New Mexico State University Athletics

Karysta Donisthorpe enters her fourth season on the New Mexico State softball coaching staff. The former NM State standout pitcher returned to the Aggie program as a volunteer assistant coach for the 2019 season before being elevated to assistant coach for the squad's 2020 campaign.

As a volunteer assistant, Donisthorpe helped the Aggie pitchers to another successful season. The Aggies ended the 2021 season with a 4.20 ERA. Donisthorpe helped Matalasi Faapito to throw the first Aggie no-hitter in a decade on Apr. 16 against Tarleton State. Between the three pitchers in the starting rotation, the Aggies threw 14 complete games and three shutouts. The Aggies finished the season with a 31-21 record and a WAC Regular Season Championship.

In a season that was cut short in 2020 due to the Coronavirus, Donisthorpe helped the Aggies roll in the first 23 games. The Aggies posted a 15-8 record with wins over No. 17 Arizona State, Nebraska twice and Oregon State. The Aggies had won four out of their last six including what ended up being the season finale against rival New Mexico.

Donisthorpe helped guide the pitchers to 4.48 ERA on the year. Her pitchers threw four complete games and shut out UTEP and No. 17 Arizona State.

Donisthorpe helped NM State to a 33-22 overall record that included wins over Power-5 powerhouses Cal, North Carolina and then-ranked No. 17 Texas Tech. The Aggies closed out the season second in WAC play with a 12-6 record against league opponents and also finished as the runners-up in the WAC Tournament.

NM State swept the WAC major awards following the regular season and head coach Kathy Rodolph claimed her fourth coach of the year accolade. Victoria Castro, Mya Felder, Nikki Butler, Samaria Diaz and Kelsey Horton earned All-WAC First Team honors. Additionally, Diaz received NM State's first ever WAC Pitcher of the Year award, Felder was named the WAC Freshman of the Year and Butler brought home the Aggies seventh-straight WAC Player of the Year accolade. Following the postseason tournament, Horton, Diaz and Casie Roberto brought home WAC All-Tournament honors. Butler and Diaz also garnered NFCA Pacific Region Third Team awards.

With Donisthorpe assisting with the pitchers, the Aggie pitching staff bolstered a 3.42 ERA. Diaz led the pitching staff with a league-best 228 strikeouts during her 177.0 innings pitched. The junior right hander also posted a record seven saves, which also tied Celisha Walker's career record for saves with 11 for her career.

Since her time at NM State, Donisthorpe served as an assistant coach in charge of pitching at Farmington High School. The 2016 graduate from New Mexico State was the first base coach during games and also provided the pitch calls to her players. She also assisted in various drills for outfielders as well as workouts for pitchers.

A two-time all-conference pitcher for the Aggies, Donisthorpe left a legacy in the NM State record books following her senior season in 2016. She ranks third in strikeouts (524) and appearances (149) while also ranking fourth in wins (55). She was named the Western Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Week seven times in her career and collected WAC All-Tournament honors following the conference tournament during her senior campaign.