LAST TIME OUT
 
Last weekend the Patriots finished 3-1, sweeping the doubleheader with #23 Lubbock Christian and splitting with #5 Angelo State. The Patriots got a big weekend from Primrose Aholelei, who went 2-0 with a pair of complete games while posting 13 strikeouts. At the plate, Ka'Lyn Watson hit .667 with a double, triple, and home run and also scoring five runs.
 
NATIONAL POLLS
 
For the fourth straight week, the Patriots are the unanimous #1 ranked team in the NFCA Division II Coaches Poll Top 25. The Patriots earned all 16 first place votes and are followed by Auburn Montgomery, Tampa, Angelo State, and Augustana to round out the top five.
 
PATRIOTS NOTES AND TRENDS

• UT Tyler softball begins the 21st year of the program with an all-time record of 819-151 (.844) dating back to the inaugural 2005 campaign. The Patriots are 224-33 (.869) in five seasons of Division II play and have gone 134-17 (.887) in Lone Star Conference games over that timeframe.
• The Patriots have won 50-plus games in the last two seasons after going 50-5 back in 2015 and have not registered double-digit losses in a season in 13 straight years. 
• UT Tyler has made 13 appearances in an NCAA National Championship Tournament between the Division II and III levels, and have advanced to the NCAA World Series in 10 of those 13 trips.
• Head coach Mike Reed and his staff garnered ATEC/NFCA South Central Regional Coaching Staff of the Year honors for a fourth consecutive season. The honors come in each of the first four 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 10 different occasions (2024,2023, 2022, 2021, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2013, 2009) dating back to the program's inaugural season in 2005. 
• UT Tyler softball is 363-45 (.889) all-time on their home field at Irwin Field, and completed the 2024 season with a 26-2 mark at their home ballpark. The Patriots are 102-8 (.927) in home Lone Star Conference games and have never lost more than six games at home in a season.
• JT Smith, Sam Schott, Taryn Barney, Angelique Rangel, Hailey Fannin, and Kaylee Davis mark a group of returners with national championship experience as they will look to lead a host of newcomers back to the NCAA Tournament for the fourth straight year.
• Head coach Mike Reed returns for his 21^st 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 is 1^st among all NCAA divisions in career winning percentage (.836), posting a 935-183 career mark in 24 career seasons. He owns the second-highest all-time win percentage among Division III coaches, coaching 18 of his 23 seasons at the Division III level, and is a nine-time American Southwest Conference Coach of the Year, and eight-time NFCA Regional Coach of the Year. He has helped develop 37 All-Americans, 112 all-region and 177 all-conference selections.
• The Patriots have been nothing short of dominant through their first 16 games. They have yet to allow more than three runs in a game while scoring at least three runs in all but one game. They currently lead Division II with six shutouts and they are ranked 1^st in triples, 4^th in doubles, 3^rd in ERA, and 6^th in strikeout to walk ratio.
• In the circle, Primrose Aholelei and Cera Blanchard have 3 and 2 shutouts respectively, good enough for the #4 and #9 spots in Division II. At the plate, JT Smith leads the country in triples thus far, Jordyn De Los Santos is 31^st in doubles, and Bailey Krolczyk is 6^th in RBI.

 
LADY BUFFS NOTES AND TRENDS

• #7 West Texas A&M is currently 18-0 on the year and 8-0 in LSC play. Their most recent matchups came against #20 Oklahoma Christian which doubled as their first games against a ranked opponent. There, they came away with a 5-4 and 9-0 win.
• As a team the Lady Buffs are hitting .4000 as Lauren Granger leads at .517. She has seven doubles, three triples, six homers, and 19 RBI to go with a .574 on base percentage.
• In the circle it is Heidi Vortherms leading the charge with a 0.95 ERA. She is 8-0 on the year with one complete game in 44 innings pitched. She has 56 strikeouts and opponents are hitting just .220.
• Head coach Michael Mook is the leader of the program and is in his sixth season with the Lady Buffs. He holds a career record of 358-114 and is 204-53 with West Texas A&M.

 
MUSTANGS NOTES AND TRENDS

• Midwestern State heads into the weekend at a record of 4-13 overall and 1-7 in LSC play. That lone win came against St. Edward's back on February 16^th.
• The Mustangs are led in the box by Sydney Linn, who is hitting .435 on the year. She has three doubles and five RBI to go with 10 runs scored while getting on base at a .500 clip.
• In the circle, Kayleigh Bowers holds a 4.43 ERA to lead the team and is 1-3 on the year. She has thrown 30 innings while striking out 16 batters and issuing 13 walks.
• Head coach Brittanie Talley is in her fourth year with the program and overall of her career. She has a total record of 39-125 in those seasons after previously serving as head coach at Vernon College.