LAST TIME OUT
Last weekend the Patriots battled it out at the DII First Pitch Invitational in Conroe, Texas and came away with a dominant 5-0 record. The Patriots pitched four shutouts in those five games, led by the brilliant efforts of
Primrose Aholelei in the circle. The Patriots won those five games by scores of 7-0, 8-0, 3-0, 8-3, and 8-0, with the offense producing two run-rule wins.
Sam Schott went 8-for-13 over the weekend with one double, two triples, eight RBI and five runs scored while also getting on base at a .625 clip.
NATIONAL RECOGNITION
Primrose Aholelei was nothing short of dominant over the opening weekend, and she was named the LSC Pitcher of the Week and the NFCA D2 Pitcher of the Week for that effort. She went 3-0 as a starter and added a save in four appearances. She has yet to allow a run in 2025, throwing 22 innings while giving up just 11 hits and holding opponents to a .143 average. She has struck out 28 hitters to just 2 walks and has a WHIP of .59.
PATRIOTS NOTES AND TRENDS
- UT Tyler will take on the Alvy Early Memorial Classic this weekend in Bentonville, Arkansas. The Patriots will face Missouri Southern and Arkansas Tech on Friday at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., and then face Emporia State and Southern Arkansas on Saturday at the same times.
- 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 21st 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 tied for 1st among all NCAA divisions in career winning percentage (.835), posting a 924-182 career mark through 23 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.
