DALLAS, Texas – Hardin-Simmons sophomore outfielder
Emily Jacobs and Mary Hardin-Baylor senior pitcher
Eileigh Whyte secured 2025 American Southwest Conference Player of the Year and ASC Pitcher of the Year, respectively, to headline the ASC awards and all-conference teams from this spring.
Jacobs earned Player of the Year as she slashed .490/.564/.708 in 32 games with 32 starts. She recorded 47 hits, 12 doubles and three home runs. Jacobs drove in 39 runs and scored 26 runs. She reached base 14 times via a walk and was hit by pitch five times.
Whyte posted a 12-6 record and had a 2.28 earned-run-average and 1.13 WHIP. She tossed 10 complete games and had a pair of shutouts across 110.1 innings pitched. She gave up just eight walks and struck out 54 batters while holding opponents to a .279 batting average.
Hardin-Simmons pitcher
Gabby Montanez was named ASC Freshman of the Year. She earned 17 wins this season with just two losses while making 24 appearances and 19 starts. Montanez threw 12 complete games with five shutouts and 124.1 innings pitched. She holds a 1.97 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP with 57 strikeouts.
Hardin-Simmons junior pitcher
Akaysia Grogan was named ASC Newcomer of the Year. She posted a 10-3 record with one save across 87.0 innings pitched. Grogan threw eight complete games and struck out 70 batters while holding opponents to a .193 batting average.
The
East Texas Baptist and
Hardin-Simmons coaching staffs were named ASC Co-Coaching Staff of the Year.
ETBU Head Coach Janae Shirley earned her third ASC Coaching Staff of the Year award. Shirley guided the Tigers to a 40-3 record and 15-1 ASC record that gave them the 2025 ASC Softball Regular Season Championship and right to host the 2025 ASC Championship. Included on Shirley’s staff are: Bill Galloway (Associate Head Coach), Maranda Westbrook (Assistant Coach/Recruiting Coordinator), Guy Shirley (Assistant Coach), and Courtney White (Graduate Assistant).
Hardin-Simmons Head Coach Casey Wilson led the Cowgirls to a 32-10 overall record and an 11-5 conference mark. Included on Wilson’s staff are: Shelby Elkins (Assistant Coach), Aubrianna Salazar (Graduate Assistant) and Brittanie Henry (Graduate Student).
2025 All-American Southwest Conference Softball Teams & Awards
Individual Awards
Player of the Year – Emily Jacobs, Hardin-Simmons
Pitcher of the Year – Eileigh Whyte, Mary Hardin-Baylor
Freshman of the Year – Gabby Montanez, Hardin-Simmons
Newcomer of the Year – Akaysia Grogan, Hardin-Simmons
Sportsmanship Athlete of the Year – Shorey Nguyen, Mary Hardin-Baylor
Co-Coaching Staff of the Year – East Texas Baptist
3 : Janae Shirley (Head Coach), Bill Galloway (Associate Head Coach), Maranda Westbrook (Assistant Coach/Recruiting Coordinator), Guy Shirley (Assistant Coach), and Courtney White (Graduate Assistant).
Co-Coaching Staff of the Year – Hardin-Simmons: Casey Wilson (Head Coach), Shelby Elkins (Assistant Coach), Aubrianna Salazar (Graduate Assistant) and Brittanie Henry (Graduate Student).
3– Three-time Coaching Staff of the Year
First Team
| Pos. |
Name |
Cl. |
University |
Hometown |
| C |
Tori Skinner 2 |
Sr. |
Mary Hardin-Baylor |
Teague, Texas |
| 1B |
Ella Salinas |
Jr. |
Hardin-Simmons |
San Antonio, Texas |
| 2B |
Katelynn Jones |
Fr. |
East Texas Baptist |
Whitehouse, Texas |
| 3B |
Madi Hubbard 2 |
Jr. |
Hardin-Simmons |
Frisco, Texas |
| SS |
Tristen Maddox 5 |
Gr. |
East Texas Baptist |
Mission, Texas |
| OF |
Emily Jacobs 2 |
So. |
Hardin-Simmons |
Joshua, Texas |
| OF |
Emma Bell 2 |
So. |
East Texas Baptist |
Eustace, Texas |
| OF |
Izabella Morales |
So. |
East Texas Baptist |
Richmond, Texas |
| DP |
Bryton Wright 2 |
Jr. |
