Date	Time	Opponent	Location	Live Links
Friday, February 2	4:00 p.m. | 6:30 p.m.	New Mexico Highlands | Adams State	Los Lunas, N.M.	Stats | LSC Digital Network | Game Notes
Saturday, February 3	11 a.m. | 1:30 p.m.	UCCS | CSU Pueblo	Los Lunas, N.M.	Stats | LSC Digital Network | Game Notes
Sunday, February 4	12:30 p.m.	Fort Lewis	Los Lunas, N.M.	Stats | LSC Digital Network | Game Notes

 
CANYON, Texas – No. 4-ranked West Texas A&M softball starts the 2024 season in Los Lunas, N.M. where the Lady Buffs will compete in the South Central Regional Challenge. The three-day tournament sees WT face in-region opponents Adams State, CSU Pueblo, Fort Lewis, New Mexico Highlands, and UC-Colorado Springs.
 
GAME COVERAGE
A live stream will be available for the game provided by the Western New Mexico athletic communications department through the Lone Star Conference Digital Network. Fans can buy a yearly pass for $140 that grants access to all broadcasts for the LSC including previous years or a $30 monthly subscription. Live stats will also be provided for fans to stay up to date.
 
A LOOK AT THE LADY BUFFS
Head coach Michael Mook returns to the helm of the program after leading the Lady Buffs to a 50-8 overall record and 37-5 mark in LSC action. WT fell in the Lone Star Conference semifinals before winning a South Central Regional title at Schaeffer Park. The Lady Buffs season came to a close in the South Central Super Regional series where No. 4 UT Tyler defeated WT two games to zero.
 
The Lady Buffs return 12 student-athletes from the 2023 team including All-American Emilee Boyer along with All-Region outfielder Brittni Rufus. Other key pieces returning to the lineup include All-Lone Star Conference selections Braeland Booth, Madison Johnson, and Diana Murtha.
 
WT welcomed seven newcomers to the 2024 roster featuring utility player Trinity Kuntz, outfielders Kiley Avery, Emily Liskai, and Halie Stoneking, infielder Tatem Pendergraft, catcher Raegan Walter, and pitcher Ashley Mandell
 
SCOUTING NEW MEXICO HIGHLANDS (Friday / 4 p.m. CT)
The Cowgirls were selected to finish tied for 9^th after a 20-31 overall and 16-27 conference record in 2023. New Mexico Highlands is led by second-year head coach Ashley Forshee.
 
Returning senior Samantha Gamboa led the Cowgirls in batting average with a .342 average while Arianna Ramirez followed with a .329 average. New Mexico Highlands also returns three of four pitchers from the 2023 roster including Karla Banegas, Maya Milano, and Ramirez.
 
SCOUTING ADAMS STATE (Friday / 6:30 p.m. CT)
Adams State finished tied for ninth in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Preseason Poll after an 11-40 overall and 8-32 RMAC record. Dane Craig returns at the helm for his second season in Alamosa.
 
Last season, the Grizzlies hit .269 led by returning outfielder Belinda Vargas with a .300 batting average. Adams State returns just two pitchers from the 2023 roster after producing a 10.82 earned run average.
 
SCOUTING UC-COLORADO SPRINGS (Saturday / 11 a.m. CT)
UCCS was selected sixth in the RMAC preseason poll and are led by first-year head coach Dwight Sanders. Sanders was named the head coach of the Mountain Lions in July 2023 after spending two seasons at fellow RMAC institution, Fort Lewis.
 
UCCS hit .263 as a team led by returning junior Lexi Wagner.  The Windsor, Colo. product finished the season with a .263 batting average. In the circle, the Mountain Lions produced a 5.89 earned run average with 252 strikeouts. Two of five pitchers return from last season's squad including Autumn Kunze's team-leading 4.27 earned run average.
 
SCOUTING CSU PUEBLO (Saturday / 1:30 p.m. CT)
The ThunderWolves went 21-24 last season with a 17-23 record in the RMAC.  Bianca Duran enters her second season at the helm of the program after spending five seasons as the assistant and interim head coach.
 
CSU Pueblo hit .274 as a team led by returning sophomore Caitlyn Cole.  The Merced, Calif. product finished the season with a .400 batting average. In the circle, the ThunderWolves produced a 5.74 earned run average with 186 strikeouts. Three of four pitchers return from last season's squad.
 
SCOUTING FORT LEWIS (Sunday / 12:30 p.m. CT)
The Skyhawks went 23-26 last season with a 21-21 record in the RMAC. Paige Adair will embark on her first season at the helm of the program in 2024 after spending a season as the assistant coach.
 
Fort Lewis hit .268 as a team led by returning junior Alex Tenorio. The Albuquerque, N.M. product finished the season with a .377 batting average. In the circle, the Skyhawks produced a 4.34 earned run average with 184 strikeouts. Aimee Shanks returns to the pitching staff Fort Lewis' 2023 roster.
 
NFCA RANKINGS
Defending national champion North Georgia is the unanimous preseason favorite in the 2024 NFCA Division II Top 25 Coaches Poll. National runner-up Grand Valley State opens the season at No. 2 with national semifinalist Central Oklahoma coming in at No. 3. WT took the No. 4 spot with Nova Southeastern finishing out the top five. East Stroudsburg, Cal State San Marcos, UT Tyler, and Wilmington – make up the No. 6 through 9 rankings with Tampa at No. 10.
 
The South Central region boasts four teams in the top 25 with WT leading the way at No. 4. UT Tyler (8^th), Oklahoma Christian (16^th), and Colorado Christian (21^st) also received spots in the poll. Lubbock Christian received votes in the preseason rankings.
 
LSC PRESEASON POLL
Defending Lone Star Conference and South Central Region champion UT Tyler topped the poll, totaling 591 points with 25 first-place votes. WT followed with 11 first-place votes and a total of 576 points. Oklahoma Christian (519, 3 fpv), Lubbock Christian (500), and Cameron (412) finished out the top five. Texas A&M-Kingsville (386, 2 fpv), Angelo State (383), St. Mary's (353), St. Edward's (288), and Texas Woman's (254) occupied the sixth through 10th spots. Eastern New Mexico (216), Texas A&M International (175), Midwestern State (127), Western New Mexico (72), and UT Permian Basin) finished out the poll.
 
UP NEXT
The Lady Buffs open their home schedule as WT returns to competition on Feb. 9-10 for the WT Invitational at Schaeffer Park.  WT will face CSU Pueblo, Fort Lewis, and UC-Colorado Springs.