By james art 
RICHARDSON, TX (January 24, 2025) – The Lone Star Conference has released its 2025 softball preseason poll. and Lubbock Christian University earned the preseason No.5 tag, which was voted on by LSC head coaches, sports information directors and various media representatives throughout the region. LSC also recognizes LCU Bailey Myers as a player to watch and Teoni Agneshko as a pitcher to watch.
LCU is entering its sixth season in the Lone Star Conference. Their No. 5 ranking in the 2025 preseason. marks another strong start for LCU and follows their No. 4 preseason rankings in both 2023 and 2024, which remains the highest preseason ranking in their LSC era. Previous preseason rankings include No. 6 in 2021, No. 7 in 2022. and number 9 in 2020.
The Lubbock Christian University Lady Chaps softball team finished the 2024 season with a record of 26-22 (.542) overall and 24-18 (.571) in Lone Star Conference play, placing sixth in the conference standings. The Lady Chaps have shown dominance at home with a 15-6 record at Maner Park, but have gone 9-12 on the road and 2-4 in neutral site contests. The season featured key wins over strong opponents, including a 1-0 win against No. 21 Angelo State in the Lone Star Conference Tournament. Defending national champion UT Tyler is the preseason favorite and received nine of 39 first-place votes.
Myers, a senior third baseman from Keller, Texas, made a significant impact in his 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 RBI (27). She collected 42 hits in 139 at-bats, including nine doubles and one 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.
Lamb, a senior from Kurrajong Heights, Australia, made an immediate impact in her first season at 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 finished 10 of them, earning five shutouts, a mark tied for second in the LSC and 48th nationally. Over 93.2 innings, 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, 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 LCU’s rotation, contributing to the team’s 2.89 ERA, which was sixth best in the LSC.
LCU, which had three wins over nationally ranked programs last season, returns nine starters from last season and just three starters from its starting lineup at the Lone Star Conference Championships. Infielder Riley Floresa Third Team honoree last season, is the only all-conference selection returning for LCU as they must replace the loss of five all-conference selections. A jug was also included in the mix Maxine Valdez and infielder Skylar Herrera. Valdez went 48-23 in 106 career appearances and recorded 520 career strikeouts in 447.1 innings. Herrera, who started all 225 games played over a five-year span, had 239 career hits (hitting career .342), 43 doubles, 44 homers, 177 RBI and 87 stolen bases during her LCU career.
Fifteenth year head coach Darren Hayes there are 13 new recruits joining a roster that includes 10 transfers and a trio of true freshmen. Of the 10 transfers, five came from NCAA Division I programs. Kristen Boyd, Emily Dix, Kavehi Or and Kendra Levesque all transfer from New Mexico State and Kadin Vire joins the team from UMKC (Missouri Kansas City). Yaya Kayaalii tops the five junior college transfers as the Odessa College transfer was the 2022 NFCA NJCAA National Player of the Year while at Yavapai College.
The Lady Chaps’ season opens Jan. 31 in Gulf Shores, Ala., when they open the Gulf Shores Invitational against No.8 North Georgia at 12:15 p.m. Their opener is set for Feb. 6 against Adams State at 3 p.m., which opens the Lubbock Sports Collegiate Invitational at Maner Park.