The 2024 Incarnate Word Cardinals softball team represented the University of the Incarnate Word during the 2024 NCAA Division I softball season. The Cardinals played their home games at H-E-B Field and were led by third-year head coach Kimberly Dean. They were members of the Southland Conference.
Previous season
The Cardinals compiled an overall record of 16–30–1, and a conference record of 8–16. Finishing in eighth place in conference play, the Cardinals did not qualify for the conference tournament.
Preseason Southland Conference Coaches Poll The Southland Conference Coaches Poll was released on February 2, 2024. Incarnate Word was picked to finish eighth in the Southland Conference with 30 votes.
Coaches poll 1 McNeese State 128 (16) 2 Southeastern Louisiana 114 (2) 3 Nicholls 97 4 Lamar 78 5 Texas A&M–Corpus Christi 72 6 Northwestern State 63 7 Houston Christian 49 8 Incarnate Word 30 9 Texas A&M–Commerce 17
Preseason All-Southland team No Cardinals were named to the conference preseason teams.
First Team Lexi Johnson (SELA, SR, 1st Base) Erin Kraus (NICH, SO, 2nd Base) Haylie Savage HCU, JR, 3rd Base) Reese Reyna (MCNS, JR, Shortstop) Bailey Krolczyk (SELA, SR, Catcher) Chloe Gomez (MCNS, SR, Utility) Audrey Greely (SELA, SR, Designated Player) Alexa Poche (NICH, SR, Outfielder) AB Garcia (HCU, SO, Outfielder) Erin Ardoin (MCNS, JR, Outfielder) Ashley Vallejo (MCNS, JR, Pitcher) Primrose Aholelei (TAMUCC, JR, Pitcher)
Second Team Crislyne Mareno (MCNS, JR, 1st Base) Mariana Torres (MCNS, JR, 2nd Base) Rylie Bouvier (MCNS, JR, 3rd Base) Brooke Davis (LU, SR, Shortstop) Ashlyn Walker (NWST, SR, Catcher) Sydney Hoyt (TAMUCC, SR, Utility) Cameron Niedenthal (LU, SR, Designated Player) Cam Goodman (SELU, SR, Outfielder) Ka'Lyn Watson (SELU, SR, Outfielder) Laney Roos (NWST, SR, Outfielder) Maggie Darr (NWST, SR, Pitcher) Shaelyn Sanders (MCNS, SR, Pitcher)
Roster Source: 2024 Incarnate Word Cardinals roster Pitchers 8 Bella Mitchell - Sophomore 10 Audrey Gallegos - Freshman 13 Annie Gunther - Graduate 17 Sammy Portillo - Sophomore 22 Larissa Jaquez - Freshman 28 Maddy Blake - Senior 77 Aaliya Garcia - Graduate
Outfielders 5 Darian Cram - Senior 6 Dominique Guerra - Sophomore 11 Karissa Williams - Freshman 12 Jillian Guiterrez - Sophomore 15 Aylya Gonzales- Freshman Catchers 1 Erin Perez - Freshman 3 Malarie Medina - Freshman 7 Marissa Espinoza - Freshman 20 Jasmine Sierra - Sophomore 24 Natalie Pacheco - Freshman 26 Avalon Sanchez - Senior
Infielders 2 Maddison Guillen - Senior 4 Bryanna Fuentes - Freshman 14 Britaney Shaw - Graduate 23 Baylee Lemons - Junior 16 Hannah Zajdel - Redshirt Sophomore 27 Leah Hayes - Senior 34 Lauren Webb - Freshman 37 Jasmine Contreras - Freshman
Utility 0 Jaisy Caceres - Freshman 16 Madison Dorrow - Sophomore 19 Victoria Altamirano - Sophomore
Coaching staff 2024 Incarnate Word Cardinals coaching staffKimberly Dean – Head Coach – 3rd year Robyn Leighton – Assistant Coach Benjamin Buechner – Assistant Coach Josh Reeves – Volunteer Assistant
