Clifford arrives in Las Cruces with more than a decade of collegiate coaching experience, including assistant coaching stops at Longwood, Florida Gulf Coast and Manhattan, where she also served two seasons as head coach.
By Levi Gwaltney for Las Cruces Digest
Source: NMSU Athletics
Based on Reporting By Izzy Palmisano
Images: Courtesy
LAS CRUCES, N.M. – NM State Head Softball Coach Benet Higgs has announced two additions to her coaching staff ahead of the upcoming season, hiring veteran Division I coach Cat Clifford as associate coach while promoting graduate assistant Alejandro Velasco to assistant coach.
Clifford arrives in Las Cruces with more than a decade of collegiate coaching experience, including assistant coaching stops at Longwood, Florida Gulf Coast and Manhattan, where she also served two seasons as head coach.
“Cat brings a wealth of experience from both the head coach and assistant coach roles, along with a proven track record of success at multiple championship-caliber mid-major programs,” Higgs said. “Combined with her coaching experience throughout the East, she brings extensive recruiting experience and established relationships across many of the regions that make up the Conference USA footprint. She understands what it takes to build and sustain a championship program, and she’ll be a tremendous asset as we continue elevating New Mexico State Softball.”
Most recently, Clifford served as associate coach at Longwood after spending two seasons at Florida Gulf Coast. During her tenure with the Eagles, FGCU posted 67 victories, including a 38-win season, the 2024 ASUN Tournament championship and an NCAA Tournament appearance. As defensive coordinator, she helped guide one of the conference’s top defensive units, with the Eagles ranking among the ASUN leaders in fielding percentage, double plays turned and stolen-base defense.
Before joining FGCU, Clifford spent eight seasons at Manhattan, compiling a 141-118 record during her tenure and helping lead the Jaspers to the 2021 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference championship and an NCAA Tournament berth. A native of Hopewell Junction, New York, she was a four-year starter at Mount St. Mary’s University, where she graduated among the program’s all-time offensive leaders.
Higgs also announced the promotion of Las Cruces native Alejandro Velasco, who has spent the past three seasons with the Aggies, including two years as the program’s graduate assistant after serving as a volunteer coach during the 2023-24 season.
“We’re excited to promote Alex to Assistant Coach,” Higgs said. “Having been part of our program, he understands the culture, expectations and history of New Mexico State Softball in a way that’s invaluable. As a Las Cruces native, he has a genuine connection to this community and what this program means. Alex played a significant role in our success last season, and his understanding of our player development philosophy provides important continuity as we continue building the foundation and direction of our program.”
During his time with NM State, Velasco assisted with player development, defensive scouting, practice preparation and team operations, while helping coordinate travel logistics, team meals and game-day video analysis. Before joining the Aggies, he played collegiately at the University of Northwestern Ohio, earning First Team All-Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference honors in 2022 and 2023 as a utility player while also being named to the conference’s Champions of Character Team.
As assistant coach, Velasco will continue working with the Aggies in player development, defensive strategy and team operations as NM State prepares for the upcoming season.
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