a "rebuilding" effort. Every nuance is tagged or categorized, as teams have traditionally had their share of growing pains under the leadership of a first-year coach.

But for McNeese State's softball team, the year of "change" might not be that different at all. With a new staff of seasoned softball minds, experienced upperclassmen, and a home-heavy schedule, McNeese is on track to making a seamless transition into 2017.

In many ways, this isn't the Cowgirls' first rodeo.

For those who aren't down in Lake Charles, Louisiana, very often, here's a quick history lesson on the Cowgirls: McNeese has been a major contender in the Southland Conference race for the better part of a decade, with five regular-season league titles (2016, 2014, 2013, 1994 co-champions, 1983) and four SLC tournament titles (2016, 2010, 2005, 1983) in school history.

A year ago, the Cowgirls made their fourth NCAA regional appearance (2010, 2005, 1994) in Baton Rouge and garnered national attention after defeating Arizona State 5-2 in the first round. McNeese was bounced from the tournament after two hard-fought losses -- the first to host LSU and then to Arizona State in an elimination game (Oh, and that elimination game against the Sun Devils? It went for 14 innings and the Cowgirls fell 3-2.)

McNeese is on the road to becoming a legitimate softball powerhouse, even with a new man at the wheel.

The Landre-'New' Era

Enter Cowgirls coach James Landreneau, who was named as the program's new head coach in mid-June (succeeding Joanna Hardin, who accepted the head coaching job at Virginia weeks before). While he's been the captain at McNeese for only six months, he's no stranger to the Cowgirls' success. In fact, he had a hand in creating it.



As McNeese's assistant coach for the past four seasons, Coach L helped lead the Cowgirls to a 157-66 overall record and an 83-20 mark in Southland Conference play. Serving as recruiting coordinator and hitting coach, he's been a part of three conference championships and has coached three student-athletes to SLC Player of the Year titles.

With a lineup that boasts almost 20 returners, Landreneau is taking the reins of a team who knows how to win.

"There's always great anticipation for the season to get here and for us to be able to watch our kids compete," he said.

With the amount of time they've been putting in this offseason, it gets me excited as a head coach to know that I have a team that works as hard as they do.

After his squad won a school-record 43 games in 2016, the first item on Landreneau's agenda was to assemble the right coaching staff -- one that would fit in well with culture of success that was already in place. Most expected him to bring in candidates who've spent many years in the trenches of Division I coaching. Instead, he contracted the help of not one but two rookies: Katie Roux and Candi Weige. And they were exactly who he wanted.

Young and Hungry

Roux is serving as McNeese's assistant coach, helping with all phases of the game. And those who are familiar with college softball in Louisiana might recognize her name (and it has nothing to do with seafood gumbo). Roux was a four-year starter for the Cowgirls, finishing her stellar career in 2014. As a freshman, she served as the Cowgirls' second baseman, where she was named to the Southland Conference and All-Louisiana honorable mention teams in 2011 and the SLC all-tournament team in 2012. She then moved to shortstop, where she remained until she graduated.

A native of Denham Springs, Louisiana, Roux was named an NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete and the SASOL Student Athlete of the Season in 2013. Roux was also a three-time SLC All-Academic pick and a member of the 2014 Capital One Academic All-District team.

"Bringing Katie Roux in was a no-brainer," Landreneau said. "We wanted someone that has an understanding for our philosophies and who knows our infield and offensive system. I also wanted to make the smoothest transition possible for our players. She's a familiar face, and I knew we would work well together. Someone who has had success at this program as a player is someone I wanted."

Weige was brought on as an assistant and pitching coach. After losing senior hurlers Jamie Allred and Emily Vincent (who recorded a combined 34 wins during their senior seasons), Coach L wanted some help developing his young arms. No one was better suited for the job, as Weige previously served as the head coach at Klein High School for four years. She was no slouch in the circle herself either, compiling a total of 273 strikeouts over her four-year career at Blinn College and Houston.

"When we were going through our transition, the first thing we needed was a pitching coach," Landreneau said. "We tried to find someone that was young and hungry…someone who shared the same vision we had for the program. We wanted someone who knew how to develop young talent, and that's what we got. She's had success at the high school level and participated in camps. Even though she's new to the college scene, she been coaching and developing young people for a long time."



This will be Roux and Weige's first seasons as Division I coaches.

As Landreneau and his new staff prepare for February, they'll be anchored by a core of seasoned letter-winners throughout the lineup. Led by All-American catcher Erika Piancastelli, the Cowgirls were a force to be reckoned with at the plate last season. They led the league in… drumroll, please… hitting (.305), slugging (.460), OBP (.409), runs scored (350), hits (466), runs batted in (292), doubles (88), total bases (702) and HBP's (81). And if that wasn't enough, McNeese's runs scored, OPB, and RBI logged were school records too.

"Our lineup did great job of relieving stress last year," Landreneau said. "At one point in the season, nine kids were hitting over .300. Anytime we get someone on base, we had the ability to take advantage and score runs, and that takes a lot of pressure off players like Erika."

Trust me, there aren't many players like Piancastelli.

Piancastelli's Plate

Piancastelli burst onto the scene in 2015 and has rewritten the McNeese record books over the past two seasons.

Are you sitting down? Here we go.

During her freshman year, she was the first McNeese softball player to be named an All-American and first in the Southland since 2003. She also became the first student-athlete to earn player, hitter, and freshman of the year titles in the same season. Breaking the university's single season home run record (18) and leading the team in nine offensive categories, she was an All-SLC first team selection and the Louisiana Freshman of the Year.



As a sophomore, the Carlsbad, California, native was named Southland Conference Player and Hitter of the Year for the second straight season, making her the second student-athlete in league history to earn the titles back-to-back times. She repeated as a NFCA All-American in 2016, was named the league's student-athlete of the year, earned all-Louisiana honors, and was named to the Baton Rouge NCAA All-Region team.

Still with me? Good.

Piancastelli is ready to lead her team on both sides of the plate for the third year.

My main goal is to figure out what I can do that I didn't do last year that will help my team," she said. "I need to focus on everyday small things and stick to our process.

One might think Piancastelli would feel pressure to compound upon her already impressive resumé. But she is welcoming the clean slate and using the expectations as a tool for success.

"I think having two years of experience under my belt keeps me in the right mind set," Piancastelli said. "Being able to have that calmness allows me to focus on one thing at a time, whether it's hitting or behind the plate. I think one of my strengths is being calm, and that seems to transfer over to my teammates."

Home Early and Often

Boasting a heavy home schedule for the first time in recent memory, the opener at Cowgirl Diamond will be the first in eight years.

"Playing in front of our fans is a big deal," Landreneau said. "Last year we played 22 games on the road before we played at home. And that much travel puts a strain on the kids. As many times as we can play on our own field and sleep in our own beds at night, we should take advantage of it."

After hosting and winning the 2016 Southland Conference Tournament, 2017 should make them feel right at home.

Keep an eye out for the Cowgirls this year, who will ride into the new season against Southern Mississippi on February 9. While a changing of the guard has taken place in Lake Charles, McNeese's combination of experience and excitement is putting it in a position for greatness. In June, that 2017 label just might read "Best season yet, y'all."

By Kati Morse
Follow Kati on Twitter: @morsecodered