Game Info	Opponent Info
#6 UT Tyler vs. #3 West Texas A&M UTT: 8-1 (0-0 LSC) | WT: 8-1 (0-0 LSC) Friday, Feb. 16th | 3 p.m. / 5 p.m. (DH) Canyon, Texas		ROSTER	SCHEDULE	STATS
#6 UT Tyler vs. #3 West Texas A&M UTT: 8-1 (0-0 LSC) | WT: 8-1 (0-0 LSC) Saturday, Feb. 17th | 12 p.m. Canyon, Texas		ROSTER	SCHEDULE	STATS

LAST TIME OUT

#8 UT Tyler won 8-4 over Missouri Western State and then closed out the Alvy Early Memorial Classic with an 8-0 run-rule of #13 Southern Arkansas on Saturday afternoon. The Patriot offense was solid all day, totaling 19 hits between the two games, and proved especially potent in the six inning run-rule of the nationally-ranked Muleriders. Seven of the eight runs for the Patriots in that ball game came on a pair of triples and a grand slam.

#8 UT Tyler won 1-0 over Missouri Southern and 9-1 in six innings against Northeastern State on day one of the Alvy Early Memorial Classic. Despite the contrast in styles of victory between the two games, both UT Tyler starters were lights out in the circle for the Patriots. Graduate student Genesis Armendariz tossed her fourth straight complete game effort in as many outings in the 1-0 victory over (RV) Missouri Southern and freshman Crimson Bryant allowed just one hit in 5.0 innings of work in the run-rule of Northeastern State. After posting six hits and the winning run on a squeeze play in the top of the sixth inning in game one, the Patriot offense came to life in game two with 12 hits, five of which went for extra bases. The heart of the Patriot order provided the bulk of the production in that 12-hit performance against Northeastern State as Michelle Arias and Courtney Plocheck both went 3-for-4 and Audrey Escamilla added a three-run homer.
 
The Patriots complete the opening two weekends of play across the Division II softball landscape with an 8-1 record and will enter Lone Star Conference play on the heels of eight straight victories. 

