2025 Hill College softball team prepares for upcoming home opener

Hill College’s softball team is preparing for its Feb. 1 home opener with a new coach, new facilities, and new goals and expectations for the upcoming 2025 season. New Head Softball Coach Gregory Cary, along with assistant coach Jean Melo Fernandez, are both eager to get the 2025 campaign underway. “We are building something special here,” Cary said, “and we have set some realistic and obtainable goals this year including winning twice as many overall and conference games as last season.” Currently, Hill College competes in arguably one of the toughest conferences in the nation. According to the most recent 2025 NJCAA Preseason Poll, McLennan Community College is ranked No. 2 in the nation, Temple College is ranked No. 3 in the nation, and Grayson College comes in at No. 12 in the nation. Other conference foes North Central Texas College and Weatherford College were on last year’s national top 25 list.

“This year, we are going to make every game as competitive as possible,” Cary said. “This is an important part of creating a winning culture, because you have to believe before you can achieve. We are fighting with ourselves to become better every day.”

Throughout this year’s improvement journey, Cary believes his team has a shot at breaking a few school records along the way.

Cary and Fernandez have been busy not only preparing for the upcoming softball season, but also preparing for the future.

“Right now, we have 17 student-athletes signed up to play for us next year,” Cary added. “I believe our facility improvements have helped us tremendously throughout our recruiting process.”

Last year, immediately after the conclusion of the 2024 softball season, plans were underway to build a new turf field, new indoor batting cages, and stadium lights for the first time ever at Hill College.

So far there have been four different clinics at the new facility – including practices, competitive play, and visiting college coaches for recruiting purposes.

“We are surrounded by talent,” Cary said. “This was one of the main reasons I came here.”

Hill College opens its season on the road at both Paris Community College and Clarendon College before playing its first Opening Day home series Feb. 1 against Clarendon College. Game 1 of the doubleheader begins at 1 p.m., followed by the second game at 3 p.m.

Cary is also two games shy of winning his 100th game as a junior college coach (148 wins overall as a head coach).

2025 Hill College Softball Roster
2 Roxxi Richards, SO, OF
4 Jazmine Whitley, FR, OF (Katy)
5 Mia Rubio, SO, OF
7 Jenna Fraser, FR, P (Grand Junction, Colorado)
8 Leticia Nunez, FR, INF (Corpus Christi)
9 Ella Hudson, FR, P (Italy)
10 Kaydee Mantell, SO, P
11 Rebekah Cavazos, FR, INF (Alvin)
12 Rhyanna Morales, FR, IINF (San Antonio)
13 Kennedy Tucker, FR, OF (Bay City)
16 Karla-Fay Matinez, FR, C (Waller)
17 Emma Gray, FR, INF (Jacksboro)
18 Delana Temple, SO
19 Abby Jaramillo, SO, C
20 Grace Thompson, FR, P (Canton)
21 Ashley Roberts, SO, INF
22 Maci Kolar, FR, OF (Hillsboro)
23 Hannah Hodge, SO, INF
24 Alexis Ramsey, SO, C
26 Shelby Schimek, FR, C (Mansfield)
27 Rubi Benavides, SO, INF
Head Coach: Gregory Cary
Assistant Coach: Jean Melo Fernandez