Schedule and results Legend Incarnate Word win Incarnate Word loss Incarnate Word tie Postponement/CancellationBoldIncarnate Word team member
2024 Incarnate Word Cardinals softball game log Regular season (34–16) February (9–1) Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record SLC record Cardinal ClassicFeb. 9 * H-E-B Field • San Antonio, TX 2–0 Mitchell, Bella (1-0) BERKEY, Molly. (0-1) None 87 1–0 Feb. 9 * H-E-B Field • San Antonio, TX 8–0 Portillo, Samantha (1-0) Tarantino, Julia (0-1) None 115 2–0 Feb. 10 Buffalo* H-E-B Field • San Antonio, TX 9–8 Blake, Maddy (1-0) Watters, Emily (0-1) None 88 3–0 Feb. 10 Lindenwood* H-E-B Field • San Antonio, TX 7–0 Portillo, Samantha (0-0) Weyh, Amanda (1-1) None 88 4–0 Feb. 11 * H-E-B Field • San Antonio, TX 4–3 Larissa Jacquez (1-0) Breanna Reyna (-) None 115 5–0 Defend the Bluff TournamentFeb. 16 vs. * Lady Jaguar Field • Baton Rouge, LA Cancelled Feb. 16 at * Lady Jaguar Field • Baton Rouge, LA Cancelled Feb. 17 at Southern* Lady Jaguar Field • Baton Rouge, LA Cancelled Feb. 17 vs. Tennessee Tech* Lady Jaguar Field • Baton Rouge, LA Cancelled Camel StampedeFeb. 23 vs. * Amanda Littlejohn Stadium • Buies Creek, NC 13–5 Gunther, Annie (1-0) E. Siler (0-4) None 128 6–0 Feb. 23 at * Amanda Littlejohn Stadium • Buies Creek, NC 4–5 SMITH, I (2-3) Jacquez, Larissa (1-1) None 124 6–1 Feb. 24 vs. * Amanda Littlejohn Stadium • Buies Creek, NC 5–4 Maddy Blake (2-0) Perez, Erin (4-4) None 128 7–1 Feb. 24 at Campbell* Amanda Littlejohn Stadium • Buies Creek, NC 5–4 Blake, Maddy (2-0) BASINGER, Reese (4-4) None 128 8–1 Feb. 25 vs. Saint Joseph's* Amanda Littlejohn Stadium • Buies Creek, NC 5–0 Jacquez, Larissa (2-1) Emily Siler (1-2) None 90 9–1 March (11–9) Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record SLC record5th Boerner InvitationalMar 1 vs. * Allan Saxe Field • Arlington, TX 3–6 Z. Camacho (2-0) Portillo, Samantha (2-1) None 9–2 Mar 1 at * Allan Saxe Field • Arlington, TX 9–0 Mitchell, Bella (2-0) Bumpurs (0-5) None 152 10–2 Mar 2 vs. * Allan Saxe Field • Arlington, TX 10–1 Jacquez, Larissa (3-1) S. Matthews (0-3) None 85 11–2 Mar 2 vs. Grambling* Allan Saxe Field • Arlington, TX 9–2 Mitchell, Bella (3-0) J. Hodge (1-1) Gunther, Annie (1) 100 12–2 Mar 3 at UT Arlington* Allan Saxe Field • Arlington, TX 0–1 Adams, Jessica(3-5) Larissa Jacquez(3-2) None 319 12–3 Mar 9 at Southeastern Louisiana North Oak Park • Hammond, LA 3–4 Brunson, A. (2-0) Gunther, A (2-1) Blanchard, C (2) ESPN+ 160 12–4 0–1Mar 9 at Southeastern Louisiana North Oak Park • Hammond, LA 0–2 Blanchard, C (7-1) Jacquez, L (3-3) None ESPN+ 160 12–5 0–2Mar 10 at Southeastern Louisiana North Oak Park • Hammond, LA 6–3 Mitchell, B (4-0) Comeaux, M. (2-2) Jacquez, L (1) ESPN+ 151 13–5 1–2Mar 12 at * Jackson State University Softball Stadium • Jackson, MS 5–6 Salazar, V. (7-3) Gunther, Annie (2-1) None 50 13–6 Mar 15 Texas A&M–Corpus