DALLAS – Conference USA announced its 2025 Softball Postseason Awards on Tuesday, May 6. The league recognized six superlative honorees in addition to 30 all-conference selections and 11 outstanding freshmen. Desirae Spearman, Kristiana Watson and Tamara Carranza all cracked the list, representing NM State on each of three separate teams. Spearman picked up First Team honors for the second straight season, while Watson earned a spot on the Second Team. Carranza was recognized for a remarkable first collegiate campaign with an All-CUSA Freshman Team distinction. 
 
Desirae Spearman | So. | Pitcher/Outfield | El Paso, Texas | 2025 All-CUSA First Team
Last season, Spearman was tabbed as the CUSA Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year. The two-way standout earned a pair of First-Team selections in addition to a Freshman Team spot after a dominant 2024 campaign. In her second spring of collegiate softball, Spearman posted even more impressive numbers and etched her name into the record books once again with another All-CUSA First Team distinction.
 
Numbers of Note:

• Spearman finished second in CUSA with 19 home runs, one behind the league leader.
• The El Paso, Texas, native paced the league in walks (53), slugging percentage (.984), on-base percentage (.611) and OPS (1.595).
• The slugger was walked 53 times, ranking fifth-highest in the nation. Therefore, Spearman ranked 60^th in CUSA with 122 at-bats, finishing with 39 fewer than the one batter to surpass her in home runs.
• The two-way star finished second on team with 44 RBIs despite leading off 22 times.
• She led the team in ERA (3.44), batting average against (.219), strikeouts thrown (112) and complete games (eight).
• In late March, the pitcher posted a five-game home run streak and an 11-game hitting streak.
• Against Portland State, Spearman tossed a season-high 10 strikeouts in Austin, Texas.

• In the circle, she has held two separate three-game winning streaks this season en route to 11 victories.

 
After an electric freshman campaign that took the conference by storm, Spearman reached new heights as a sophomore. The second-year Aggie surpassed last year's marks in strikeouts thrown (112), innings pitched (108.0), victories (11), complete games (eight), home runs hit (19), slugging percentage (.984), on-base percentage (.611) and OPS (1.595) while drastically vaulting her walk total from 21(which led the 2024 squad) to 53. Her 19 home runs sparked a career-high 44 RBIs and 120 total bases. 
 
In the circle, the El Paso, Texas, native made a team-high 20 starts. She paced the Aggies with eight complete games, a 3.44 ERA, 112 strikeouts and a .219 opponent batting average. She was the only player in the conference to lead her team in both batting average at the plate and ERA. For the season, Spearman (112) was one of five CUSA pitchers with more than 100 strikeouts and finished fourth in opponent batting average.
 
Against FIU, Spearman had her most dominant weekend of the campaign. The sophomore mashed three home runs, doing so once each day of the series in Miami. The two-way star was also walked three times around another pair of hits that included a double. In her seven at-bats, she picked up five hits and scored as many runs, driving in four RBIs. Her OPS for the week was 2.961, including a whopping 2.143 slugging percentage and an on-base percentage north of .800.
 
Kristiana Watson | R-Jr. | First Base | Tucson, Ariz. | 2025 All-CUSA Second Team
Over the summer, Head Coach Kathy Rodolph announced the signing of nine transfers, including former Arizona State and Duke slugger Kristiana Watson. After taking 2024 away from softball to complete her bachelor's degree, the 6-foot-0 first baseman came to Las Cruces to headline a lethal offense. As the most consistent member in the lineup, her eye-popping batting statistics warranted a Second-Team distinction from CUSA.
 
Numbers of Note:

• Watson started 52 of 52 games, including all but three at first base.
• The Tucson, Ariz., native paced the team in at-bats, hits, RBIs and doubles. 
• 29 of her 60 hits went for extra bases, garnering a 1.102 OPS that sits inside the top 10 of the conference.
• Watson finished one total base (119) behind Spearman for the team lead (120).
• With 154 putouts in league play, she easily led the team and ranked third in the conference.
• In CUSA action, Watson produced only one error, flashing a .994 fielding percentage.

• The Duke transfer was one of four league members with 10 or more home runs in conference games.

 
As a first-year member of the program, Kristiana Watson was the only Aggie to start every regular-season game. Her .355 batting average and 60 hits made the Duke transfer a staple for Kathy Rodolph at first base, where she has made 49 appearances, including 41 straight. She ranks second on the team with 15 home runs and finished in CUSA with 47 RBIs. Watson was one of six league members with more than 100 total bases and placed tied for third with 14 doubles. Her OPS of 1.102 was second on the team and eighth-best in the league. Defensively, her 284 putouts ranked seventh in the league, adding on 16 assists to tally 300 outs recorded.
 
