In my relatively short time as a Mean Green fan, I don't think I've seen a team so carried by seniors. This weekend's series was the last three games at Lovelace for 10 Mean Green seniors, and all but one (Truitt) was either an everyday starter or saw significant playing time.
Here's who will be returning barring any transfers. All classifications are what they will be in 2025.
Likely starters (in my opinion)
Rylee Nicholson (SR) - UT
Cierra Simon (SR) - SS
Madison Conley (SO) - UT
Tatum Sparks (JR) - UT
Elizabeth Moffitt (SO) - C
Jodie Epperson (JR) - OF
Returning Pitching Staff
Skylar Savage (SR)
Mackenzie Childers (JR)
Kayleigh Smith (SO)
Returning, but will they play?
Mikaela Olguin (JR) - OF
Emma Grahmann (SR) - IF
Blayze McNemar (SO or RS-F?) - OF
Maci George (SO or RS-F?) - IF
There doesn't appear to be a website to find commits for softball, so through social media, here are the incoming freshmen I have found:
Katy Brock, OF, Mabank
Shelby Buffington, P, Franklin Page (Tennessee)
Rylie Harris, C, Forney
Gracie Mahoney, P, Macomb Dakota (Michigan) - another 6 footer, like Skylar
Ausha Moore, IF, Carl Albert HS (Midwest City, OK)
Taylor Platt, OF, Argyle
Committed Inbound Freshmen for 2026
Eva Daniels, IF, Forney
Laila Nobles, IF, Pearland
Addie Perry, UT/C, Aledo
Love the Metroplex talent we are bringing in. Forney's currently the #1 team in the state. But looks like we still have a handful of spots to fill next year. Going to need to improve the hitting and power. Maybe we can land some home run threats in the portal who want to get closer to home.
I'll post stories and highlights of the commits shortly.
It's easier for us to say it's fun since we're not the ones who have to recruit an entire new team every year, but it's honestly exciting to see how the new team is built. The max exodi of beloved players sucks, but in this new age losing guys like TP, Drez, Rubin and Aaron doesn't have to mean a several-year rebuild. Now we can "retool" and even get better.
I think this year was more of a gut punch because it felt to me and many others that Rubin and Aaron were Mean Green for life. They've been the constant leaders throughout the past turnover. But even healthy we weren't the most talented team in the conference. And I trust Hodge. The past seven years Grant and Hodge have run a clean program and as much as I love the guys who have played for us, I trust Hodge and Forte will continue recruiting players who will be good representatives of the university, even if only for a year.
I also agree we need two more PF's - at least one who can space the floor shooting 3's. Assuming we have at least three scholarships left, so assume we'll see another guard. I'd like to see us bring on one guy who's averaged 18PPG or more. Doesn't matter which position though it'd be a nice changeup for it to be a high scoring big man.
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