DALLAS – Conference USA announced Tuesday the 2024 CUSA Softball All-Conference and All-Freshman teams along with the Superlative Awards. NM State outfielder and pitcher Desirae Spearman headlines the teams as the league’s Player and Freshman of the Year and is one of the Aggies’ five all-conference selections.
 
A true freshman, Spearman emerged as an elite two-way player in her rookie campaign, finishing the season tied for the league lead with 16 home runs and posting an 8-3 record in the circle with a 3.04 ERA and 66 punchouts in 73.2 innings. In CUSA play, she led the way in slugging (.794) and home runs (10) and ranked second in OPS (1.246) and runs (21).
 
A five-time CUSA Freshman of the Week and member of the TUCCI/NFCA Freshman of the Year Top 25 List, Spearman posted three multi-homer games, including two in conference play. Her highlights in the circle include a one-hit shutout versus Nebraska and three complete-game victories in league action, the last of which came against conference champion Liberty.
 
The remaining CUSA Superlative Awards were given to WKU ace Katie Gardner (Pitcher of the Year), WKU infielder TJ Webster (Defensive Player of the Year), NM State designated player Dezianna Patmon (Newcomer of the Year) and LA Tech’s Josh Taylor (Coach of the Year).
 
A two-time CUSA Pitcher of the Week, Gardner led the league in wins (10), shutouts (5), innings pitched (94), strikeouts (73), strikeouts looking (22) during the conference portion of the schedule. Her eight shutouts tied for the fourth-most in Division I, and she ranked in the top-50 nationally in starts (28), innings pitched (166.1) and wins (16). Gardner recorded four games with at least seven strikeouts, including a season-high eight in a win over NC State.
 
An NC A&T product, Patmon was a steady presence in the NM State lineup and finished in the top-three in CUSA in batting average (.387), slugging (.718), on-base percentage (.460), OPS (1.178) and total bases (102). She also ranked fifth in runs (37), RBI (38) and home runs (12). Patmon registered team-highs in hits (55), doubles (11) and walks (19). She reached base safely in the final 11 games of the regular season, hitting .400 (12-30) with 10 RBI, 10 runs, 10 walks and four home runs.
 
Taylor became the second coach in program history to reach 30 wins in each of his first three season at the helm of LA Tech. His squad posted the lowest ERA (2.79) for the regular season, including a 3.02 clip in league play that ranked second in CUSA. Taylor reached the 100-win mark as the Bulldogs’ skipper with a 5-4 win at NM State and became the second-fastest LA Tech coach to reach the 100-win mark behind only NFCA Hall of Famer Bill Galloway.
 
Regular-season champion Liberty leads the way with six all-conference honorees, followed by LA Tech, NM State and WKU each with five. FIU, Jax State, MTSU and Sam Houston garnered two all-conference nods apiece, and UTEP rounds out the teams with one selection.
 
All awards are voted on by the league’s nine head coaches. The coaches also selected a Second Team All-Conference squad and an All-Freshman Team.
 
The 2024 CUSA Softball Championship commences with three games Wednesday, May 8, at the NM State Softball Complex in Las Cruces, N.M. Coverage for all games leading up to the championship game will be available through ESPN+ with the title game set to air at 12 p.m. MT Saturday on CBS Sports Network.
 
2024 CUSA Softball All-Conference Award Winners
 
Player of the Year
Desirae Spearman, NM State
 
Pitcher of the Year
Katie Gardner, WKU
 
Defensive Player of the Year
TJ Webster, WKU
 
Freshman of the Year
Desirae Spearman, NM State
 
Newcomer of the Year
Dezianna Patmon, NM State
 
Coach of the Year
Josh Taylor, LA Tech
 
First Team All-CUSA
C: Brooke Diaz, LA Tech
C: Ansley Blevins, MTSU
DP/UT: Dezianna Patmon, NM State
IF: Emma Jones-Hubbard, Jax State
IF: Shelby Echols, MTSU
IF: Ajia Richard, UTEP
IF: Taylor Sanders, WKU
IF: TJ Webster, WKU
OF: Rachel Roupe, Liberty
OF: Alexis Gilio, LA Tech
OF: Devin Elam, NM State
OF: Desirae Spearman, NM State
P: Kaylan Yoder, Liberty
P: Desirae Spearman, NM State
P: Katie Gardner, WKU
 
Second Team All-CUSA
C: Sierra Kersten, Liberty
C: Randi Drinnon, WKU
DP/UT: Kylie Neel, LA Tech
IF: Raigan Barrett, Liberty
IF: Megan Fortner, Liberty
IF: Claire Raley, LA Tech
IF: Elia Hebel, Sam Houston
IF: Morgan Sharpe, WKU
OF: Bailey Grossenbacher, FIU
OF: Kally Meredith, FIU
OF: Jillian Taylor, NM State
OF: Ellie Grill, Sam Houston
P: Kat Carter, Jax State
P: Elena Escobar, Liberty
P: Allie Floyd, LA Tech
 
CUSA All-Freshman Team
Kally Meredith, FIU
Megan Rasmussen, Jax State
Katie Love, Liberty
Kaylan Yoder, Liberty
Mattison Buster, LA Tech
Desirae Spearman, NM State
Amy Abke, Sam Houston
Faith Aragon, UTEP
Madi Mendoza, UTEP
Morgan Sharpe, WKU
Rylan Smith, WKU
Annie White, WKU