RICHARDSON, Texas – The 2026 campaign of UT Dallas softball starts Friday at the Lone Star D2 College Classic in Mansfield, Texas. It will be the first season playing an NCAA Division II and competing in the Lone Star Conference.
The Comets return nine position players, including five starters, and three pitchers from last year's team that went 17-18. Ten freshmen and three transfers will join two seniors, four juniors and six sophomores for head coach
Casey Dickson's second UTD squad.
Senior utility player
Claire Pollack and junior pitcher
Allison Koch were named the LSC Preseason Players to Watch List. Pollack hit .431 (44-for-102) with 26 runs scored, eight doubles, three home runs, 18 RBI and eight stolen bases in 2025. Koch, a left-handed hurler, went 5-6 with a 3.58 earned run average and 71 strikeouts over 89.2 innings a year ago.
Also returning are senior catcher
Avery Martin, junior utility
Blair Collier, junior first baseman
Cadence Hernandez, junior outfielder
Julia Guerrero, sophomore pitcher
Katie Hart, sophomore shortstop
Sarah Olenick, sophomore outfielder
Brooke Bouldin, sophomore pitcher
Erika Fedak, sophomore outfielder
Julia Maniscalco and sophomore utility
Angela Hamilton.
Newcomers include senior outfielder
Cameron Alardin, sophomore outfielder
Chloe Grimmer, sophomore infielder
Audrey Messer and freshmen
Rachel Wallace,
Sophia Martinez,
Megan DeWitt,
Savannah Vanderpool,
Haley Whitefield,
Mere Cavazos,
Josie Karpinski,
Megan Stulc,
Isabella Quave,
McKenna Holm and
Sydney Wheeler.
UTD will face Oklahoma Baptist, Missouri-St. Louis, Lewis and Colorado School of Mines at the Fields at Station 63 this weekend. Non-conference home double-headers include Dallas Christian (March 11), East Central (March 24) and Southeastern Oklahoma State (April 8).
Lone Star Conference play opens February 13 at Sul Ross State in Alpine, Texas. The Comets' home opener will be February 27 against Eastern New Mexico. Other key double-headers include March 1 vs. #8 West Texas A&M, March 20 at #13 Angelo State, April 17 at WTAMU and April 24 at home against #1 UT Tyler. UTD was picked 15th out of 17 teams in the LSC Preseason Poll.
