GULF SHORES, Ala. (January 31, 2025) – The 18th season of Lubbock Christian University softball begins Friday with a pair of neutral-site matchups at Gulf Shores Sportsplex. The Lady Chaps will take on No. 8 North Georgia at 2:15 p.m., followed by Auburn-Montgomery at 4:30 p.m. Game times were adjusted due to anticipated weather conditions.
| GULF SHORES INVITATIONAL |
| OPPONENT |
LOCATION |
DAY |
TIME (CT) |
VIDEO |
RADIO |
STATS |
| North Georgia |
Gulf Shores Sportsplex (Field 1) |
Fri., Jan. 31 |
2:15 p.m. |
Watch |
None |
Stats |
| Nova Southeastern |
Gulf Shores Sportsplex (Field 1) |
Fri., Jan. 31 |
4:30 p.m. |
Watch |
None |
Stats |
LCU and UNG Series Snapshot
- LCU and Dahlonega, Ga. based North Georgia have never met.
- The Lady Chaps are 5-1 all-time against Georgia based programs.
- The two programs were scheduled to play last season in Gulf Shores, but were rained out and the game was canceled.
LCU and NOVA Series Snapshot
- The two programs have never met.
- LCU is 2-2 all-time against Florida based programs (three of the games have been against West Florida and they have played Florida Tech as well). Nova Southeastern is based in Davie, Fla.
Season Expectations
- The Lady Chaps are preseason picked to finish fifth in the Lone Star Conference.
- LCU is in their 10th season playing a NCAA Division II schedule (2013 was their last season in NAIA) and this is their sixth season as members of the Lone Star Conference.
- Lubbock Christian University has made regional appearances in two of the previous three seasons.
Opening Day
- LCU is 14-3 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.).
- The three losses in season openers have occurred over the prior three seasons, including their last two season openers played in Gulf Shores: a 5-4 loss to West Alabama on Feb. 5, 2022 and a 1-0 loss to Valdosta State on Feb. 2, 2024.
- LCU has opened their season in Gulf Shores for consecutive seasons (2024 and 2025).
Back to Bama
- LCU is making a return trip to Alabama, as this season marks their fifth trip to southern Alabama over the last six seasons. Their 2020 season opener in Gulf Shores, Ala. was their first return to Alabama since the 2012 NAIA Softball Championships.
- The Lady Chaps appeared in three national championship tournaments in Gulf Shores (2011, 2012, 2013) and played the 2008-2010 national tournaments in Decatur, Ala.
- LCU, who opened last season in Mobile, Ala., is 10-9 all-time in games played at Gulf Shores Sportsplex.
Last Season
- LCU went 26-22 last season and was sixth in the Lone Star Conference with a 24-18 conference mark.
- Their season came to an end in the semifinals of the Lone Star Conference Championships in Canyon, Texas with an 8-5 loss to UT Tyler.
- LCU went 3-8 last season against nationally ranked programs last season.
- The Lady Chaps went 15-6 last season at home, 9-12 on the road and 2-4 in neutral site games.
- LCU did not play a non-conference home game last season.
The New Kids
- Thirteen (13) Lady Chaps on the roster seek to make their LCU debut.
- There are three freshmen: Skylar Brown (Llano, Texas, Llano HS), Natalee Gray (Burkburnett, Texas, Burkburnett HS), Kendall Ward (Round Rock, Texas, Cedar Ridge HS).
- There are five transfers bringing Division I experience: Kawehi Ili (Hilo, Hawaii), Kristen Boyd (Carbon, Alberta), Emily Dix (Albuquerque, N.M.) and Kendra Levesque (Albuquerque, N.M.) are each transferring in from New Mexico State and Kadin Vire (Waxahachie, Texas) joins the Lady Chaps from Missouri Kansas City (UMKC).
- Five transfers coming from the juco ranks are Yaya Kaaialii (Las Vegas, Nev.) from Odessa College, Madison Ruiz (Las Vegas, Nev.) and Piper Garcia (Buena Park, Calif.) from Bossier Parrish Community, Hayeli Acosta (Forney, Texas) from Paris Junior College and Sophia Reyes (Vancouver, Wash.) from Clackamas Community College.
