Softball America tabs NMSU’s Spearman as #3 utility player
LAS CRUCES, New Mexico - Softball America released its final batch of February player rankings on Thursday.
The publication recognized its top players at each position group for the first month of the season, including 10 utility players.
NM State’s Desirae Spearman was ranked the third-highest player on the list and one of just two from mid-major programs.
Spearman has led the Aggies across nearly every offensive category this season, while also pacing the team in innings pitched.
The second-year star is coming off a freshman season in which she was named Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year by CUSA.
In the first month of 2025, she has already belted 10 home runs and racked up 29 RBIs while hitting .475. In the circle, Spearman is 6-2, tossing three complete games with a 2.84 ERA.
In their preseason player rankings, Softball America nabbed Spearman as the 83rd-best player in all of Division I.
In a similar release, D1 Softball slotted her 64th overall as the fourth-best pitcher/utility star.
Through one month of 2025, the former publication recognized the Hanks High School product’s remarkable showings with yet another distinction.
NUMBERS OF NOTE
- Spearman leads NM State in the following categories: batting average (.475), RBIs (29), home runs (10), slugging percentage (1.051), OPS (1.659), total bases (62), walks drawn (19), runs scored (25), innings pitched (44.1), strikeouts thrown (44) and ERA (2.84).
- The utility star paces the conference in both slugging and on-base percentage, RBIs, runs scored, total bases, walks drawn and home runs.
- This season, only five other players have tallied 10 or more home runs through the first four weeks of play. Two of them - Ava Kuszak of Nebraska and Taylor Shumaker of Florida - have faced the Aggies this season.
- Last weekend at the Longhorn Invitational, Spearman notched five hits and drew six walks, producing an OPS of 1.063 while blasting a home run and driving in four runs. In the circle, the two-way standout went 2-0 with a 1.11 ERA as she pitched 12.2 innings in two neutral games against Abilene Christian, including one complete game.
- In 2024, Spearman was tied for the team lead with 43 RBIs. This season, she is on pace to finish with 70.43 in the regular season alone.
- Similarly, 18 home runs from the true freshman paced both the team and conference a season ago. Spearman’s 2025 pace puts her on track for 24.29 four-baggers ahead of the CUSA Championship.
Head Coach Kathy Rodolph, on Spearman’s first month: “Desirae is a true utility player in every sense. She is one of the most athletic kids I’ve ever coached and can do so much at multiple positions. I’m very glad she is an Aggie!”
This weekend, Spearman will lead the Aggies into the season’s first series of Conference USA play. NM State (12-10) gears up for a battle at LA Tech (11-9) as both sides jockey for early positioning in the 10-team league standings. All three games will be streamed live on ESPN+ and available to follow via nmstatestats.com.
