#6 West Texas A&M (52-8) vs. #4 Cal State San Marcos (55-10)
vs. CSUSM	Thursday, May 28th - 12:30 p.m. CT
Location | Venue	Chattanooga, Tennessee  |  Frost Stadium-Warner Park
Live Statistics	Link
Live Video	Link
Other Links	Game Notes | Championship Central

CANYON, TEXAS – The #6 Lady Buffs of West Texas A&M are one of eight remaining teams in NCAA Division II Softball as they open the 2026 College World Series on Thursday afternoon against the fourth-seeded #4 Cal State San Marcos Cougars with first pitch set for 12:30 p.m. CT at Frost Stadium inside of Warner Park in Chattanooga, Tennessee. 
 
THIS IS LADY BUFF SOFTBALL
West Texas A&M Softball is in their 21st season of NCAA competition as the Lady Buffs are a staggering 833-333 (.715) since reviving the program prior to the 2006 campaign. WT has won four South Central Regional Championships (2014, 2016, 2021, 2026) along with a pair of NCAA Division II National Championships (2014, 2021).
 
LADY BUFFS IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT
The Lady Buffs are making the program's 14th appearance in the NCAA Tournament (2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026) with four trips to the Division II College World Series (2014, 2016, 2021, 2026). The Lady Buffs are 50-30 (.625) all-time in the NCAA Tournament including 10-3 (.769) at the World Series.
 
WT HEAD COACH MICHAEL MOOK
In just six seasons, Michael Mook has led West Texas A&M to a 294-69 (.810) mark while claiming the 2021 NCAA Division II National Championship. Mook is a three-time Lone Star Conference Coach of the Year (2024, 2025, 2026) who has led the Lady Buffs to five NCAA Postseason appearances (2021, 2023, 2024, 2025. 2026). 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.
 
SCOUTING THE COUGARS
Cal State San Marcos enters the week with an overall record of 55-10 as they went 28-4 in California Collegiate Athletic Association action to win the CCAA Regular Season Title. The Cougars hosted the West Regional Championships at CSUSM Softball Field, overcoming a game one loss to Biola in the Super Regional round to win the program's second West Regional Championship.
 
The Cougars are hitting .348 as a team this season, scoring 423 runs on 629 hits with 104 doubles, 13 triples and 56 homeruns to drive in 388 RBI for a slugging percentage of .512. Senior infielder Jillian Albayati is the D2CCA West Region Player of the Year as the Anaheim product is leading all of Division II softball in batting average (.525) with 25 doubles and 17 homeruns to drive in 77 RBI.
 
Jordan Hill and Daleah Cardenas anchor a stellar pitching staff with a 2.03 ERA. Hill is 19-3 in the circle with a 1.75 ERA as she has allowed 38 runs (37 earned) on 114 hits with 27 walks and 96 strikeouts in her 148.0 innings of work to claim D2CCA and NFCA First Team All-Region accolades. Cardenas has a 1.70 ERA in 136.0 frames, allowing 49 runs (33 earned) on 49 hits with 66 strikeouts as the freshman is 19-4 overall with three complete games and four saves.
 
The Cougars are second in the country in hits (629) while sitting seventh in batting average (.348), total runs (423) and RBI (389). In the circle, CSUSM ranks seven in the nation in earned run average (2.03) while sitting sixth in WHIP (1.08) and ninth in shutouts (14).
 
CSUSM HEAD COACH A.J. ROBINSON
A.J. Robinson is in his second season leading the Cal State San Marcos softball program, entering the College World Series with an overall record of 98-33 since taking over the Cougars on July 31, 2024. Robinson served as the top assistant in San Marcos from 2022-24 following one season on staff as a volunteer assistant at San Diego State. 
 
THE SERIES
Thursday afternoon marks the first ever meeting on the diamond between the Lady Buffs and Cougars.
 
COUGARS IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT
Cal State San Marcos is making their fifth all-time appearance in the NCAA Division II Tournament (2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026) as they are 23-12 (.657) in the event with two trips to the College World Series (2023, 2026). 
 
