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CANYON, Texas – The #8 Lady Buffs of West Texas A&M hit the road for the second straight week as they travel to Chattanooga, Tennessee to take part in the 2026 Chattanooga Invitational inside of Warner Park. WT will play six games during the three-day event against West Florida, Montevallo, McKendree, Palm Beach Atlantic, UAH and Lee.
 
THIS IS LADY BUFF SOFTBALL
West Texas A&M Softball began their 21st season of NCAA competition on last weekend as the Lady Buffs are a staggering 788-325 (.708) since reviving the program prior to the 2006 campaign. WT has won three South Central Regional Championships (2014, 2016, 2021) along with a pair of NCAA Division II National Championships in 2014 and 2021.
 
2025 REWIND
The Lady Buffs capped off 2025 with a 56-8 overall record and 40-4 Lone Star Conference record. WT opened the campaign ranked 13th before quickly entering the top 10 of the NFCA poll. The Lady Buffs spent 10 weeks in the top five including three weeks at No. 1. WT earned a share of the Lone Star Conference regular season title for the second consecutive season.
 
WT HEAD COACH MICHAEL MOOK
In just six seasons, Michael Mook has led West Texas A&M to a 248-61 (.802) mark while claiming the 2021 NCAA Division II National Championship. Mook is a two-time Lone Star Conference Coach of the Year (2024, 2025) who has led the Lady Buffs to four NCAA Postseason appearances (2021, 2023, 2024, 2025). Mook recently agreed to a three-year contract extension to keep him the WT dugout until atleast the Summer of 2028. A new era of Lady Buff softball began on June 20, 2019, as Mook was hired as the third head coach in program history.
 
OPENING WEEKEND RECAP
The Lady Buffs started their 2026 campaign last weekend at the South Central Regional Crossover in Los Lunas with a perfect 6-0 record. WT outscored their opponents 67-1 with five shutouts and five run-rule wins.
 
NATIONAL HONORS
The Lady Buffs swept the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division II National weekly awards announced on Tuesday as Jordyn De Los Santos and Brooke Janning were honored for their efforts on the diamond.
 
WEST FLORIDA
The Argonauts started their season a perfect 6-0 last weekend in Fort Lauderdale as they picked up three wins over both Nova Southeastern and Barry. West Florida went 38-17 a year ago with a mark of 22-11 in Sunshine State Conference play, qualifying for the NCAA South Regional Tournament.
 
Ashliegh McLean was named head coach of the UWF softball program in May 2018, after four years as an assistant with the team. Entering her 8th season with the program, McLean has compiled a 236-107 record, including a 132-59 record in the Gulf South Conference, making for the best conference winning percentage (.691) in program history.
 
THE SERIES
Friday afternoon marks the first all-time meeting between West Texas A&M and West Florida. The two teams were scheduled to open the 2022 campaign against each other at the Gulf Shores Tournament in Gulf Shores, Alabama before inclement weather cancelled the contest. 
 
MONTEVALLO
The Falcons opened their campaign last weekend at the Gulf Shores Invitational as they picked up wins over #18 Rogers State and Middle Georgia State with their final two games of the tournament cancelled due to weather. Montevallo went 31-24 last season with a 19-14 record in Gulf South Conference play as they advanced to the GSC Tournament.
 
Beth Wade was named the new head softball coach on June 11, 2021. Wade comes to Motown by way of the College of Charleston where she served as the assistant coach.
 
THE SERIES
West Texas A&M and Montevallo will meet for the first time on Friday in Chattanooga.
 
McKENDREE
The Bearcats opened their season last weekend at the Branson Leadoff Classic with wins over Minnesota-Crookston, Arkansas Tech and Northwestern Oklahoma State before falling to #11 Central Oklahoma in the finale to sit at 3-1 overall. McKendree went 33-21 last season with a 18-10 record in Great Lakes Valley Conference action as they advanced to the GLVC Tournament.
 
Heather Tarter is in her fifth season at the helm of the McKendree softball program. Tarter came to McKendree after spending four years as an assistant softball coach at the University of Evansville 
 
THE SERIES
Saturday afternoon features the first ever meeting on the diamond between the Lady Buffs and Bearcats.
 
PALM BEACH ATLANTIC
The Sailfish enter the Chattanooga Invitational with an overall record of 0-2 as they fell twice to Keiser last Saturday. Palm Beach Atlantic went 11-27 during the 2025 campaign including a 5-25 record in Sunshine State Conference play.
 
Kasey Cox was named the head coach of the Palm Beach Atlantic softball program in June of 2025. Cox arrived in West Palm Beach following a highly successful, two-year tenure at Indian River State College, where she served as pitching and catching coach for the 2024 NJCAA National Champions.
 
THE SERIES
The Lady Buffs and Sailfish will meet for the first time on Saturday afternoon in Tennessee.
 
UAH
The Chargers enter the weekend with an overall record of 4-2. They swept a three-game series from Barry to start the season before falling in two of their next three contests to Nova Southeastern in Fort Lauderdale. UAH went 29-22 a season ago with a 19-12 mark in Gulf South Conference action.
 
Melanie Carter is in her 14th season with the Chargers, serving for 10 years as the assistant coach before being promoted to the team's associate head coach in November of 2020. Carter returned to her alma mater following four years as the head coach at Shorter. Carter was a four-time All-American during her collegiate career in Huntsville.
 
THE SERIES
Sunday morning marks the first meeting on the diamond between the Lady Buffs and Chargers.
 
LEE
The Lady Flames started their campaign last weekend with a two-game series against Shorter in Rome, Georgia. Lee fell in both contests 12-9 and 3-2. The Lady Flames went 25-25 last season including a 12-20 mark in Gulf South Conference action.
 
Emily Russell is in her 24th year as head coach of the Lady Flames. She has directed Lee to a record of 724-432 with six seasons of 40 or more wins, two of those with more than 50 wins.
 
THE SERIES
The Lady Buffs and Lady Flames will meet for the first time on Sunday afternoon.
 
LONE STAR CONFERENCE PRESEASON POLL
The Lady Buffs were selected second in the 2026 Lone Star Conference preseason coaches' poll announced on January 21st by the league offices.
 
Defending National Champion UT Tyler picked up 39 of the possible 41 first place votes to sit atop of the poll with 849 points followed by WT (8 first place, 817), Angelo State (2 first place, 753), Oklahoma Christian (1 first place, 715) and Lubbock Christian (1 first place, 665) to round out the top five.
 
Cameron came in sixth (551) followed by Eastern New Mexico (537), St. Edward's (489), St. Mary's (445), Texas A&M-Kingsville (416), Texas A&M International (351), Texas Woman's (322), Midwestern State (285), Western New Mexico (219), UT Dallas (188), Sul Ross State (101) and UT Permian Basin (100).