LAS CRUCES, N.M. - Across 53 games spanning 20 seasons, NM State and UTEP clashed every year as inter-league rivals. Now, the two sides will meet with even more on the line. For the first time, the Aggies and Miners will face off in a Conference USA affair. UTEP is out to a hot start in the 2024 campaign, boasting a 16-7 record with several key victories. The Crimson & White are coming off a road sweep of Sam Houston, improving to 4-2 in CUSA play. Now, the Aggies will look to build on their 8-4 home record by taking on their rivals from El Paso.

 

How to Follow

Who: UTEP (16-7, 2-1) at NM State (14-11, 4-2)

Where: NM State Softball Complex - Las Cruces, NM

When: Friday, March 22 - Sunday, March 24

Live Stream: ESPN+

Live Statistics: nmstatestats.com

All-Time Series Record: NM State leads 40-13

Last Meeting: NM State 4 @ UTEP 7 (April 11, 2023) 

 

The Aggies took to the Lone Star State a week ago, earning a sweep over Sam Houston. The Bearkats were held to just six runs across three games, including a shutout 1-0 victory for NM State on Sunday, March 17. 

Meanwhile, UTEP played its first CUSA series of the year, welcoming Middle Tennessee to El Paso. The Blue Raiders won the first matchup 4-3 in the eighth inning, but UTEP won each of the next two. The Miners combined for 11 runs across Saturday and Sunday, holding MTSU to just four, notching a 2-1 series win. 

PATMON POWER

The Aggies' first-ever CUSA win in program history came on Saturday, March 9. The benchmark victory was highlighted by one of the best individual performances by an Aggie in recent history as Dezianna Patmon finished the day 2-for-3 at the plate, including a grand slam to help produce six of the Aggies' nine runs. The six-RBI day for the transfer from North Carolina A&T marked the most RBIs by an Aggie in a single game since Nikki Butler recorded a half-dozen RBIs on April 16, 2021.

 

Patmon is leading the Aggies with 25 hits, 20 RBIs and five walks. The junior is also second in total bases (40) and third in slugging percentage (.625).

FRESHMAN PHENOM

Along with Patmon, freshman standout Desirae Spearman has been a shining star in the Aggie lineup. In just her first 14 games at the collegiate level, Spearman is maintaining a .476 batting average while pacing the Aggies in home runs (8), OPS (1.701), ranking second on the team in RBIs (19), third on the team in total hits (20) and first on the team in total bases (50) despite missing 11 of the Aggies' 25 games due to injury.

Additionally, the El Paso, Texas, native was dominant in the circle during her first two weeks of play as she began the season with a 3-0 record and 25 strikeouts while maintaining a 0.30 ERA in four appearances and 23.0 innings of work. This included a complete game, shutout victory over Nebraska when she gave up just one hit to help lead the Aggies to a 3-0 win.

Currently, Spearman is posting a team-best ERA and has allowed just 15 hits and zero home runs. She also ranks second in the conference with her eight total home runs despite missing nearly half of the Aggies' games due to injury.

FEAR NONE

Last month, the Aggies opened the annual Troy Cox Classic with a victory over Big Ten foe Nebraska to mark the program's first win over a Power Five program since the 2020 season when the Aggies defeated the same Nebraska program twice.

The following week, the Aggies added to their list of impressive early victories as they defeated (RV) Grand Canyon on Friday evening before knocking off Arizona State on Sunday morning to tally their second Power Five win of the season and first win over a Pac-12 program since 2020.

NEW YEAR, NEW CONFERENCE

In 2023, the Aggies finished 21-25 overall, with a 10-14 mark in WAC play. On July 1, 2023, NM State joined Conference USA, and will be a first-year member of the league in 2024. Also new to the conference are Jax State (ASUN), Liberty (ASUN) and Sam Houston (WAC). FIU, LA Tech, Middle Tennessee, UTEP and Western Kentucky are the five returning members of the conference. 

GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY

NM State Softball played its first season in 1975. Now, in 2024, the Aggies entered season No. 50, with 1,144 wins and a much loftier reputation. The program was the class of the WAC for over a decade, earning six regular-season crowns and four conference tournament championships. Softball was NM State's second women's team sport and has brought 10 championship trophies home to Las Cruces. This May, the Aggies will look to win the CUSA Tournament Championship on their home soil.

LEGENDARY STATUS

Entering her 21st season as the Aggies' leader, Head Coach Kathy Rodolph is already easily the winningest coach in program history. Before Rodolph, the program had not won a championship (regular-season or tournament). Under her direction, the Aggies have claimed 10 pieces of hardware, and boast a 589-516 record. Making stops at El Paso CC and Angelo State before coming to Las Cruces, Rodolph has an individual mark of 782-611 as a head coach. At NM State, she has recruited and coached 17 NFCA All-Region members and eight WAC Player of the Year winners. The Aggies have won 20 or more games in 17 seasons under Rodolph.

BEST OF THE BEST

In the program's first year in a new conference, two Aggies have already stood out among the league. Last month, CUSA unveiled its Preseason All-Conference Team, highlighted by Riley Carleyand Kendal Lunar. The pair of seniors each put forth stellar campaigns in 2023 and will look to lead their team into new territory in 2024.

Riley Carley started all 44 games she appeared in last season, leading the team with 16 home runs and 14 walks. In her junior year, she ranked second among all Aggies in RBIs (30), batting average (.346), slugging percentage (.750) and OPS (1.012). Carley was named to the All-WAC Second Team in 2023.

As a true freshman, Kendal Lunar made quite the impression in 2023. The first-year Aggie posted six home runs and 20 RBIs with an OPS of .870. Starting 38 games in total, including each of the final 30 a season ago, Lunar is poised for a productive 2024 campaign behind the plate as a sophomore, and was selected to the CUSA Preseason All-Conference Team accordingly.

 

ON DECK

After the series versus the Miners, the Aggies will stay home for another rivalry matchup. New Mexico will head south for a doubleheader on March 26th, starting at 4:00 PM MT. The Aggies and Lobos will square off on ESPN+, with live statistics available on nmstatestats.com.

 

For complete coverage of NM State Softball during the 2024 season, visit NMStateSports.com – the official home of the Aggies – and follow the Aggies on Facebook (NM State Softball), Twitter (@NMStateSoftball) and Instagram (@NMStateSoftball).

 

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