Softball | 8/14/2024 11:03:00 AM

DENTON, Texas (August 14, 2024) - The Texas Woman's Softball Team added 11 new Pioneers to their roster as they ramp up for the 2025 season after reaching the conference tournament last Spring.

"As our program is on the rise, I am extremely excited about the 2024-25 class," Head Coach Gay McNutt said. "They are a very talented group that will bring more offense and steady our defense. We will be deep in every position, and I am super proud of where we are headed and excited to see the new players push us to the next level."

Ashley Allinger, a junior outfielder from Sandy, Ore., attended Sandy High School, where she made Mt. Hood Conference First Team All-District twice, Player of the Year, and Second Team All-State.

In club play, Allinger first played for the Sandy Thunder, then the Oregon Thunder, and recently for the Red Heat. She is exceptional in the classroom, as she made the honor roll each year at Sandy High and was named valedictorian of her class.

Allinger will study Dental Hygiene at TWU.

A freshman pitcher from Blossom, Texas, Randi Crawford, attended Prairiland High School, where she competed in postseason runs for the Patriots and racked up multiple individual awards along the way. Crawford made District Co-MVP and Team MVP twice, Second Team infielder, and finished her high school campaign as Pitcher of the Year with a first team selection.

She played club for the Excel Elite SCS Clem 16u, Excel Elite 16u, and 18u Williams before her collegiate career. 

Academically, Crawford was awarded Academic All-District throughout her high school campaign and won first place in the UIL Spanish competition. She will be majoring in Biology at TWU.

Brynlie Dunkin, an Aubrey native, attended Aubrey High School and was Utility Player of the Year, First Team All-District pitcher and infielder, and District MVP. She helped lead the Chaparrals to two regional finals, a regional semifinal, and a state semifinal. Most recently, she played club softball for Texas Glory.

Along with athletic achievements, Dunkin was honored for her classroom success in earning Academic All-District and All-State honors. She plans to major in kinesiology at TWU.

A sophomore transfer, Marissa Espinoza spent her freshman year at the University of the Incarnate Word, where she made the Dean's List and was named to the Southland Conference Commissioner's Honor Roll. Before UIW, she attended Keller High School, where she won District Catcher of the Year, Keller High MVP twice, and First Team All-District three times on the diamond.

Espinoza was involved in community service groups such as the Big Brothers Big Sisters Organization and SNIPSA. She also played club softball for Prolific Fastpitch.

Academically, she made Academic All-District and was an NFCA All-Scholar Athlete. She will be majoring in Finance at TWU.

Mackenzie Fritsche, a sophomore pitcher from Tomball, Texas, attended East Texas Baptist University prior to TWU, where she made the President's List. At Tomball Memorial before ETBU, Fritsche won District Pitcher of the Year and was named an honorable mention. She played club softball for four years for the Texas Peppers.

Fritsche was awarded All-Academic and plans to major in Biology at TWU.

A pitcher from Italy, Texas, Emily Janek played for two years before joining the Pioneers at Southern Arkansas University. Prior to her collegiate career, Janek was a two-sport athlete at Italy High School in Italy, Texas, playing volleyball and softball. She helped lead the Gladiators to three district championships and three postseason appearances during her high school campaign.

Aside from her success in the circle, Janek was a part of the National Honors Society and made Academic All-State. She competed in club play for Hotshots Premier Bailey-Lovell and Texas Glory Naudin.

Janek plans to major in Psychology starting in the Fall.

Malarie Medina, a Rock Rock native, attended UIW for a year after competing at the high school level at Round Rock High School. She helped lead her team to three postseason appearances and First Team All-District Honors with a Golden Glove award.

Medina competed in club softball for six years and plans to study Kinesiology at TWU.

Trinity Perry, a catcher from Pearland, Texas, is joining the Pioneers after competing at Pearland High School, where she helped lead them to a state championship in 2023 and three district championships and postseason appearances. Individually, Perry made the All-State Team and First Team All-District with an honorable mention.

Perry played club softball for two clubs in three years. She plans to major in Psychology at TWU.

Junior transfer Madison Reid is joining the Pioneers after two seasons at Paris Junior College, where she was named First Team All-Conference and Second Team All-Region outfielder. Before Paris JC, Reid attended Rains High School in her hometown of Rains County, Texas, where she helped lead her team to two State Championships. She also played club softball for Excel Elite McNutt before the start of her collegiate career.

Reid will major in Kinesiology at TWU.

Nicole Stuhr, a junior transfer from Fort Worth, Texas, started her collegiate career at Trinity Valley Community College for two years, where she was Academic All-Region and NJCAA All-Academic First Team while being involved in Phi Theta Kappa. Before her campaign at Trinity Valley, Stuhr attended Timber Creek High School and was District MVP and Pitcher of the Year during her time in the circle for the Falcons. She helped lead her team to two playoff appearances.

She played club softball for the Excel Elite, Texas Fusion, and Texas Elite. She was also heavily involved in several community projects at her Children's Ministry at Milestone Church and was a volunteer for the Community Storehouse Food Pantry and North Texas Charities.

Academically, Stuhr was an Academic All-State team honorable mention and Academic All-District student-athlete. She will be majoring in Business Administration at TWU.

Riley Todd, a senior transfer from Jacksonville, Texas, played at Mclennan Community College and Texas A&M Corpus Christi University prior to TWU, where she was a part of a conference champion team and national junior college champion runner-up at McLennan Community College. At Texas A&M Corpus Christi, the team made the postseason in both seasons.

She played club softball for Sneaky Cleats Elite and participated in helping kids out at the Miracle League for three years.

Todd was awarded Second Team All-District left fielder and First Team All-District shortstop. She plans to major in Kinesiology at TWU.

The Pioneers are loading up for the 2025 season as they prepare to build off a great 2024 year and push for another postseason appearance.

-PIONEERS-