LAREDO, Texas – Texas A&M International University softball was selected 11th in the Lone Star Conference Preseason Poll, as announced by the league office, while senior third baseman Kennedy Griego and junior right-handed pitcher Kylie Goad earned recognition as LSC Preseason Players to Watch.
The preseason poll, voted on by the league's head coaches, reflects the competitive depth of the Lone Star Conference as the Dustdevils prepare for the upcoming season.
Griego earned LSC Preseason Player to Watch honors at third base following a standout junior campaign in 2025. She was named to the All-LSC Second Team and captured the LSC Golden Glove Award after starting all 55 games for the Dustdevils. Griego posted a .402 batting average, .525 slugging percentage, and a career-best .462 on-base percentage, while anchoring the left side of the infield with a .983 fielding percentage, improving on her .933 mark as a sophomore and .930 as a freshman.
As a sophomore in 2024, Griego earned All-LSC Third Team honors after batting .340 with a career-high 22 RBIs and a .933 fielding percentage. She made an immediate impact as a freshman in 2023, starting 47 games and recording a .318 on-base percentage alongside a .930 fielding percentage at third base.
Goad was named the LSC Preseason Pitcher to Watch after developing into a cornerstone of the Dustdevils' pitching staff. In 2025, Goad earned TAMIU Softball Pitcher of the Year honors following her sophomore campaign, finishing the season with a 3.66 ERA, 44 strikeouts, and 10 complete games. She was originally tabbed as TAMIU's Preseason Pitcher to Watch prior to the season.
During her freshman season in 2024, Goad was named to the LSC All-Freshman Team and earned TAMIU Softball Pitcher of the Year honors after posting seven wins, 32 strikeouts, and a 3.57 ERA in her collegiate debut.
Texas A&M International returns a strong core of experience and looks to build on its preseason recognition as the Dustdevils open the new campaign in one of Division II's most competitive softball conferences.
For more information on TAMIU Softball and the upcoming season, visit TAMIUAthletics.com.
