Here is the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal’s softball Super Team for the 2025 season. Selections are based on nominations by area coaches.
Read about our player of the year, Monterey senior Jaden Smith, here.
PITCHER OF THE YEAR
Gracie Banks, So., Shallowater
Banks, the District 2-3A MVP, notched 252 strikeouts with a 2.31 ERA over 176 innings. She also led the team with a .452 batting average, to go with a .511 OBP, 57 hits, 16 doubles, two triples, two home runs, 36 runs and 28 RBIs.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Lainey Gibson, Jr., shortstop, Lubbock-Cooper
Gibson was the co-offensive MVP of District 3-5A, hitting .629 with a .640 on-base percentage and 1.402 slugging. She totaled 61 hits, including 16 doubles, four triples, 17 home runs, 49 runs and 64 RBIs. She also had a .961 fielding percentage with 52 assists and 46 putouts on 102 chances.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Hagen Walker, Sr., catcher, Lubbock-Cooper Liberty
Walker posted a .951 fielding percentage on 81 chances, with four pickoffs and five caught stealing. She also batted .681 with a .755 OBP and 1.542 slugging. She notched 49 hits, 21 doubles, one triple, 13 home runs, 23 runs and 59 RBIs.
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
Jade Calantas, Fr., pitcher, Monterey
Calantas took over as the Plainsmen’s top pitching option and went 22-4. The District 3-5A co-pitcher of the year tallied 177 strikeouts with a 2.64 ERA and .227 batting average against.
COACH OF THE YEAR
Meagan Gonzales, Sundown
Gonzales guided the Roughettes back to Austin, despite the target on their backs.
A season after Sundown earned its first state championship, the team again reached the state final, falling 5-2 to Shiner in a rematch at McCombs Field.
Still, the Roughettes finished 30-5 after making the program’s second state appearance.
FIRST TEAM
Mylee Blacklock, Jr., pitcher/shortstop, Lubbock Christian
Blacklock hit .540 with a .582 OBP and 1.20 slugging. She finished with 22 doubles, one triple, 14 home runs, 51 runs and 60 RBIs. She also pitched 88⅔ innings with 145 strikeouts and a 1.82 ERA.
Brooklyn Esqueda, Sr., catcher, Frenship
Esqueda, the District 2-6A defensive MVP, hit .467 with a .546 OBP, 34 runs and 37 RBIs. She totaled nine doubles, five triples and 14 home runs.
Sabrina McBeath, Fr., first baseman, Monterey
McBeath was District 3-5A newcomer of the year after hitting .511 with a .604 OBP and .867 slugging. She totaled 17 doubles, three triples, three home runs, 25 runs and 44 RBIs.
Brooklyn Pyle, Fr., second baseman, Floydada
Pyle batted .537 with a .599 OBP and .860 slugging. She totaled 12 doubles, six triples, five home runs and 39 RBIs to earn district newcomer of the year. She posted a .922 fielding percentage on 51 chances.
Destiny Garza, Jr., third baseman/pitcher, Sundown
Garza, the district co-MVP, hit .514 with a .524 OBP, 55 runs and 70 RBIs. She finished 16-4 and made the all-state tournament team at pitcher.
Kolbi McCord, Sr., shortstop, Slaton
McCord was the District 2-3A offensive MVP after hitting .701 with a .742 OBP. She totaled 54 hits, including 19 doubles, 10 triples and four home runs.
Burkleigh Cerda, So., outfielder, Frenship
Cerda made the all-district first team after batting .468 with a .515 OBP. She finished with 44 hits, six doubles, two triples, eight home runs and 30 RBIs.
Gabby Hernandez, Jr., outfielder, Lubbock-Cooper
Hernandez batted .522 with a .598 OBP and .833 slugging. She notched 47 hits, 13 doubles, three triples, three home runs, 37 runs and 24 RBIs. She posted a .923 fielding percentage on 39 chances and earned first-team all-district honors.
Makayla Perez, Sr., outfielder, Monterey
Perez batted .453 with a .568 OBP and .735 slugging. She totaled 10 doubles, seven triples, three home runs, 60 runs, 32 RBIs and a school-record 34 walks.
Payzlea Baumann, Jr., utility, Brownfield
Baumann, the District 3-3A MVP, hit .567 with a .663 OBP, nine home runs and 39 RBIs. She also posted a .966 fielding percentage with 75 putouts.
SPARKS OFF THE BENCH
Bayleigh Alderete, So., catcher, Snyder
Alderete was the District 5-4A MVP after hitting .455 with a .523 OBP and .795 slugging. She totaled 51 hits, 16 doubles, two triples, six home runs, 42 runs and 36 RBIs.
Sydnee Gomez, Jr., pitcher, Snyder
Gomez, the District 5-4A pitcher of the year, didn’t pitch until late February but threw 70⅓ innings. She tallied 137 strikeouts with a 2.09 ERA and 1.209 WHIP. She hit .429 with a .473 OBP and .824 slugging. Gomez had 18 doubles, one triple, nine home runs, 32 runs and 45 RBIs.
Breigh Gregory, Sr., third baseman/pitcher, Sundown
Gregory, the district co-MVP, was 14-1 in the circle and hit .583 with a .676 OBP. She totaled 74 runs and 38 RBIs. She was also an all-state tournament selection.
Brynly Gregory, Sr., catcher, Sundown
Gregory hit .619 with a .632 OBP, 58 runs and 80 RBIs. She was the district defensive MVP.
Madison Pyle, Jr., pitcher, Floydada
Pyle, a THSCA 2A Super Elite Team selection, had 246 strikeouts and a 2.44 ERA over 166⅓ innings. She also batted .532 with a .592 OBP and 1.027 slugging. Pyle tallied 59 hits, including 14 doubles, four triples and 11 home runs, and 65 RBIs to earn District 2-2A MVP.