Christi H-E-B Field • San Antonio, TX 6–2 Jacquez, Larissa (4-3) Aholelei, Primrose (9-5) None ESPN+ 145 14–6 2–2Mar 15 Texas A&M–Corpus Christi H-E-B Field • San Antonio, TX 11–2(6 inn) Gunther, Annie (3-2) Saenz, Ariella (2-2) None ESPN+ 150 15–6 3–2Mar 16 Texas A&M–Corpus Christi H-E-B Field • San Antonio, TX 4–0 Portillo, Samantha (3-1) Galvan, Siarah (1-1) None ESPN+ 78 16–6 4–2Mar 22 at McNeese Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA 3–4 Sanders, Shaelyn (9-6) Larissa Jacquez (4-4) Schexnayder, Ryann (1) 150 16–7 4–3Mar 23 at McNeese Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA 0–3 Davis, Lindsay (3-5) Samantha Portillo (3-2) None 16–8 4–4Mar 23 at McNeese Joe Miller Field at Cowgirl Diamond • Lake Charles, LA 6–11 Schexnayder, Ryann (5-2) Gunther, Annie (3-3) Gunther, Annie (3-3) 747 16–9 4–5Mar 26 * H–E–B Field • San Antonio, TX 7–6 Portillo, Samantha (4-2) Maren Berger (3-4) None ESPN+ 57 17–9 Mar 26 Texas Southern* H–E–B Field • San Antonio, TX 4–5 M. Gonzales (3-1) Portillo, Samantha (3-3) None ESPN+ 70 17–10 Mar 29 Texas A&M–Commerce H–E–B Field • San Antonio, TX 10–0(5 inn) Larissa Jacquez (5-3) Martinez, Destiny (0-6) None ESPN+ 73 18–10 5–5Mar 30 Texas A&M–Commerce H–E–B Field • San Antonio, TX 9–1(5 inn) Portillo, Samantha (5-3) Muller, Maddie (3-13) None ESPN+ 110 19–10 6–5Mar 30 Texas A&M–Commerce H–E–B Field • San Antonio, TX 9–8 Jacquez, Larissa (6-4) Arredondo, Anissa (0-5) None ESPN+ 110 20–10 7–5 April (10–4) Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record SLC recordApr 5 Houston Christian H–E–B Field • San Antonio, TX 9–1(6 inn) Jacquez, Larissa (7-4) Grofman, R. (5-6) None ESPN+ 54 21–10 8–5Apr 6 Houston Christian H–E–B Field • San Antonio, TX 12–0(5 inn) Portillo, Samantha (6-3) Swanson, Lyndie (4-6) None ESPN+ 55 22–10 9–5Apr 6 Houston Christian H–E–B Field • San Antonio, TX 4–1 Mitchell, Bella (5-0) Grofman, Ronni (5-6) None ESPN+ 65 23–10 10–5Apr 13 * H-E-B Field • San Antonio, TX 7–8(8 inn) VALDEZ, Alaina (4-3) Mitchell, Bella (5-1) None ESPN+ 115 23–11 Apr 13 Santa Clara* H-E-B Field • San Antonio, TX 8–7 Gallegos, Audrey (1-0) HAGER, Sage (2-1) None ESPN+ 110 24–11 Apr 14 Santa Clara* H-E-B Field • San Antonio, TX 4–2 Jacquez, Larissa (8-4) SEVA, Avery (4-5) None ESPN+ 72 25–11 Apr 16 at * Lady Panther Softball Complex • Prairie View, TX 7–5 Portillo, Samantha (7-3) Jerrica Rojas (4-3) None 79 26–11 Apr 19 at Lamar Lamar Softball Complex • Beaumont, TX 4–2(9 inn) Larissa Jacquez (9-4) Wardlaw, Emma (9-5) None ESPN+ 500 27–11 11–5Apr 19 at Lamar Lamar Softball Complex • Beaumont, TX 8–0(6 inn) Samantha Portillo (7-3) Mitchell, Karyana (12-6) None ESPN+ 580 28–11 12–5Apr 20 at Lamar Lamar Softball Complex • Beaumont, TX 4–5 Mitchell, Karyana (13-6) Samantha Portillo (7-4) None ESPN+ 750 28–12 12–6Apr 23 UTSA* H–E–B Field • San Antonio, TX 6–7 J. Gilbert (6-13) Jacquez, Larissa (9-5) None ESPN+ 77 28–13 Apr 26 Nicholls H–E–B Field • San Antonio, TX 