Mary Hardin-Baylor |
Melissa, Texas |
| UTL |
Emma Bell 2 |
So. |
East Texas Baptist |
Eustace, Texas |
| P |
Avery Holland 2 |
So. |
East Texas Baptist |
Fredericksburg, Texas |
| P |
Eileigh Whyte 2 |
Sr. |
Mary Hardin-Baylor |
Round Rock, Texas |
| P |
Gabby Montanez |
Fr. |
Hardin-Simmons |
Weatherford, Texas |
| At-Large |
Caitlin Clem (DP) |
Sr. |
Hardin-Simmons |
Sachse, Texas |
| At-Large |
Haley Henson (OF) 4 |
Sr. |
Hardin-Simmons |
Maypearl, Texas |
| At-Large |
Tauryn Cummings (3B) 5 |
Gr. |
East Texas Baptist |
Houston, Texas |
Second Team
| Pos. |
Name |
Cl. |
University |
Hometown |
| C |
Kylie Grisham 3 |
Sr. |
LeTourneau |
Huntsville, Texas |
| 1B |
Bailey Frenzel 2 |
Sr. |
Mary Hardin-Baylor |
Orange, Texas |
| 2B |
Grace Thompson |
Jr. |
Hardin-Simmons |
Weatherford, Texas |
| 3B |
Maddi Smith 2 |
So. |
LeTourneau |
Crosby, Texas |
| SS |
Jazlynn Cantu 2 |
Jr. |
Hardin-Simmons |
Abilene, Texas |
| OF |
Madalyn Melton 2 |
Gr. |
East Texas Baptist |
Hallsville, Texas |
| OF |
Maddie Flanery 2 |
Jr. |
LeTourneau |
Tyler, Texas |
| OF |
Jaci Taylor |
So. |
LeTourneau |
Henderson, Texas |
| DP |
Haylie Stum |
So. |
East Texas Baptist |
Cypress, Texas |
| DP |
Raina Doggett |
Fr. |
LeTourneau |
Wylie, Texas |
| UTL |
Payton Bauer |
So. |
LeTourneau |
Montgomery, Texas |
| P |
Hannah Benavides 2 |
Sr. |
East Texas Baptist |
Deer Park, Texas |
| P |
Akaysia Grogan |
Jr. |
Hardin-Simmons |
Farmington, N.M. |
| P |
Madalyn Melton 2 |
Gr. |
East Texas Baptist |
Hallsville, Texas |
| At-Large |
Kristen McMillan (C) |
Gr. |
Hardin-Simmons |
Winnsboro, Texas |
| At-Large |
Leighton Landreth (2B) 2 |
Sr. |
LeTourneau |
Georgetown, Texas |
| At-Large |
Lindsey Polleschultz (SS)3 |
Sr. |
Mary Hardin-Baylor |
Cypress, Texas |
Third Team
| Pos. |
Name |
Cl. |
University |
Hometown |
| C |
Mallory Pyle3 |
Jr. |
East Texas Baptist |
Hallsville, Texas |
| 1B |
Ava Rodriguez 2 |
So. |
East Texas Baptist |
Boerne, Texas |
| 2B |
Madeline Stephenson 2 |
Sr. |
Mary Hardin-Baylor |
Orange, Texas |
| 3B |
Mckeanne Saenz |
Jr. |
Howard Payne |
San Marcos, Texas |
| SS |
Lilly Longoria |
So. |
LeTourneau |
League City, Texas |
| OF |
Elise Munoz 2 |
Sr. |
Howard Payne |
Tuscon, Ariz. |
| OF |
Lindsey Ratcliffe |
Gr. |
Hardin-Simmons |
Harker Heights, Texas |
| OF |
Mary Frances Ellis 4 |
Sr. |
East Texas Baptist |
Elysian Fields, Texas |
| OF |
Taylor Henken 3 |
Jr. |
Mary Hardin-Baylor |
Danbury, Texas |
| DP |
Jaliyah Rodriguez |
Fr. |
Howard Payne |
Sabinal, Texas |
| UTL |
Heaven Serna |
Fr. |
Howard Payne |
College Station, Texas |
| P |
Ella Gamblin |
So. |
Mary Hardin-Baylor |
Celina, Texas |
| P |
Kirstin Ferguson |
Sr. |
LeTourneau |
Cypress, Texas |
| P |
Chloee Miller |
Sr. |
Mary Hardin-Baylor |
Joaquin, Texas |
| P |
Laney Taylor |
Sr. |
LeTourneau |
Sibley, Louis. |
| At-Large |
Jenna Rosson (1B) |
Jr. |
LeTourneau |
Bedford, Texas |
| At-Large |
Shorey Nguyen (OF) 2 |
So. |
Mary Hardin-Baylor |
Carrollton, Texas |
| At-Large |
Hannah Decker (P) |
So. |
LeTourneau |
Viola, Kan. |
Honorable Mention
| Pos. |
Name |
Cl. |
University |
Hometown |
| 1B |
Annie-Klein Allgood |
Jr. |
Howard Payne |
Brownwood, Texas |
| 2B |
Madison Garza |
Fr. |
Howard Payne |
Poth, Texas |
| SS |
Alyana Salazar |
Fr. |
Howard Payne |
Waco, Texas |
| OF |
Victoria Shimabukuro |
Fr. |
Mary Hardin-Baylor |
Belton, Texas |
| OF |
Jenna Carter 2 |
Jr. |
LeTourneau |
Keller, Texas |
| OF |
Ashley Blaylock |
Jr. |
Howard Payne |
Georgetown, Texas |
| P |
Paiton Altmiller |
So. |
LeTourneau |
Elgin, Texas |
| P |
Ava Aviles |
Fr. |
Howard Payne |
Snyder, Ariz. |
2 – Two-time All-Conference
3 – Three-time All-Conference
4 – Four-time All-Conference
5 – Five-time All-Conference