DALLAS – Jax State’s
Emma Elrod and
Jaci Underwood, along with NM State’s
Faith Aragon, earned Conference USA Softball weekly honors.
Elrod is the Player of the Week, while teammate Underwood garners Freshman of the Week honors. Aragon is tabbed the Pitcher of the Week.
Player of the Week – Emma Elrod, Jax State – Sophomore – Outfielder – Newnan, Ga.
Elrod continued to be the premier bat for Jax State this season, capping off her week by batting .500 with a team-high 16 total bases and helping the Gamecocks (23-13, 6-6 CUSA) to a 3-1 record. She had three multi-hit outings this week, including a 3-4 performance in an 11-3 series-clinching win over FIU where she slugged a home run, added a double and scored three runs. The win snapped the Panthers’ streak of three-straight series victories to begin conference play. Elrod also tallied two hits in Saturday's finale against FIU. In Wednesday's 9-0 win over Samford, she went 2-3 with a double and scored a pair of runs. In 15 at bats this week, Elrod managed five doubles, eight hits, six runs and a home run. She slugged 1.067 in the four games while only striking out one time.
Pitcher of the Week – Faith Aragon, NM State – Sophomore – Carlsbad, N.M.
Aragon played a vital role in the circle to fuel the Aggies’ (21-14, 8-4 CUSA) sweep of Sam Houston this weekend. The sophomore tossed complete games on both Saturday and Sunday, pitching 13 straight scoreless innings. She allowed just three hits in each game as she posted a perfect 0.00 ERA. On Saturday, she notched a career-high nine strikeouts in just six frames. Aragon retired the first six batters in order and sat down five on strikes. She tallied six more punchouts on Sunday in a seven-inning complete game. For the week, Aragon notched a remarkable 15:1 strikeout to walk ratio. Aragon now has five complete games in her first season with the Aggies, including three in her past four outings.
Freshman of the Week – Jaci Underwood, Jax State – Infielder – Hazlehurst, Ga.
Underwood had an impressive week at the plate for Jax State, batting .600 (6-10) with five extra base hits and a team-high 1.300 slugging percentage across four games. Half of her at bats resulted in multiple bases, including a home run in this weekend's series win over FIU. Underwood tallied four doubles, a homer, five RBI and a walk in 11 plate appearances. She had two multi-hit outings against FIU this weekend, including a 2-3 performance in game two's 11-3 win and a 2-2 showing with two doubles and a walk in Friday's series opener. She roped RBI doubles in each of her first two at-bats, putting the game out of reach for the Panthers at 7-3 in just the third inning. She also doubled in Wednesday’s win over Samford.
2025 CUSA Players of the Week
F10 Lauren Garcia, NM State
F17 Ajia Richard, UTEP
F24 Rachel Roupe, Liberty
M3 Ansley Blevins, MTSU
M10 Rachel Roupe, Liberty
M17 Rachel Roupe, Liberty
Devin Elam, NM State
M24 Rachel Roupe, Liberty
M31 Emma Elrod, Jax State
2025 CUSA Pitchers of the Week
F10 Paige Bachman, Liberty
F17 Rylan Smith, WKU
F24 Kat Carter, Jax State
M3 Jaliyah Holmes, Jax State
M10 Elena Escobar, Liberty
M17 Kennedy Byrd, FIU
M24 Kendall Daniel, Sam Houston
M31 Faith Aragon, NM State
2025 CUSA Freshmen of the Week
F10 Jana Want, MTSU
F17 Macy Gregor, WKU
F24 Danner Allen, Liberty
M3 Leila Ammon, MTSU
M10 Jana Want, MTSU
M17 Leila Ammon, MTSU
M24 Marissa Burchard, UTEP
M31 Jaci Underwood, Jax State