LUBBOCK, Texas (February 3, 2023) – The 2023 Lubbock Christian University softball season, which is the 16th in program history, gets underway Friday at home with the No.21 Lady Chaparrals hosting No.22 Washburn (1 p.m.) and Colo. Colorado Springs (3 p.m.) to open the Lubbock Sports College Classic at Maner Park.
| LUBBOCK SPORTS COLLEGE CLASSIC |
| OPPONENT |
LOCATION |
DAY |
TIME (CT) |
WATCH |
STATS |
| No.22 Washburn |
Lubbock, Texas |
Fri., Feb. 3 |
1 p.m. |
Video |
Stats |
| UCCS |
Lubbock, Texas |
Fri., Feb. 3 |
3 p.m. |
Video |
Stats |
| Newman |
Lubbock, Texas |
Sat., Feb. 4 |
1 p.m. |
Video |
Stats |
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| Neb. Kearney |
Lubbock, Texas |
Sat., Feb. 4 |
3 p.m. |
Video |
Stats |
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| SWOSU |
Lubbock, Texas |
Sun., Feb. 5 |
2 p.m. |
Video |
Stats |
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| WEATHER |
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LCU and WA Series Snapshot
- LCU leads the all-time series 1-0, with the lone meeting resulting in a 7-0 LCU win on Feb. 5, 2021 in Lubbock.
- The game was part of the Lubbock Sports College Invitational and was LCU's 2021 home opener.
- Taylor Franco had a complete game (7 innings) one-hitter in the circle and Brooke Makemson hit a pair of home runs.
LCU and UCCS Series Snapshot
- LCU leads the all-time series over UCCS, 4-1.
- The Lady Chaps won the prior meeting 9-1 (six innings), which was Feb. 21, 2021 in Canyon, Texas.
- UCCS's lone win in the series was on Feb. 16, 2020 in Edmond, Okla. with a 2-0 final.
- The Lady Chaps are 3-0 all-time against UCCS in Lubbock and have outscored them 29-0 in the three games.
- LCU went 2-0 last season against RMAC squads and have won six consecutive games against RMAC programs.
Season Expectations
- The Lady Chaps are preseason picked to finish fourth in the Lone Star Conference.
- LCU is in their ninth season playing a NCAA Division II schedule (2013 was their last season in NAIA) and this is their fourth season as members of the Lone Star Conference.
- There are 15 softball programs in the LSC this season. The major difference from last season to this season is Texas A&M-Commerce made the move to NCAA Division I.
Opening Day
- LCU is 14-1 all-time in season openers.
- Seven of LCU's season openers have resulted in shutout wins.
- On Feb. 13, 2008, LCU's season opener and inaugural game in program history resulted in a 15-0 no-hit victory over Southwest (N.M.).
- Last season, LCU dropped their first season opener, falling 5-4 to West Alabama on Feb. 5, 2022 in Gulf Shores, Ala.
- This season marks the first season since 2019 in which LCU is opening at home.
Home Openers
- LCU is 15-0 all-time in home openers at PlainsCapital Park.
- The last five consecutive home openers and an overall total of nine home openers have resulted in shutout victories (LCU topped Oklahoma Baptist 8-0 in last season's home opener).
- LCU has never opened their season at home against a nationally ranked program
Last Season
- LCU went 40-19 last season and was tied for second in the Lone Star Conference with a 23-7 conference mark.
- They qualified for the NCAA Division II South Central Regional, where they fell in the tournament final to UT Tyler.
- LCU went 9-11 last season against nationally ranked programs last season.
- The Lady Chaps went 15-6 last season at home.
The New Kids
- Twelve (12) Lady Chaps on the roster seek to make their LCU debut.
- There are eight freshman: Sydnee Bowlin (Lubbock, Texas), Berkley Bradley (Canyon, Texas), Alyssa Campos (Round Rock, Texas), Riley Flores (Lubbock, Texas), Ashlinn Hamilton (Denison, Texas), Victoria Owens (El Paso, Texas), Ally Talamantes (San Angelo, Texas) and Amanda Valdiviezo (El Paso, Texas).
- There are four transfers bringing Division I experience: Louisiana State (LSU) transfer Hayden Brown joins Hope Banales (New Mexico State), Ally Oyanguren (BYU) and Kaeleigh Vega (Stephen F. Austin).
Who Did and Who Didn't
- The Lady Chaps returns four positional starting players from last season, which includes All-Conference selections Tiarra Delrosario (catcher, outfield), Kasey Flores (infield) and Skylar Herrera (infield). Flores (17) and Herrera (11) return as the Lady Chaps top two home run hitters from last season (Flores also led the team with 54 RBI). LCU also returns to All-Conference pitchers, including Taylor Franco, who was the LSC Pitcher of the Year and was a NFCA All-American last season. Franco returns as LCU's all-time leader in no-hitters (5) and shutouts (22). Maxine Valdez claimed All-Conference honors last season in the circle by leading LCU in ERA (2.29) and strikeouts with 150. There are 11 returning players overall.
- For a second consecutive season, Extra Innings Softball included Taylor Franco in a preseason watch list, as this season she was ranked No.23 on their Extra Elite 100 Div. II Player Rankings.
- The top four players lost (based on appearances) were Angela Donaldson (All-Conference), Savanna Wysocki (All-Conference, Academic All-America selection), Tyla Lee (All-Conference) and Brooke Makemson (All-America selection).
Coach Talk
- LCU head coach Daren Hays is in his 13th season at the helm of the Lady Chaps.
- Hays is LCU's winningest softball head coach, entering the season with a softball record of 486-157.
- Along with surpassing 400 coaching wins in softball, Hays had surpassed 300 wins as a collegiate baseball head coach. He spent eight seasons as the LCU baseball head coach and compiled a 356-163 record.
Looking at WU
- The Ichabods went 45-15 last season, winning the MIAA regular season title with a 24-2 conference mark.
- WU has won their prior two season openers, including their 2021 season opener in Lubbock, which was against Midwestern State.
- Washburn is slated to finish second in the 14-team MIAA Preseason Poll, slated to finish behind defending national champion Rogers State.
- Unlike LCU, who is playing their first 14 games at home, Washburn is playing their first 17 games away from home (Topeka, Kansas), where they have a 26-game home streak (ranks second active nationally).
- Last season, WU made their fifth NCAA postseason appearance. They qualified for the NCAA Division II Central Regional, and fell in their first two games.
- UAM is preseason ranked No.22 by the NFCA.
Looking at UCCS
- The Mountain Lions went 27-24 last season, finishing fifth in the RMAC with a 24-16 conference mark.
- UCCS has won their prior two season openers (they open Friday facing Nebraska Kearney prior to facing LCU) and have not opened their season in Lubbock since 2020 (lost 14-10 to Fort Hays State in their opener).
- Colo. Colorado Springs is slated to finish fifth in the 12-team RMAC Preseason Poll.
- UCCS returns 17 student-athletes from last year's squad, including three pitchers and 14 position players (they have six incoming freshmen to the roster).
