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Sophomore standout earns national recognition for second straight month.
Source: NMSU Athletics
Story and Photo By Matthew Knope for NMSU: Courtesy
NASHVILLE – On Monday, Softball America released its first batch of player power rankings ahead of April. The publication recognized its top players at each position group through approximately two months of the season. The release included six two-way players, recognizing the best athletes that pitch and hit at an elite level. NM State’s Desirae Spearman was ranked the third-highest player on the list and finished as the best of two stars from mid-major programs. Softball America only placed Spearman behind Jordy Bahl of Nebraska and Devyn Netz of Arizona.
Spearman has led the Aggies across nearly every offensive category this season, while also pitching 80.0 innings. The second-year standout is coming off a freshman campaign in which she was named Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year by CUSA. In the first two months of 2025, she has already belted 17 home runs and racked up 39 RBIs while hitting .506. In the circle, Spearman is 9-4, tossing seven complete games with a 2.71 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 the 2025 campaign, the former publication recognized the Hanks High School product’s remarkable showings with another distinction, tabbing her as the third-best utility player in the country.
NUMBERS OF NOTE
- Spearman leads NM State in both batting average (.506) and ERA (2.71), making her the only player in the league atop her team in each statistic.
- The two-way star paces Conference USA in the following categories: batting average (.506), OPS (1.828), runs scored (43), home runs (17), total bases (104), slugging percentage (1.169), walks drawn (37) and on-base percentage (.659).
- This season, only one other player in Division I holds at least 17 home runs. Bri Ellis of Arkansas has 18 through last weekend.
- Spearman is among the nation’s top five in eight different statistical categories, ranking second in walks drawn, home runs, slugging percentage on-base percentage.
- Elsewhere, the El Paso native is fifth in all of Division I with a .506 batting average and fourth in total bases.
- In 2024, Spearman was tied for the team lead with 43 RBIs. This season, she is on pace to finish with 58.50 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 25.50 four-baggers ahead of the CUSA Championship.
Up next, Spearman will lead the Aggies into her home town for Battle of I-10. NM State is set to visit UTEP this weekend for a three-game series. The second-ever CUSA clash between the two will begin on Friday, April 4 at 6:00 p.m., MT. The Aggies took two of three from the Miners last year and have their eyes on another series win in what would be their fourth of CUSA play. All the action will be streamed live on ESPN+ and available to follow via nmstatesports.com.
For complete coverage of NM State Softball during the 2025 season, visit NMStateSports.com – the official home of the Aggies – and follow the Aggies on Facebook (NM State Softball), Twitter (@NMStateSoftball) and Instagram (@NMStateSoftball).
