LAS CRUCES, N.M. – Softball season is finally here. After 273 days, the Aggies return to action tomorrow, on Feb. 7, with two games from the NM State Softball Complex. After going 30-25 a year ago, Kathy Rodolph revamped her roster with high hopes for Spring 2025. Eight freshmen and nine transfers round out the squad in pursuit of an NCAA Regional appearance for the first time since 2018.
 
The Crimson & White will commence their 51^st season in program history with a bout against UC Santa Barbara before taking on Colorado State 30 minutes later. Over the course of the weekend, nine games will take place on the field, including six NM State contests. UC Santa Barbara will be the Aggies' first opponent of the season before Colorado State awaits 30 minutes later. 
 
2024 NM State Invitational
Game 1: Friday, Feb. 7 (10:30 AM) - UC Santa Barbara vs. Colorado State [Live Stats]
Game 2: Friday, Feb. 7 (1:00 PM) - UC Santa Barbara @ NM State [Radio]  [Live Stats]
Game 3: Friday, Feb. 7 (3:30 PM MDT) - Colorado State @ NM State [Radio] [Live Stats]
 
Game 4: Saturday, Feb. 8 (9:00 AM) - Colorado State vs. Kansas City [Live Stats]
Game 5: Saturday, Feb. 8 (11:30 AM) - Colorado State vs. UC Santa Barbara [Live Stats]
Game 6: Saturday, Feb. 8 (2:00 PM) - Kansas City @ NM State [Radio] [Live Stats]
Game 7: Saturday, Feb. 8 (4:30 PM) - UC Santa Barbara @ NM State [Radio]  [Live Stats]
 
Game 8: Sunday, Feb. 9 (9:00 AM) - Colorado State @ NM State [Radio]  [Live Stats]
Game 9: Sunday, Feb. 9 (11:30 AM) - Kansas City @ NM State [Radio]  [Live Stats]
 
FRESH FACES
17 newcomers grace the 2025 squad, including eight true freshmen. The first-year student-athletes are comprised of one local Las Cruces product, four California natives, two Arizonans and a Texan broken into three catchers, two infielders, an outfielder, a pitcher and a utility player. 
 
Two sets of three relatives make up a majority of the transfer crop. First, the Aragons; a local trio that includes sisters Faith and Grace as well as cousin Johnna. All three Aragons hail from nearby Carlsbad, N.M., and saw action at UTEP a season ago. The former earned an All-CUSA Freshman Team selection in 2024 as a pitcher.
 
Additionally, three more sisters enter the building as Taylor, Kenzie and Payton Nicholson will don the Crimson & White in 2025. Taylor and Kenzie have each made stops at Arizona State, while Kenzie is most recently from CUSA foe Jax State. Payton spent her freshman season at Georgia State as a utility/infield player.  
 
Taryn Bennet, Lauren Garcia and Kristiana Watson round out the crop of nine additions. Bennet spent her freshman season as a pitcher at Hampton, Garcia faced the Aggies in the Battle of I-25 each of the past three seasons at New Mexico and Watson will enter as a redshirt junior with two prior stops at Power Five institutions.
 
HISTORY UNMATCHED
When NM State Softball is mentioned, one name immediately comes to mind; Kathy Rodolph. As she enters her 22^ndseason at the helm, the legendary head coach has amassed 608 wins with the Aggies; well more than half of the program's all-time total (1,140). 
 
Last season, Rodolph surpassed two career milestones, doing so in dramatic fashion both times. On April 12, the Aggies found themselves down to their final out against FIU while trailing 6-5. After a Devin Elam single knotted the affair, Riley Carley sent a missile to left-center field to walk off a series-opening win and etch Rodolph's 600^th program win into the record books. 
 
A few weeks later, on the same field, more magic ensued. In their first game of the CUSA Championship, the Aggies trailed by two runs on their home field against Jacksonville State in the bottom of the seventh inning. Two straight home runs tied the ballgame at 5-5, queueing an extra eighth inning. After two straight outs to start the inning, senior standout Jillian Taylor launched a ball over the left field fence to advance her side to the next round in thrilling fashion. The victory was extra sweet for Coach Rodolph, as it was the 800^th of her career, including stops at El Paso CC (1999-00) and Angelo State (2002-03).
 
Over her time with the Crimson & White, Rodolph has guided the squad to six WAC Regular-Season Championships, four WAC Tournament Championships and four NCAA Regional appearances. Rodolph is also a five-time WAC Coach of the Year and has had 17 players named to an NFCA All-Region team. Under Rodolph, the Aggies have captured nine of the last 10 Conference Player of the Year awards and three of the last four league Freshman of the Year Awards.
 
LEAGUE ON NOTICE
Devin Elam and Desirae Spearman each earned All-CUSA Preseason Team honors late last month. A season ago, Elam and Spearman combined for 92 hits, 23 home runs and a total of 37 extra-base hits. The pair accounted for 76 starts across 79 outings, tallying 239 at-bats. In the batter's box, the pair of outfielders recorded a net .385 batting average while reaching base on .445 of all at-bats, mashing their way to a .741 slugging percentage and a 1.186 OPS. Spearman was tied for the team lead with 43 RBIs while Elam ranked second with 36, racking up a combined 31.7% of all runs batted in for Kathy Rodolph's offense in 2024. 
 
The duo each earned First Team honors from the conference in 2024, including Spearman's two selections; one at outfielder and one at pitcher. The two lead the 2025 squad into their second year in the league. CUSA's preseason coaches' poll tabbed the Aggies as the third-highest favorite, receiving just one fewer point (82) than WKU (83). Both teams were in the final two games of last year's postseason tournament, but each fell to eventual champion Liberty, who was picked first in the poll with 99 points. The Lady Flames were awarded Preseason Player (Rachel Roupe) and Pitcher (Elena Escobar) of the Year by CUSA.
 
SCOUTING THE FIELD
Colorado State is led by Head Coach Jen Fischer, who holds a 337-318-1 record in her 14 years with the program. Last season, the Rams went 26-21 and 9-12 in Mountain West play. 
 
Kiki Stokes O'Connor is approaching her third season at the helm for Kansas City, holding a 32-74 mark thus far. The Roos improved their win total by 14 from 2023 to 2024, improving by the ninth-largest mark in Division I. 
 
Lastly, UC Santa Barbara rolls into the Land of Enchantment under the direction of Head Coach Jo Evans. Across 39 seasons, Evans has amassed 1,346 wins, including 20 last year in what was her second with the Gauchos. The squad went over .500 in Big West play, tallying 14 wins to 13 losses.
 
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).