Issabella Turner, So., catcher, Frenship Memorial
Turner batted .593 with a .618 OBP and 1.309 slugging. She tallied 18 doubles, two triples, 12 home runs, 22 runs and 59 RBIs. She also posted a .984 fielding percentage.
SECOND TEAM
Haley Sotelo, Sr., pitcher, Lubbock High
Sotelo (15-6) earned District 3-5A co-pitcher of the year with 190 strikeouts and a 4.36 ERA over 123⅔ innings. She also batted .367 with a .412 OBP, 10 doubles, one triple, two home runs, 18 runs and 31 RBIs
Bryer Cook, So., catcher, Abernathy
Cook earned District 3-2A defensive MVP after hitting .578 with a .671 OBP and 1.062 slugging. She totaled six home runs, 45 runs and 26 RBIs.
Melanie Martens, So., first baseman/catcher, Muleshoe
Martens batted .561 with a .609 OBP and .927 slugging. She notched eight doubles, two triples, one home run, 15 runs and 18 RBIs.
Brailee Franco, Sr., second baseman, Brownfield
Franco notched 39 hits at a .494 clip. She also posted a .982 fielding percentage with 45 putouts.
Za’Kayla Smith, Fr., third baseman, Abernathy
Smith, the District 3-2A offensive MVP, hit .442 with a .634 OBP and 1.058 slugging. She finished with 25 walks, 33 runs and 30 RBIs.
Madilyn Barrientes, So., shortstop, Levelland
Barrientes notched 53 hits with a .491 average. She finished with 19 doubles, three triples, eight home runs and 47 RBIs. She also had a .906 fielding percentage.
Camry Jourden, Sr., outfielder, Sundown
Jourden hit .532 with a .547 OBP. She totaled 36 runs and 29 RBIs.
Zuri Martinez, Sr., outfielder, Slaton
Martinez hit .444 with a .550 OBP. She tallied 14 doubles, five triples and four home runs.
Bryndle Ray, Sr., outfielder/shortstop, Littlefield
Ray totaled 45 hits with a .511 average, .864 slugging and .594 OBP. She finished with 17 doubles, 41 runs and 24 RBIs.
Andi Wood, Sr., utility, Lubbock Christian
Wood hit .441 with a .505 OBP and .796 slugging. She totaled 41 hits, 17 doubles, two triples, four home runs, 21 runs and 45 RBIs. She also went 13-2 with 116 strikeouts and a 2.19 ERA over 76⅔ innings.
SPARKS OFF THE BENCH
Lily Adames, So., pitcher, Abernathy
Adames was the District 3-2A MVP. She hit .463 with a .586 OBP and .634 slugging with 20 runs and 21 RBIs.
Aubree Cortez, So., shortstop, Lamesa
Cortez hit .526 from the leadoff spot with three home runs, 18 walks and 15 stolen bases. She had an .895 fielding percentage.
Ashley Martinez, Jr., third baseman, Denver City
Martinez made the all-district first team with a .529 batting average, .660 OBP and 1.029 slugging. She had three home runs, 21 RBIs and a .950 fielding percentage on 40 chances.
Jenna Martinez, So., first baseman, Floydada
Martinez batted .500 with a .599 OBP and .704 slugging. She notched 54 hits, 14 doubles, four triples and 43 RBIs. She also had a .979 fielding percentage on 97 chances.
Aalijah Rodriguez, Fr., catcher, Tahoka
Rodriguez hit .652 with a .667 OBP and 21 RBIs. The first-team all-district selection also had a .967 fielding percentage.
Khyler Rodriguez, So., shortstop, New Home
Rodriguez, the district defensive MVP, hit .611 with 1.028 slugging. She totaled 44 hits and 16 stolen bases.
HONORABLE MENTION
Brianna Aleman, Jr., 3B, Littlefield; Melanie Benitez, Sr., 2B, Lamesa; Whitlee Blacklock, Sr., OF, Lubbock Christian; Zoe Bustillos, So., P/OF, Muleshoe; Sunni Casarez, Jr., SS, Seminole; Adrianna Castellano, Jr., 1B, Levelland; Karah Cavazos, So., 3B, Floydada; Delaney Delgado, Sr., 2B, Levelland; Yanari Dominguez, Fr., OF/3B, Lamesa; Bailey Dunlap, Fr., SS, Lubbock-Cooper Liberty; Brayleigh Golden, Jr., 2B/P, Shallowater; Ariana Gomez, Fr., SS/2B, Denver City; Kenzie Gutierrez, Jr., 1B, Brownfield; Katey Kirkham, So., SS, Frenship Memorial; Jacy McKown, Sr., utility, Lubbock-Cooper Liberty; Lynda Montoya, So., utility, Lubbock High; Nayleen Morin, Sr., second baseman, Sundown; Ella Morris, Sr., 3B, New Home; Shelbi Morrow, So., SS, Frenship Memorial; Alexandria Rangel, Sr., SS, Frenship; Leigha Reyna, Jr., OF, Lubbock High; Tatum Southard, Sr., P, Lubbock-Cooper; Aspyn Saiz, Jr., 1B/DP, Shallowater; Marlee Stone, Jr., OF, Tahoka; Dylynn Villanueva, Fr., C/1B, Muleshoe; MaKaylee Villarreal, Sr., C/1B, Denver City.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Meet the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal’s 2026 softball Super Team
Reporting by Stephen Garcia, Lubbock Avalanche-Journal / Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Stephen Garcia, Lubbock Avalanche-Journal | USA TODAY Network