Guess Who's Back
- Last season, the Lady Chaps offense returned nine of their 11 batters that had at least 50 at-bats from the 2023 season, but this season, LCU only returns two players that had at least 50 at-bats last season. LCU returns one All-Conference selection: Riley Flores (infielder). Fifteenth-year head coach Daren Hays has to replace the loss of five All-Conference selections. Included in the mix was pitcher Maxine Valdez and infielder Skylar Herrera. Valdez went 48-23 in 106 career appearances and registered 520 career strikeouts in 447.1 innings. Herrera, who started in all 225 games played over a five-year span, had 239 career hits (hit a career .342), 43 doubles, 44 homers, 177 RBI and 87 stolen bases over her LCU career.
- LSC Player to Watch… Baylea Myers : Myers, a senior third baseman from Keller, Texas, made a significant impact in her first season with Lubbock Christian University after transferring from the University of Houston. Myers appeared in 47 games, starting all of them, and ranked fifth on the team in batting average (.302) while finishing fourth in home runs (7) and third in RBIs (27). She compiled 42 hits in 139 at-bats, including nine doubles and a triple, and posted a .532 slugging percentage. Defensively, Myers was a reliable presence at the hot corner, recording 44 putouts and 80 assists for a .947 fielding percentage. Her offensive contributions included a .340 on-base percentage, and she was one of six Lady Chaps players with at least 20 RBIs on the season..
- LSC Pitcher to Watch… Teoni Lamb: Lamb, a senior from Kurrajong Heights, Australia, made an immediate impact in her first season with Lubbock Christian University after transferring from Weatherford College. Lamb anchored the Lady Chaps' pitching staff, posting a 9-6 record with a 2.62 ERA, which ranked seventh in the Lone Star Conference and 87th nationally. She appeared in 18 games, making 16 starts, and completed 10 of them, earning five shutouts, a mark tied for second in the LSC and 48th nationally. Over 93.2 innings pitched, Lamb struck out 74 batters, ranking fourth in the conference in strikeouts per seven innings (5.53) and holding opponents to a .229 batting average, the fourth-best in the LSC. Her control was a key asset, as she ranked eighth in the conference with a 1.22 WHIP. Lamb's consistent performances provided stability to the LCU rotation, contributing to the team's 2.89 ERA, which was sixth-best in the LSC.
Coach Talk
- LCU head coach Daren Hays is in his 15th season at the helm of the Lady Chaps.
- Hays is LCU's winningest softball head coach, entering the season with a softball record of 552-196.
- Along with surpassing 550 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. Combine the two sports and Hays has coached in 1,219 total games at LCU.
Looking at UNG
- The Nighthawks enter 2025 with a new head coach, Brooke O'Hair, who arrives after 18 successful seasons at Mississippi College, where she won 530 games and led the Choctaws to multiple NCAA postseason appearances. She replaces Mike Davenport, who accepted an assistant coaching position at Georgia.
- Despite winning their 10th consecutive Peach Belt Conference (PBC) regular-season title in 2024, UNG was picked second in the 2025 PBC Preseason Coaches Poll behind Columbus State, the reigning PBC Tournament champions.
- UNG returns five key starters from last season while adding several impact transfers, aiming to maintain its dominance in the conference despite having no players selected to the PBC Preseason All-Conference Team.
- The Nighthawks finished 52-13 overall and 21-3 in PBC play last season, showcasing their strength with a dominant home record (31-10) and an impressive 14-2 mark on the road.
- UNG kicks off its 2025 campaign on January 31 at the Gulf Shores Invitational opening against West Alabama before facing LCU. This is the fourth consecutive season UNG has opened the season in Gulf Shores and they have won their last five games in Gulf Shores (entering this season).
Looking at NOVA
- The Sunshine State Conference (SSC) preseason poll tabbed Nova Southeastern to finish second in the league for the third straight year. The Sharks earned 91 points and two first-place votes, trailing only Tampa, the defending conference champions.
- Coming off their third consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance, the Sharks have reloaded with six Division I transfers to complement a strong returning core. Key returners include Brenna Lokeinsky (Golden Glove Winner), Tori Copeland, Brooke Mahaney, Gianna Russo, Maliyah Lawson (SSC Freshman of the Year), Alisha Lanyon, Tierani Teslow, Aubrey Hutzler, and Brianna Matthews.
- NSU finished the 2024 season with a 39-14 overall record (.736) and a 22-8 mark (.733) in SSC play, ranking second in the league standings. The Sharks were dominant at home, boasting a 23-1 record at the AD Griffin Sports Complex.
- Nova Southeastern will open its 2025 campaign Friday at the Gulf Shores Invitational, facing Valdosta State prior to facing LCU. This is NSU's third consecutive season to open the campaign in Gulf Shores.
- The Sharks are aiming towards a fourth consecutive NCAA postseason appearance.