This past weekend, Watson notched her first career two-home run game to secure a crucial win in the regular-season finale. The first-year Aggie picked up two of the Aggies' six home runs on the weekend as the visitors earned their fifth series win of 2025. The Duke transfer posted 10 total bases and was walked twice en route to a 1.371 OPS. Her four hits and two RBIs bumped her team-high season totals in both categories to 60 and 47, respectively. At first base, she tallied 26 putouts and one assist without an error to post another 1.000 fielding percentage week.
 
Tamara Carranza | Fr. | Shortstop | Imperial, Calif. | 2025 CUSA All-Freshman Team
After graduating from Brawley Union High School last spring, Tamara Carranza strolled into Las Cruces as one of Kathy Rodolph's eight freshmen for the 2025 season. NM State's roster was full of student-athletes with Division I experience, but Carranza stood out early on. After getting a chance to play shortstop in the opening game of the season, the freshman never looked back. The first-year Aggie started nearly every game in the infield, earning an All-CUSA Freshman Team selection.
 
Numbers of Note:

• Carranza was one of just two Aggies to make 50 starts, alongside Watson.
• The freshman was the lone member of her class to make more than 11 starts or enter the action in more than 25 games.
• Watson and Spearman were the only other Aggies to hit more home runs in league play than the shortstop (four).
• Her .539 slugging percentage in CUSA contests also ranked third on the team, only behind her fellow award-winning teammates.
• Over the weekend at Kennesaw State, Carranza became the eighth Aggie to surpass 100 at-bats this season.

• The freshman was involved in nine double plays, pacing the team and ranking among the top six among the CUSA Championship field.

 
This season, Carranza made an impressive mark from the shortstop position. The true freshman started in all but two games on the left half of the middle infield, tallying 77 putouts and 66 assists. At the plate, her CUSA batting average was .316, ranking fourth on the team. Her four home runs and five doubles in league play vaulted her OPS to .889 in CUSA action. 
 
On Sunday, April 27, the freshman belted a three-run home run over the left-field wall to walk off a run-rule victory in the sweep over Middle Tennessee. This season, she tallied 11 RBIs and 45 total bases, helped by a six-game hitting streak at the end of March. For her work, Carranza was recognized as one of the top 11 freshmen in the league.
 
2025 CUSA Softball All-Conference Award Winners
 
Player of the Year
Rachel Roupe, Liberty
 
Pitcher of the Year
Elena Escobar, Liberty
 
Defensive Player of the Year
Madi Mendoza, UTEP
 
Freshman of the Year
Jana Want, MTSU
 
Newcomer of the Year
Savanah Whatley, Liberty
 
Coach of the Year
Dot Richardson, Liberty
 
First Team All-CUSA
C: Savannah Jessee, Liberty
C: Ansley Blevins, MTSU
DP/UT: Brynn McManus, Liberty
IF: Savanah Whatley, Liberty
IF: Nicole Hammoude, LA Tech
IF: Reagan Marchant, LA Tech
IF: Jana Want, MTSU
IF: Ajia Richard, UTEP
OF: Emma Elrod, Jax State
OF: KK Madrey, Liberty
OF: Rachel Roupe, Liberty
OF: Desirae Spearman, NM State*
P: Allie Floyd, LA Tech
P: Elena Escobar, Liberty
P: Abigail Young, Sam Houston
 
Second Team All-CUSA
C: Macie Howes, Kennesaw State
C: Bella Perez, Sam Houston
DP/UT: Maci Masters, WKU
IF: Paige Miller, FIU
IF: Kailey Martin, Jax State
IF: Savannah Woodard, Liberty
IF: Kristiana Watson, NM State*
IF: Elia Hebel, Sam Houston
OF: Kally Meredith, FIU
OF: Alexis Gilio, LA Tech
OF: Macie Harter, MTSU
OF: Jenny Robison, Sam Houston
P: Kat Carter, Jax State
P: Paige Bachman, Liberty
P: Kaylan Yoder, Liberty
 
CUSA All-Freshman Team
Haleigh Cushingberry, Jax State
Kailey Martin, Jax State
Jaci Underwood, Jax State
Allie Furr, LA Tech
Elena Heng, LA Tech
Leila Ammon, MTSU
Macie Harter, MTSU
Jana Want, MTSU
Tamara Carranza, NM State*
Marissa Burchard, UTEP
Erica Houge, WKU
 
Tomorrow, the trio will lead the Crimson & White into the CUSA Championship in Bowling Green, Ky. NM State, the No. 5 seed, is set to take on fourth-place LA Tech with first pitch scheduled for Wednesday, May 7, at 1:30 p.m. MT (2:30 p.m. local). The bout with the Bulldogs will be streamed live on ESPN+ and available to follow via StatBroadcast. 
 
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).