PATRIOTS NEWS AND NOTES

- UT Tyler will open Lone Star Conference play this week with a showdown between two teams ranked within the latest NFCA Division II Top 25 Preseason Coaches Poll, a rematch of last year's NCAA Division II South Central Super Regional Tournament and a pair of programs that have combined to win each of the last three South Central Region Championships. #3 West Texas A&M entered the year ranked no. 2 in the 2024 LSC Preseason Softball Poll and recently slid up to no. 3 in the latest national poll after starting the year 8-1.
- The Patriots have reeled off eight straight victories, including three over teams associated with the NFCA DII Top 25 Coaches Poll, and will head to Canyon for their LSC opener fresh off of arguably the most impressive victory of the season in an 8-0 run-rule of then-ranked no. 13 Southern Arkansas.
- West Texas A&M will provide as stiff of a challenge as any in the LSC for the Patriots on the opening weekend of conference play across the league. UT Tyler is 9-1 all-time against the Lady Buffs and have won seven straight in the series, including all five meetings last year, after dropping their lone game to West Texas A&M back on March 4, 2022. 
- UT Tyler has leaned on a pitching staff that ranks eighth nationally and second in the Lone Star Conference with a 0.93 ERA in 2024. The starting pitching combination of Genesis Armendariz and Crimson Bryant have combined to toss seven complete games and have surrendered just five earned runs in their 59.0 innings of combined effort. 
- Bryant was recently named both the NFCA/Wilson National Division II Pitcher of the Week and Lone Star Conference Pitcher of the Week after picking up two wins over Northeastern State and #13 Southern Arkansas at the Alvy Early Memorial Classic. The freshman didn't allow a run over 11.0 innings, struckout seven in both outings and scattered five hits. Bryant hasn't allowed an earned run in 25.0 innings pitched this season and has limited opposing batters to a .167 average. 
- The Patriot offense has been steady in 2024 notching 10 or more hits in five out the eight outings this season. The unit enters the weekend batting .357, 14th best in Division II softball and third best in the LSC. Four different Patriots sport averages north of .400 entering the weekend in Audrey Escamilla (.455), Michelle Arias (.429), Cassidi Mullen (.429) and Courtney Plocheck (.414). 
- UT Tyler slid up two spots into the no. 6 spot of the first regular season NFCA Division II Top 25 Coaches Poll. The Patriots received 324 votes to make the two-spot jump up the national poll following an 8-1 start to the 2024 season. North Georgia, the defending NCAA Division II National Champions, remained as the unanimous no. 1 team after receiving all 16 first-place votes. West Texas A&M climbed up to no. 3 to stand as the highest ranked Lone Star Conference representative. Oklahoma Christian (no. 22) joined West Texas A&M and UT Tyler as the three ranked LSC teams, while Angelo State and Texas A&M-Kingsville each jumped into the receiving votes category following their impressive respective results.
- For a third consecutive season, UT Tyler softball was selected as preseason favorites in the Lone Star Conference Softball Preseason Poll as voted upon by the league's head coaches, sports information directors and media representatives. The Patriots received 25 first-place votes and 591 total votes to sit ahead of no. 2 ranked West Texas A&M, who garnered 576 points. Oklahoma Christian came in at no. 3 in the preseason poll behind UT Tyler and West Texas A&M with 519 total votes. Lubbock Christian (500) and Cameron (412) rounded out the top five in the no. 4 and no. 5 slots. The complete 2024 LSC Softball Preseason Poll can be found below.
- UT Tyler softball is in the midst of the 20th year of the program with an all-time record of 764-144 (.841) dating back to the inaugural 2005 campaign. The Patriots are 169-26 (.865) in four seasons of Division II play and have gone 97-12 (.889) in Lone Star Conference games over that timeframe. UT Tyler has finished as Division II National Semifinalists in both seasons of Division II postseason eligibility in 2022 and 2023.
- The Patriots have won 50-plus games in two seasons after going 50-5 back in 2015 and have not registered double-digit losses in a season in 12 straight years. 
- UT Tyler has made 12 appearances in an NCAA National Championship Tournament between the Division II and III levels, and have advanced to the NCAA World Series in nine of those 12 trips.
- Head coach Mike Reed and his staff garnered ATEC/NFCA South Central Regional Coaching Staff of the Year honors for a third consecutive season. The honors come in each of the first three complete seasons at the NCAA Division II level. Coach Reed and his staff have been named regional staff of the year by the NFCA on nine different occasions (2023, 2022, 2021, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2013, 2009) dating back to the program's inaugural season in 2005. 
- UT Tyler softball is 337-43 (.886) all-time on their home field at Irwin Field, and completed the 2023 season with a perfect 33-0 mark at their home ballpark. The Patriots are 82-7 (.921) in home Lone Star Conference games and have never lost more than six games at home in a season.
- The Patriots return the majority of the production from their lineup a year ago in 2024, highlighted by the LSC Preseason Player of the Year Courtney Plocheck, as well as returning NFCA First Team All-American JT Smith. Smith broke the UT Tyler softball record for stolen bases (46), runs scored (84), walks (52)  and triples (7) in 2023.
- Plocheck, Smith and Arias all return in 2024 after All-Lone Star Conference First Team selections, while Audrey Escamilla and Cassidi Mullen each return to the program this year following All-LSC Second Team campaigns a year ago. Sam Schott rounds out the returning All-LSC selections for the Patriots after her All-LSC Third Team nod. 
- Head coach Mike Reed is in his 20th season at the helm of the program after previously serving for three seasons as the head coach at East Texas Baptist before taking over at UT Tyler. Reed ranks fourth among all NCAA divisions in career winning percentage (.825), posting a 869-175 career mark through 22 career seasons. He owns the second-highest all-time win percentage among Division III coaches, coaching 18 of his 20 seasons at the Division III level, and is a nine-time American Southwest Conference Coach of the Year, and seven-time NFCA Regional Coach of the Year. He has helped develop 36 All-Americans, 103 all-region and 162 all-conference selections and has led the UT Tyler program to the NCAA World Series in nine of the 13 years since the Patriots became postseason eligible in Division III.
- The home of UT Tyler softball has been recognized as a 2023 Netting Professionals/NFCA Field of the Year honoree by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association. Irwin Field received recognition as the top softball facility across the Division II landscape as one of seven facilities across seven different levels to earn the award. Opened in 2005, Irwin Field is a continuous host of NCAA postseason competition. The facility has hosted two Division III national championship tournaments, along with 10 regional and six super regional rounds. This award, made possible by NFCA Official Sponsor Netting Professionals, recognizes top fields/stadiums in the nation for their flawless grounds maintenance and exceptional playing surfaces. These locations are selected by the NFCA Awards Committee for NCAA Divisions I, II, and III, NAIA, NJCAA, Cal JC, NWAC, and High School. The winners were nominated by NFCA member coaches and selected by a panel of their peers on the NFCA Awards Committee.