11–3(5 inn) Jacquez, Larissa (10-5) McNeill, Audrey (11-12) None ESPN+ 115 29–13 13–6Apr 26 Nicholls H–E–B Field • San Antonio, TX 4–3 Blake, Maddy (3-0) Yoo, Molly (6-8) None ESPN+ 115 30–13 14–6Apr 27 Nicholls H–E–B Field • San Antonio, TX 2–4 Audrey McNeill Samantha Portillo (7-5) None ESPN+ 170 30–14 14–7(7-5) May (1–1) Date Opponent Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record SLC recordMay 3 at Northwestern State Lady Demon Diamond • Natchitoches, LA 6–2 Jacquez, Larissa (11-5) Darr, Maggie (7-15) None ESPN+ 388 30–15 14–8May 3 at Northwestern State Lady Demon Diamond • Natchitoches, LA 0–1 Seely, Kenzie (9-14) Portillo, Samantha (8-6) None ESPN+ 388 31–15 15–8May 4 at Northwestern State Lady Demon Diamond • Natchitoches, LA Cancelled 31–15 15–8 Postseason (3–1) (3–1) Date Opponent (Seed)/Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save TV Attendance Overall record Tournament recordMay 7 vs. (5) Lamar (4) North Oak Park • Hammond, LA 5–4 Samantha Portillo(9-6) Mitchell, Karyana(13-8) None ESPN+ 322 32–15 1–0May 8 vs. (1) McNeese (4) North Oak Park • Hammond, LA 3–2 Samantha Portillo(10-6) Sanders, Shaelyn(19-10) None ESPN+ 332 33–15 2–0May 9 at (2) Southeastern Louisiana (4) North Oak Park • Hammond, LA 1–6 DuBois, Ellie(14-5) Larissa Jacquez(11-6) None ESPN+ 467 33–16 2–1May 9 vs. (1) McNeese (4) North Oak Park • Hammond, LA 8–7 Samantha Portillo(11-6) Schexnayder, Ryann(9-3) None ESPN+ 322 34–16 3–1May 10 at (2) Southeastern Louisiana (4) North Oak Park • Hammond, LA – (-) (-) ESPN+ – – – Schedule source:*Rankings are based on the team's current ranking in the NFCA/USA Softball poll.
Conference awards and honors Post-season All-Southland Conference Teams Victoria Altamirano was named Player of the Year. Maddison Guillen and Victoria Altamirano were named as first team All-conference members. Ryleigh Mata, Baylee Lemons, and Jillian Guiterrez were named as second team members.
Player of the Year: Victoria Altamirano, UIW
Hitter of the Year: Ka'Lyn Watson, Southeastern
Pitcher of the Year: Shaelyn Sanders, McNeese
Freshman of the Year: Alexis Dibbley, McNeese
Newcomer of the Year: Shenita Tucker, Lamar
Coach of the Year: James Landreneau, McNeese
First Team Corine Poncho (MCNS, SO, 1st Base) Mariana Torres (MCNS, SR, 2nd Base) Chloe Magee (SELA, FR, Shortstop) Maddison Guillen (UIW, SR, 3rd Base) Bailey Krolczyk (SELA, SR, Catcher) Victoria Altamirano (UIW, SO, Utility) Audrey Greely (SELA, SR, Designated Player) Reagan Heflin (NICH, SO, Outfielder) Ka'Lyn Watson (SELA, SR, Outfielder) Alexis Dibbley (MCNS, FR, Outfielder) Cera Blanchard (SELA, SR, Pitcher) Shaelyn Sanders (MCNS, SR, Pitcher)
Second Team Lexi Johnson (SELA, SR, 1st Base) Ryleigh Mata (UIW, JR, 2nd Base) Baylee Lemons (UIW, JR, Shortstop) Rylie Bouvier (MCNS, JR, 3rd Base) Bella Perez (MCNS, FR, Catcher) Haylie Savage (HCU, JR, Utility) Crislyne Moreno (MCNS, JR, Designated Player) Jillian Guiterrez (UIW, SO, Outfield)