Texas A&M softball’s transfer portal activity has been relatively quiet, but the Aggies made a meaningful addition this week at a position of real need.
Of the five players who departed the program this offseason, three via the portal and two stepping away for personal reasons, only one, pitcher Kate Munnerlyn, played a significant role in 2026. Still, the graduation of veterans Kennedy Powell and Tallen Edwards left the infield short on experience, and on Tuesday, the Aggies filled that gap with a proven SEC starter.
Texas A&M landed former Arkansas Razorback Atalyia Rijo, who will use her fifth and final season in College Station. Rijo brings 177 career starts at shortstop and is coming off one of the best offensive seasons of her career. She slashed .342/.462/.575 with 50 hits, 42 RBI, seven home runs, and a 1.037 OPS, giving the Aggies an immediate veteran presence capable of impacting the lineup in multiple ways.
Rijo becomes the second infielder added this cycle and gives head coach Trisha Ford a high‑level option to plug into a group with several open jobs. Her experience alone makes her a strong candidate to start, but nothing is guaranteed. Despite her offensive surge, she committed 11 errors last season, posting a .941 fielding percentage, her lowest since her freshman year. That opens the door for a legitimate competition across the infield as the Aggies look to rebuild their defensive core.
What’s clear is that Rijo will be right in the middle of that battle, and her arrival raises both the floor and the ceiling of Texas A&M’s infield heading into 2025.
Below is the official announcement from the Texas A&M softball X account.
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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Arkansas transfer shortstop commits to Texas A&M softball
Reporting by Jarrett Johnson, Aggies Wire / Aggies Wire
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By Jarrett Johnson, Aggies Wire | USA TODAY Network
