NMSU's Spearman, Watson, Carranza Earn Prestigious All-CUSA Softball Team Recognition

DALLAS – On Tuesday, May 6, Conference USA revealed its softball postseason awards for 2025. Six top accolades were presented along with 30 spots on the all-conference team and 11 standout freshman nods. Representing New Mexico State University, Desirae Spearman, Kristiana Watson, and Tamara Carranza secured places across three distinct squads. For her second consecutive year, Spearman received First Team recognition, whereas Watson achieved placement on the Second Team. Additionally, Carranza garnered acclaim as part of the All-CUSA Freshman Team following an impressive inaugural college season.

Desirae Spearman | So. | Pitcher/Outfield | El Paso, Texas | 2025 All-CUSA First Team

Last season, Spearman was tabbed as the CUSA Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year. The two-way standout earned a pair of First-Team selections in addition to a Freshman Team spot after a dominant 2024 campaign. In her second spring of collegiate softball, Spearman posted even more impressive numbers and etched her name into the record books once again with another All-CUSA First Team distinction.

Numbers of Note:

— Spearman secured the second position in CUSA with 19 home runs, just one behind the top hitter in the league.

— The player from El Paso, Texas, led the league in walks (53), slugging percentage (.984), on-base percentage (.611), and OPS (1.595).

–       The slugger was walked 53 times, ranking fifth-highest in the nation. Therefore, Spearman ranked 60 ^th in CUSA with 122 at-bats, finishing with 39 fewer than the one batter to surpass her in home runs.

— The versatile player secured second place on the team with 44 RBIs even though they led off 22 times.

— She topped the team in earned run average (3.44), opponent’s batting average (.219), strikeouts (112), and complete games (eight).

– In late March, the pitcher recorded a five-game home run streak along with an 11-game hitting streak.

— Against Portland State, Spearman recorded a season-best 10 strikeouts in Austin, Texas.

– She has recorded two distinct three-game winning streaks within the season, leading to a total of 11 wins so far.

After an electric freshman campaign that took the conference by storm, Spearman reached new heights as a sophomore. The second-year Aggie surpassed last year’s marks in strikeouts thrown (112), innings pitched (108.0), victories (11), complete games (eight), home runs hit (19), slugging percentage (.984), on-base percentage (.611) and OPS (1.595) while drastically vaulting her walk total from 21(which led the 2024 squad) to 53. Her 19 home runs sparked a career-high 44 RBIs and 120 total bases.

In the circle, the El Paso, Texas, native made a team-high 20 starts. She paced the Aggies with eight complete games, a 3.44 ERA, 112 strikeouts and a .219 opponent batting average. She was the only player in the conference to lead her team in both batting average at the plate and ERA. For the season, Spearman (112) was one of five CUSA pitchers with more than 100 strikeouts and finished fourth in opponent batting average.

During the game against FIU, Spearman delivered her strongest performance of the season. As a sophomore, she hit three home runs, one per day over the course of the series held in Miami. She excelled both offensively and defensively, drawing three walks along with two additional hits—a double among them—in just seven at-bats. Throughout these games, she accumulated five hits and crossed home plate five times, contributing four RBIs. For the week, her outstanding offensive stats were reflected in an OPS of 2.961, which breaks down into a remarkable slugging percentage of 2.143 and an on-base percentage exceeding .800.

Kristiana Watson | R-Jr. | First Base | Tucson, Arizona | 2025 All-CUSA Second Team

Over the summer, Head Coach Kathy Rodolph announced the signing of nine transfers, including former Arizona State and Duke slugger Kristiana Watson. After taking 2024 away from softball to complete her bachelor’s degree, the 6-foot-0 first baseman came to Las Cruces to headline a lethal offense. As the most consistent member in the lineup, her eye-popping batting statistics warranted a Second-Team distinction from CUSA.

Numbers of Note:

–       Watson started 52 of 52 games, including all but three at first base.

— The Tucson, Ariz., native led the team in at-bats, hits, RBIs, and doubles.

–       29 of her 60 hits went for extra bases, garnering a 1.102 OPS that sits inside the top 10 of the conference.

–       Watson finished one total base (119) behind Spearman for the team lead (120).

– With 154 putouts during league games, she significantly topped the team and secured third place within the conference.

– In the CUSA game, Watson committed just one error, showcasing a .994 fielding percentage.

– The Duke transfer was among four league players who hit 10 or more home runs in conference matches.

As a rookie participant in the program, Kristiana Watson stood out as the sole Aggie to begin each regular-season match. With a batting average of .355 and 60 hits under her belt, the player from Duke proved invaluable at first base for coach Kathy Rodolph, appearing in 49 games consecutively—41 times without missing a beat. Ranking second on her squad with 15 home runs, she also ended up contributing significantly toward the team’s success with 47 RBIs within their conference standings. Amongst just six players across the league boasting over 100 total bases, Watson shared third place with 14 two-baggers. Furthermore, her outstanding offensive performance yielded an impressive OPS figure of 1.102, placing her among the top performers both on her own team and throughout the entire league. On defense, Watson demonstrated remarkable skill too; her 284 putouts were good enough for seventh position regionally, complemented further still by 16 assists which together resulted in precisely 300 defensive plays executed successfully.

