Wildcats Lift Lid on 2026 Season in College Station

The ACU softball team begins its season at the Texas A&M-hosted Aggie Classic in College Station on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

It is the second straight year the Wildcats will take part in the five-game event. ACU plays back-to-back games on Thursday -- 2 p.m. vs. Utah State, and 4:30 p.m. vs. No. 11 Texas A&M -- to pop the top on its 2026 campaign. The matchup against the Aggies will be streamed on SEC Network+ for ESPN+ subscribers.

On Friday, ACU takes on Bryant at 11:30 a.m. and Utah State at 4:30 p.m. before concluding the event on Saturday against Bryant at 11:30 a.m.

Jo Koons, beginning her second year as ACU head coach, retooled the roster by bringing in 15 new players -- seven transfers and eight freshmen from high school. Of the Wildcats' seven returners, six were usual starters during the 2025 season: first baseman Elizabeth Schaefer, second baseman Emalee Romero, catcher Valerie Ornelas, Audrey Lacina, who played shortstop in 2025 but is expected to work more behind the plate, and outfielders Ari Maxwell and Julianna Martinez. Pitcher Ella Beeman also started 11 games in the circle last season.

Following the weekend in College Station, ACU will host South Dakota State for a doubleheader starting at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 11 at Poly Wells Field.






BACK IN AGGIELAND

• ACU kicks off its season in Texas A&M's Aggie Classic for the second straight year. In 2025, the Wildcats went 0-5 but played A&M tight, losing 1-0 on an RBI double in the 4th inning. ACU managed just two hits -- both by returning players, Audrey Lacina and Valerie Ornelas. Lina Russo allowed four hits in her 6.0 innings of work.
• This is the third time ACU has taken part in the Aggie Classic (2020, 2025, 2026).

2025 ROUNDUP

• The Wildcats ended a two-year drought by qualifying for the WAC Tournament as the No. 5 seed. It was just the fifth postseason tournament in ACU's Division I era
• ACU finished 15-38 overall, but was 11-13 in conference. 
• ACU was picked to finish 8th in the 9-team conference last year but exceeded expectations by tieing for 4th place.
• Though ACU went 1-7 in WAC series openers last season, they responded by going 6-2 in series finales.

PLAYING THE BEST

• Once again HC Jo Koons has assembled a salty nonconference schedule against some of the country's best teams.
• ACU will play the top three teams in the NFCA preseason rankings (No. 1 Texas, No. 2 Texas Tech and No. 3 Oklahoma).
• In 2025, ACU played 11 games against ranked opponents.

BEEHIVE STATE OF MIND

• The Wildcats will stay in Texas for all 20 games in February, but will play 11 games in the state of Utah over the course of their final 30 regular season games.
• HC Jo Koons played at Utah State (2012-15), and scheduled a spring break trip to the Salt Lake City area against Weber State, BYU and Utah.

DOUBTED IN 2026

• The Cats were slotted 6th in the 2026 Preseason WAC Coaches Poll, marking the second straight year they've been picked to finish next-to-last.

        
1.    Tarleton State (4)
2.    California Baptist (1)
3.    UT Arlington (1)
4.    Utah Valley (1)
5.    Southern Utah
6.    ACU
7.    Utah Tech