TRINIDAD, Colo - The Trinidad State College softball team will open it's 2025 season this weekend in Texas and for the first time in program history, the Lady Trojans are ranked nationally by the NJCAA in softball. TSC comes in the polls at #25 and will be tested early as they will face 12th ranked Grayson Community College in a double-header on January 31st in Dennison, TX. The Trojans will then head to Athens, TX to face-off against 13th ranked Trinity Valley and #19th ranked San Jacinto College-South on February 1st and Feb 2nd. Trinidad State College is coached by Steve Swazo who is entering his 19th season and will lead a team with seven sophomores and 15 freshmen.
"We are definitely a very young team but I am very confident we can play with the best of them," Swazo said. "We lost a big class last year but my returning sophomores are ready for the challenge."
Returning for the Lady Trojans will be First Team All-Region selection Mia Bailey from El Paso, TX, who hit .477 as a freshman and also had 15 HR. Also back with experience will be Kelsey Grant, a pitcher from Duschene UT, who had 11 wins as a freshman and is expected to have success in the circle for the Lady Trojans. Lexi Morlan also from Duschene, UT, brings experience in the outfield as she played in 43 games and hit .354 last year. Other sophomores who are expected to step up this year are Isabelle Salinas, an infielder from Fountain Colorado, Marisa Sanchez , a second baseman from Albuquerque NM, Hailey Maes a pitcher from Pueblo Colorado and transfer Kailyn Ruckman an outfielder from Laramie Wyoming who played at Phoenix College last year.
New to the team this year are: Talina Mendez from El Paso, TX, Maya Dickerson from CO, Hannah Abeyta from NM, Josie Prevedel from UT, Liegha Lucero from NM, Jaylyn Kelly from NM, Sara Ensinia from CO, Kyra Zamora from NM, Jaslyne Barela from NM, Teren Sanchez from CO, Abigail Urista from TX, Kyana Griskevich from Alaska, Danae Chavira from NM, Delorin Bellomy from CO, and Isabella Bruntz from CO rounds out the freshman on the team this year.
Trinidad State is coming off their best season ever, finishing in the Elite 8 at the NJCAA College World Series a year ago and TEAM #19 has high expectations for this year too.
"Each year, that's always a goal of reaching the NJCAA College World Series and this team definitely will work towards that goal but they also know this team is not last year's team," the Trinidad State coach said. "This team knows they will have to work harder and play together as a team and need to be playing their best softball in May to have a chance to make that goal a reality."
The Lady Trojans are not shying away from great competition as they will also play #14 ranked Butler Community College and #18 ranked Odessa early in the year to see how they compare to some of the best teams in the nation.
"I've been doing this a long time and I will always schedule teams that I know will be ranked year after year in the polls to help us prepare for region play," Swazo said. "It's not about getting wins against those teams in the early part of the season but for us to compete and to get better before our conference games. "
Trinidad State plays in Region 9 with schools Luna Community College, Otero College, Northeastern Junior College, Western Nebraska Community College, McCook Community College and Lamar Community College.
" I believe every team in Region 9 has improved from a year ago and it will be a dogfight until the end of which four teams make the Region 9 tournament," Swazo said. "Then it comes down to which team is playing their best softball in May that has a chance to represent Region 9 at the NJCAA College World Series in Yuma AZ May 19-25."
-TROJAN PROUD-