Over the previous weekend, Watson achieved her first professional two-homer game to clinch a vital victory during the last match of the regular season. As a rookie for the Aggies, she hit two out of the team’s six home runs over those games, helping them secure their fifth series triumph in 2025. Coming from Duke, she recorded 10 total bases and received two walks leading to an impressive 1.371 OPS. With these efforts, including four hits and two RBIs, she raised her seasonal leader stats to 60 hits and 47 RBIs. Defensively at first base, she made 26 putouts with one assist and zero errors, maintaining yet another perfect 1.000 fielding average throughout the week.

Tamara Carranza | Fr. | Shortstop | Imperial, Calif. | 2025 C-USA All-Freshman Team

After graduating from Brawley Union High School last spring, Tamara Carranza strolled into Las Cruces as one of Kathy Rodolph’s eight freshmen for the 2025 season. NM State’s roster was full of student-athletes with Division I experience, but Carranza stood out early on. After getting a chance to play shortstop in the opening game of the season, the freshman never looked back. The first-year Aggie started nearly every game in the infield, earning an All-CUSA Freshman Team selection.

Numbers of Note:

— Carranza was among only two Aggies to achieve 50 starts, along with Watson.

– The first-year student was the only person in her class to participate in more than 11 starts or play in over 25 games.

–       Watson and Spearman were the only other Aggies to hit more home runs in league play than the shortstop (four).

— Her .539 slugging percentage in Conference USA games was third highest on the team, trailing only her fellow award-winning teammates.

–       Over the weekend at Kennesaw State, Carranza became the eighth Aggie to surpass 100 at-bats this season.

–       The freshman was involved in nine double plays, pacing the team and ranking among the top six among the CUSA Championship field.

This season, Carranza stood out at the shortstop position. As a true freshman, she played in every game except for two on the left side of the middle infield, recording 77 putouts and 66 assists. Offensively, her Conference USA batting average was .316, placing her as the fourth-highest batter on her team. Additionally, her performance included four home runs and five doubles during conference matches, boosting her OPS to .889 within those contests.

On April 27th, which fell on a Sunday, the first-year player hit a three-run homer beyond the left-field fence, securing an automatic win under the mercy rule during their series sweep against Middle Tennessee. Throughout this campaign, she accumulated 11 runs batted in along with 45 total bases, bolstered by maintaining hits across six consecutive games towards the close of March. In honor of these efforts, Carranza received acknowledgment as one of the premier 11 rookies within the conference.

2025 CUSA Softball Conference Award Recipients

Player of the Year

Rachel Roupe, Liberty

Pitcher of the Year

Elena Escobar, Liberty

Player of the Year - Defense

Madi Mendoza, UTEP

Freshman of the Year

Jana Want, MTSU

Newcomer of the Year

Savanah Whatley, Liberty

Coach of the Year

Dot Richardson, Liberty

First Team All-CUSA

C: Savannah Jessee, Liberty

C: Ansley Blevins, MTSU

DP/UT: Brynn McManus, Liberty

IF: Savanah Whatley, Liberty

IF: Nicole Hammoude, Louisiana Tech University

IF: Reagan Marchant, Louisiana Tech

IF: Jana Want, MTSU

IF: Ajia Richard, UTEP

OF: Emma Elrod, Jax State

OF: KK Madrey, Liberty

OF: Rachel Roupe, Liberty

Desirae Spearman, New Mexico State*

Allie Floyd from LA Tech

P: Elena Escobar, Liberty

P: Abigail Young, Sam Houston

Second Team All-CUSA

C: Macie Howes, Kennesaw State University

C: Bella Perez, Sam Houston

DP/UT: Maci Masters, WKU

IF: Paige Miller, FIU

IF: Kailey Martin, Jax State

IF: Savannah Woodard, Liberty

IF: Kristiana Watson, NM State*

IF: Elia Hebel, Sam Houston

OF: Kally Meredith, FIU

Alexis Gilio, from LA Tech

OF: Macie Harter, MTSU

FROM: Jenny Robinson, Sam Houston

P: Kat Carter, Jackson State

P: Paige Bachman, Liberty

P: Kaylan Yoder, Liberty

CUSA All-Freshman Team

Haleigh Cushingberry, Jax State

Kailey Martin, Jax State

Jaci Underwood, Jax State

Allie Furr, LA Tech

Elena Heng, LA Tech

Leila Ammon, MTSU

Macie Harter, MTSU

Jana Want, MTSU

Tamara Carranza, NM State*

Marissa Burchard, UTEP

Erica Houge, WKU

The following day, the threesome will guide the Crimson & White team to compete in the CUSA Championship held in Bowling Green, Kentucky. As the fifth-seeded team, New Mexico State is slated to face off against fourth-ranked Louisiana Tech, with their game starting at 1:30 p.m. MT (2:30 p.m. local) on Wednesday, May 7. This match-up against the Bulldogs can be watched live through ESPN+, as well as followed using StatBroadcast services.

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