Stevic and Watson Named 2023-24 SLU Athletes of the Year – Crescent City Sports

HAMMOND, La. – Southeastern Louisiana University Athletics on Wednesday named seniors Slavko Stevic and Ka’Lyn Watson as the school’s 2023-24 Athletes of the Year.

Stevic and Watson will be recognized at the 2024 North Oaks Health System Southeastern Athletics Hall of Fame Banquet on Sept. 13, along with the 2024 Hall of Fame Class of Amir Abdur-Rahim, Chris Laiche, Kevin Millican and Alex Young, and the 1975 men’s national championship track and field team. Volleyball player Courtney Donald was named to the 2024 Class, but will participate in the 2025 ceremony due to a personal commitment. Tickets for the event are available at www.LionSports.net/HOF.

Southeastern Athletics has awarded the Athlete of the Year to the department’s top male and female athletes since 1990. Stevic, one of 10 student-athletes to receive the honor, was named SLU Male Athlete of the Year for the second consecutive year. He is one of five student-athletes in school history, along with junior and female tennis stars Renee Villarreal, Emilija Arnaudovska and Renata Smekalova, to be named the school’s Athlete of the Year multiple times.

Watson’s selection marks the third straight year that the SLU Female Athlete of the Year has come from the Southeastern softball program. She joins Bailey Krolczyk, Aeriyl Mass, Jacquelyn Ramon, Mahalia Gibson, Katie Duhe and Sarah Gascon to give Lady Lion Softball seven Southeastern Female Athletes of the Year.

Stevic, a native of Sremska Mitrovica, Serbia, capped off one of the best careers ever by an SLU student-athlete this spring, sweeping the high jump at both the Southland Conference Indoor and Outdoor Championship Meets. During his Southeastern career, he won four SLC championships in the high jump, both indoor and outdoor.

Stevic qualified to compete in the NCAA Outdoor East Preliminary Round, but decided to pass on the opportunity and instead attempt to qualify to represent his native Serbia at the 2024 Summer Olympics. Stevic was also a standout performer in the classroom, winning SLC Indoor Student-Athlete of the Year honors for the second consecutive year and claiming SLC All-Academic recognition for the fourth time.

Watson was one of the catalysts on a 47-win SLU softball team that won its first-ever Southland Tournament title and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history. The Missouri City, Texas native was named SLC Hitter of the Year, first-team All-Southland Conference and first-team All-Louisiana after setting a new single-season school record with 55 runs scored.

Watson batted .394 with a league-high 31 steals — good for 12th in the nation. She also added 74 hits, eight doubles, five triples, six home runs and 39 RBI. Her strong play continued into the postseason, when she was named to the SLC All-Tournament team and hit a home run in an elimination-game win over No. 21 Clemson that sent the Lady Lions to the championship game of the NCAA Tuscaloosa Regional.

The 2023-2024 Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year were selected by the department’s head coaches and administrative staff.

The Southeastern Athletics’ 2024-25 season kicked off with the Coaches Caravan’s first stop on Tuesday at Greystone Golf & Country Club in Denham Springs. The caravan moves on to The Rusty Pelican (482 Myrtle Dr.) in Covington on Thursday. The final stop sees the Lions and Lady Lions return to Hammond, N.C. on Wednesday at Gnarly Barley Brewing (1709 Corbin Rd.). All Coaches Caravan events begin at 6 p.m.

Southeastern’s first track meet of the 2024-25 season is scheduled for Aug. 16 when the SLU women’s soccer team hosts Grambling at 7 p.m. at Strawberry Stadium.

Southeastern Louisiana University Athletes of the Year
2023-24: Men: Slavko Stevic, track and field; Women: Ka’Lyn Watson, softball
2022-23: Men: Slavko Stevic, track and field; Women: Bailey Krolczyk, softball
2021-22: Men: Preston Faulkner, baseball; Aeriyl Mass, softball
2020-21: Men: Cole Kelley, Soccer; Women: Megan Gordon, Soccer
2019-20: Men: Isaac Adeyemi-Berglund, Football; Women: Jodi Edo, Volleyball
2018-19: Men: Corey Gaconi, baseball; Women: Jaquelyn Ramon, softball
2017-18: Men: Marlain Veal, basketball; Women: Mahalia Gibson, softball
2016-17: Men: Alex Young, track and field; Women: Ashley Davis, track and field
2015-16: Men: Jameson Fisher, baseball; Women: Renee Villarreal, tennis
2014-15: Men: Alex Young, Track and Field; Women: Renee Villarreal, Tennis
2013-14: Men: Bryan Bennett, Soccer; Women: Renee Villarreal, Tennis and Hope Sabadash, Soccer
2012-13: Men: Robert Alford, Soccer; Women: Courtney Donald, Volleyball
2011-12: Men: Brock Hebert, baseball; Women: Maiya Cooper, soccer
2010-11: Men: Tyler Watkins, baseball; Women: Katie Duhe, softball
2009-10: Men: Adonson Shallow, Track and Field; Women: Dana Mayer, Soccer
2008-09: Men: Cedric Scotto, Golf; Women: Kristy Carlin, Basketball
2007-08: Men: Wade Miley, baseball; Women: Emilija Arnaudovska, tennis
2006-07: Men: Chris Province, baseball; Women: Emilija Arnaudovska, tennis
2005-06: Men: Lars Laursen, Athletics; Women: Iva Velkovska, Tennis
2004-05: Men: Chris Carter, athletics; Women: Kim McNally, soccer
2003-04: Men: Amir Abdur-Rahim, basketball; Women: Kendra Oney, soccer
2002-03: Men: Chris Carter, track and field; Women: Sarah Gascon, volleyball/softball
2001-2002: Male: Andy Smith, Golf; Wife: Becca Weingartner, soccer
2000-01: Men: Steve Trosclair, baseball; Women: Christine Amertil, track and field
1999-00: Husband: Jacques Chevallier, Golf; Wife: Stacey Turner, Basketball
1998-99: Men: Macky Waguespack, baseball; Women: Allison Holladay, soccer
1997-98: Men: Grant White, Golf; Women: Simona Nedorostova, Tennis
1996-97: Husband: Martin du Toit, Golf; Wife: Anne Bauer, Volleyball
1995-96: Men: Sam Bowie, basketball and Jeff Williams, baseball; Women: Darci Starr, volleyball and Deneka Knowles, basketball
1994-95: Men: Harvey Baker, basketball; Women: Felisa Howard, track and field and Rena Faust, basketball
1993-94: Men: David Bennett, athletics; Women: Renata Smekalova, tennis
1992-93: Men: Hank Washington, basketball; Women: Renata Smekalova, tennis
1991-92: Men: Troy Melancon, baseball; Women: Millie Williams, basketball
1990-91: Men: Oja Fjellstrom, tennis; Women: Diana Brown, track and field