May 12, 2022 - Northwest Nazarene - L, 4-0
May 13, 2022 - Cal State Monterey Bay - W, 5-0
May 13, 2022 - Northwest Nazarene - W, 4-0
May 14, 2022 - Sonoma State - W, 4-3 (10)
May 14, 2022 - Sonoma State - W, 3-1
May 19, 2022 - Cal State Dominguez Hills - W, 3-2 (13)
May 20, 2022 - Cal State Dominguez Hills - L, 10-2
May 20, 2022 - Cal State Dominguez Hills - L, 3-1
May 11, 2023 - Sonoma State - W, 13-1
May 12, 2023 - Cal State Dominguez Hills - W, 5-0
May 13, 2023 - Azusa Pacific - W, 7-1
May 18, 2023 - Concordia-Irvine - W, 9-0
May 19, 2023 - Concordia-Irvine - W, 4-3
May 25, 2023 - UT Tyler - L, 5-1
May 27, 2023 - Wilmington - W, 3-2
May 27, 2023 - Central Oklahoma - L, 10-6
May 9, 2024 - Cal State East Bay - W, 9-1
May 10, 2024 - Western Washington - W, 4-3
May 11, 2024 - Western Washington - L, 7-1
May 11, 2024 - Western Washington - L, 2-1
May 8, 2025 - Biola - W, 3-2
May 9, 2025 - San Francisco State - L, 13-9
May 9, 2025 - Biola - W, 5-2
May 10, 2025 - San Francisco State - W, 3-2
May 10, 2025 - San Francisco State - W, 16-4
May 15, 2025 - Western Washington - W, 9-1
May 16, 2025 - Western Washington - L, 4-1
May 16, 2025 - Western Washington - L, 3-2
May 14. 2026 - Hawaii Hilo - W, 9-1
May 15, 2026 - Cal State Monterey Bay - W, 14-4
May 16, 2026 - Cal State Dominguez Hills - L, 2-1
May 16, 2026 - Cal State Dominguez Hills - W, 4-0
May 21, 2026 - Biola - L, 7-1
May 22, 2026 - Biola - W, 10-2
May 22, 2026 - Biola - W, 6-3 (11)
 
D2CCA RON LENZ NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Senior infielder Jordyn De Los Santos put together one of the best offensive seasons in Division II history during her only season in Maroon & White as the Corpus Christi, Texas product has been named the D2CCA Ron Lenz Division II National Player of the Year announced on Wednesday.
 
De Los Santos is hitting .507 entering the College World Series with 23 doubles, five triples and 26 homeruns to drive in 93 RBI for an incredible slugging percentage of 1.049. The senior has registered 104 hits while scoring 86 runs for a Lone Star Conference single-season record 215 total bases. De Los Santos has set new school and LSC records in hits, homeruns and total bases so far this season while sitting just three RBI shy of the league's record.
 
NFCA DIVISION II FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
West Texas A&M's Brooke Janning has been named the 2026 National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division II National Freshman of the Year announced on Tuesday afternoon by the association's offices in Louisville, Kentucky.
 
Janning, an NFCA First-Team All-Region Utility Pitcher, is enjoying a fantastic rookie campaign for the South Central Region champions and No. 6-ranked program in the final NFCA/GoRout DII Top 25 Coaches Poll of the regular season. Her prowess in the circle and at the plate has keyed the Lady Buffs to their fourth NCAA Division II College World Series appearance.
 
SAY HELLO TO THE ALL-AMERICANS
West Texas A&M Softball added four All-Americans to their storied history on Wednesday as Jordyn De Los Santos, Brooke Janning, Bella Holland and Trinity Kuntz earned the honor. De Los Santos, Janning and Holland were all named First Team honorees by the Division II Conference Commissioner's Association (D2CCA) as well as the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA). Kuntz earned Third Team accolades from the NFCA.
 
LADY BUFFS CLAIM ALL-REGION ACCOLADES
The awards continue to roll in for West Texas A&M softball as five Lady Buffs were honored by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) as well as the Division II Conference Commissioner's Association (D2CCA) with the announcement of the 2026 All-South Central Region Teams.
 
De Los Santos was joined on the NFCA All-South Central Region First Team by Trinity Kuntz, Bella Holland and Brooke Janning. The D2CCA selected De Los Santos as the region's Player of the Year while Holland and Janning earned First Team honors, Abby Howell was named to the D2CCA Second Team.
 
LSC POSTSEASON AWARDS
Nine Lady Buffs claimed accolades highlighted by Jordyn De Los Santos winning LSC Player of the Year honors while Michael Mook was tabbed the league's Coach of the Year for the third straight season. De Los Santos was joined on the LSC First Team by Trinity Kuntz, Bella Holland, Mya Chacon, Brooke Janning and Cadence Colborn. The Second Team featured Abby Howell and Laci Peskey while Emily Liskai and Heaven Moreno claimed Third Team accolades. Janning and Holland were both named to the All-Freshman squad while Liskai earned Golden Glove acclaim. Colborn, Liskai and Avery Cannon were honored for their efforts in the classroom as members of the All-Academic team.