RICHARDSON, Texas – Three UT Dallas softball players were named to the American Southwest Conference Players to Watch List the league announced Thursday. Sophomore first baseman Cadence Hernandez, sophomore pitcher Allison Koch and freshman outfielder/first baseman Julia Maniscalco made the list.

Hernandez, from Little Elm, Texas, was a 2024 All-ASC Honorable Mention in her debut season. She led the Comets with a .406 average, recording 41 hits, 12 runs, four doubles, four home runs and 17 runs batted in. Hernandez also had a .995 fielding percentage with just one error at first.

Koch, from Colleyville, Texas, won 2 games in the circle for the Comets as a freshman. She struck out 19 batters over 29 innings. Koch was an Academic All-ASC selection last season.
 
Maniscalco, from Wantagh, N.Y., was an NFCA All-American Scholar Athlete three times for Kellenberg Memorial High School. She earned All-League three times and was named to the top 100 players on Long Island.

A new era begins for UTD softball in 2025 with Casey Dickson being named the ninth head coach in program history in October. She spent the last five seasons as the pitching coach for Towson University in Maryland and was previously the head coach for Austin Peay State in Tennessee from 2009-12 and Temple University in Philadelphia from 2006-08. Dickson was a four-year letterwinner at the University of Oklahoma, leading the Sooners to four straight NCAA Tournaments while setting single-season school records with 17 home runs and 61 RBI as a senior.
 
NCAA Softball World Series champion Haley Lee joins the Comet staff as an assistant coach after earning All-American honors twice. She won the national title with Oklahoma in 2023 as a catcher, designated player and outfielder.  Lee also played four seasons at Texas A&M University where she was a two-time USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Top 25 Finalist. In five seasons, Lee registered 61 homers, 46 doubles and 181 RBI.
 
The Comets return 14 players, including five starters, from last year's squad that went 17-20.

Senior middle infielder Mikayla Hoffman was an All-ASC Third Team selection last season, hitting .294 with eight doubles, three home runs and nine RBI. Senior Cole Johnson earned All-Conference Honorable Mention in center field last year, hitting .298 with a pair of homers, six doubles and 14 RBI. Junior right fielder Claire Pollack hit .315 with six doubles, three homers and 23 RBI while earning Honorable Mention All-ASC a year ago. Junior third baseman Addison Caddell also returns after a .290 season with three home runs and 17 RBI.

Also returning are seniors Gracelyn Taylor (C), Megan Cavazos (OF), Holly Selldin (3B) and Riley Westmoreland (OF), juniors Ashley Adams (1B) and Evelyn Santos (IF) and sophomores Blair Collier (SS) and Julia Guerrero (OF).
 
Maniscalco is one of nine newcomers for the Comets in 2025. Also new to the team is junior catcher Avery Martin and freshmen Angela Hamilton (C), Erika Fedak (P), Brooke Bouldin (P), Sarah Olenick (SS), Kasey McAtee (1B), Madelyn Denn (P) and Katie Hart (P).
 
UTD, in its first season transitioning to NCAA Division II, will still be associated with the ASC in 2024-25. They will compete against opponents Division II and III as well as NAIA and NCCAA teams. They will also face the remaining five American Southwest Conference members four times each. The Comets are not eligible for the ASC title, postseason play or all-conference awards but will be eligible for Player of the Week and academic honors.

The 2025 campaign opens on the road at St. Thomas in Houston on February 8. Home double-headers start on February 11 against Dallas Christian, followed by Ottawa (Kan.) (Feb. 23), Mary Hardin-Baylor (Mar. 8), DCC again (Mar. 12), defending Division III national champion East Texas Baptist (Apr. 5), Hardin-Simmons (Apr. 17-18) and LeTourneau (Apr. 26).
 
The Comets will take on Division II foes Minnesota Crookston, Franklin Pierce, Eckerd, Southern Connecticut State, Saint Anselm and Post at the Space Coast Spring Games in Viera, Fla. Mar. 16-19. Other road games include LeTourneau (Mar. 22), ETBU (Mar. 29), UMHB (Apr. 12) and Howard Payne (May 2-3).

ASC Release