LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The offseason has been far from quiet in the offices of the NM State Softball Complex. Kathy Rodolph, Cat Heifner and Benet Higgs have not only hauled in 17 newcomers for the Spring 2025 roster, but the staff added six student-athletes for the Spring 2026 campaign during National Signing Day last month. 
 
The newest crop of Aggies includes Taylor Baca, Destan Burks, Makenzie Jones, Kalena Lemus, Liliana Montoya and Destiny Perez. The final two – Montoya and Perez – hail from New Mexico, with Perez being a local product out of Las Cruces' Centennial High School. 
 
"We are thrilled to introduce our 2025 recruiting class," Head Coach Kathy Rodolph noted on the six roster additions. "This is a group that is loaded with power, speed and pitching. Each one of these young women has competed on a national stage and thrived. We are blessed to bring their character, mindset and talent to our Aggie family."
 
Taylor Baca | OF | 5-9 | Sahuarita, Ariz. | Walden Grove HS
Next fall, Taylor Baca will join the Crimson & White after wrapping up her senior year at Walden Grove High School. The Sahuarita, Ariz. native hit .295 across 78 at-bats in 2023, taylling 23 hits and 14 RBIs. She found her way into scoring position often, racking up four doubles, three triples and four stolen bases on her way to 28 runs scored. In the outfield, Baca was beyond reliable, committing just one error across 26 appearances. Her 37 putouts led to a remarkable .976 fielding percentage, ranking highest among all team members that played in every game. Last spring, the Red Wolves fell in the opening round of the AIA 4A-B State Championships to eventual runners-up Arcadia.
 
Destan Burks | SS | 5-7 | Red Oak, Texas | Red Oak HS
Out of Red Oak, Texas is a budding middle infielder by the name of Destan Burks. So far in three years at Red Oak High School, the 5-foot-7 NM State commit has amassed 137 hits, 38 doubles, 11 triples and 26 home runs. Her 75 extra-base hits have produced 128 RBIs, while her 37 walks and 21 stolen bases have brought her around to score 120 times. Burks has moved around on defense, but has stuck predominantly to shortstop, where she has 118 put outs and nine double plays. As a junior, she was named District 14-5A Offensive Player of the Year, 2024 UIL All-State Honorable Mention and 2024 All-State Honorable Mention. 
 
Makenzie Jones | OF | 5-2 | Litchfield Park, Ariz. | Canyon View HS
As a junior, Makenzie Jones posted a .402 batting average, with 33 hits in as many games. Her eight walks and six extra-base hits boosted her solid .973 OPS en route to 12 RBIs and 34 runs scored across just 82 at-bats. Jones paced Canyon View with 29 stolen bases, accounting for more than a fifth of all Jaguars' swipes. On defense, she held a dependable .939 fielding percentage, committing only two errors across the entire campaign. The speedy outfielder guided her squad to a 2024 AIA 5A-B State Championship Game appearance, where Canyon View fell to Chaparral.
 
Kalena Lemus | RHP | 5-4 | Victorville, Calif. | Ganesha HS
Boasting a stellar 0.47 ERA across her two seasons of varsity softball, Kalena Lemus joins NM State next fall. The Victorville, Calif. native excelled as a junior, going 15-0 in 15 appearances. Across 150 total innings of work, she has allowed just 65 hits, 21 walks and ten earned runs. The right-handed pitcher led her team to a perfect, 22-0 undefeated season. In the CIF Division VI Playoffs, the Giants went 5-0 and outscored their opponents by a combined score of 71-12 en route to a state title. 
 
Liliana Montoya | RHP | 5-9 | Albuquerque, N.M. | La Cueva HS
Out of La Cueva High School is the first of the Crimson & White's two in-state signees. Liliana Montoya was productive for the Bears in the box and the circle. The Albuquerque native tallied a .357 batting average thanks to 30 hits and as many RBIs in just 84 at-bats. The two-way standout not only crushed five home runs, but utilized her eyes for 10 walks on the season. Her solid grasp of the zone came in large part thanks to her time as a pitcher, where she shone just as bright. Montoya posted a 2.22 ERA in her junior season, going 7-0 in 11 appearances. Her 87 strikeouts led the team, despite pitching only 47.1 innings. Under Montoya, the Bears advanced deep in the state playoffs this past spring, falling in the 5A NMAA State Semifinals to eventual champion Centennial. 
 
Destiny Perez | LHP | 5-9 | Las Cruces, N.M. | Centennial HS
The Aggies' most local product of the signing day was Destiny Perez of Centennial High School. The Las Cruces native paced her squad with a whopping .495 batting average that included a team-high 53 hits and 29 RBIs across 35 games played. Not only did the junior excel in the box, but she made 11 strong appearances in the circle. A remarkable 0.73 ERA granted her eight wins to just two losses while striking out 53 batters and holding opponents to a .180 batting average in 47.2 innings of work. Earlier this year, Perez guided the Hawks to a 5A NMAA 5A State Championship with back-to-back wins over Alamogordo.
 
For complete coverage of NM State Softball during the 2025 season, visit NMStateSports.com – the official home of the Aggies – and follow the Aggies on Facebook (NM State Softball), Twitter (@NMStateSoftball) and Instagram (@NMStateSoftball).