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The stars of 2025-26 St. Agnes Academy Softball
1. Episcopal Knights
2. St. Agnes Academy Tigers
3. The Woodlands Christian Academy Warriors
4. Lutheran South Academy Pioneers
5. Fort Bend Christian Academy Eagles
...
Others to Watch:
(Alphabetical Order)
Concordia Lutheran Crusaders, Cypress Christian Warriors, Houston Christian Mustangs, St. John’s School Mavericks, St. John XXIII Lions, St. Pius X Panthers

Dana Strange (VYPE/Phlox Photography)
The Knights remain in a class of their own within Texas private school softball.
That distinction was reinforced yet again in 2025, when Episcopal (22-3) edged St. John’s 3-2 last May. The victory not only secured the program’s eighth consecutive SPC title, but also marked the 10th championship for head coach Caitlyn Cain and company since 2014—and the 23rd overall.
Maintaining that level of consistency is never a given, yet it has come to feel almost routine for the group Episcopal brings back to the diamond.
Left-hander Jordan Bey enters her senior season looking to mirror last year’s All-SPC form before heading to Sacramento State. Fellow All-SPC selections Claire Johnson (Sr., C) and Hayleigh Hubbard (Jr., SS) anchor the middle of the defense alongside senior first baseman Addison Conner.
At the plate, Memphis commit Alexis Johnson (Jr., OF) looms as the lineup’s most dangerous presence, bringing an explosive element to Caitlyn Cain’s offense, with senior Elliot Loper adding further stability in the outfield.

Bradley C. Collier (VYPE)
A familiar face now guides perennial power St. Agnes, as four-year assistant Tyler Dobson was elevated to head coach last June. Well acquainted with the Tigers’ standard, Dobson takes over a group that finished 17-6-1 a season ago and advanced to the TAPPS Division I State Semifinals.
Though Antonian halted St. Agnes’ bid for back-to-back titles, a wealth of battle-tested returners remains in place—signaling that all systems are go, as Dobson begins his debut directing the program.
Harvard-bound senior Kyra Nguyen remains the team’s most dynamic chess piece, thriving in her utility position after earning first-team all-state honors a year ago. In the circle, junior left-hander Penelope England returns with an eye toward building even stronger chemistry with senior catcher Nisha Suneja, as both were first-team all-district selections in 2025.
Rounding out the group, second-team honorees Anna Morton (Jr. OF) and Kirsten Moon (So. RHP) are poised to embrace expanded roles as the season unfolds.

Dana Strange (VYPE/Phlox Photography)
Fresh off one of the program’s most productive seasons to date, TWCA surged to a 21-7-1 record, a run that culminated with a Final Four appearance in the TAPPS Division II playoffs.
Replacing the production of stars such as pitcher Keira Crosby (Clemson) and infielder Alexis Osterhaus (Army) will be no small undertaking. Even so, third-year head coach Joshua Culp retains a lineup rich with proven talent, positioning the Warriors to avoid missing a beat this spring.
Reagan Rohrlich (Sr. SS/OF) returns to help propel the Warriors’ latest push toward a potential State run after earning first-team all-state honors a season ago. The Texas A&M signee is joined in the infield by senior Kate Rouswell, a second-team all-state selection who provides additional stability up the middle.
Taking over as the ace in the circle is junior RHP Marissa Clarke, a first-team all-district honoree last spring. Fellow district first-team selections Ashlyn Culp (Jr. C) and Alison Chandler (So. OF) further underscore the depth of an exceptionally balanced TWCA ballclub—one that appears well-positioned to make another return to the State Semifinals, if not more.

Dana Strange (VYPE/Phlox Photography)
The Pioneers turned in a strong 2025 campaign, hitting their stride down the stretch before rolling past Saint Mary’s Hall to reach the Regional Round of the TAPPS Division II playoffs. Their postseason surge was eventually halted by TWCA, but the late-season momentum illustrated Lutheran South’s upward trajectory.
Picking up where she left off last spring, senior Addison Smith (Wichita State signee) is set to anchor both the middle infield and the heart of the batting order for head coach Nicole Andrade, aiming to mirror the production that earned her first-team all-state recognition.
Sophomore Kendall Putnal returns to the circle after a standout debut season that earned her second-team all-state honors, joined by junior catcher Gia Bales. Surrounding them is an imposing lineup anchored by a wave of first-team all-district selections, including Jadyn Maldonado (Jr. IF/C), Ava Zamora (Jr. OF), Jill Whitehead (Jr. IF/OF), Emily Bankson (Jr. IF/OF), and Alexis English (So. OF).

Dana Strange (VYPE/Phlox Photography)
FBCA experienced a slight detour from its usual standard a year ago, suffering a tough loss to Cypress Christian in a high-scoring postseason opener. That said, the Eagles have had ample time to regroup and coalesce under head coach Kelli Jacoby, fueling a renewed sense of optimism as the new season gets underway.
Second-team all-state pitcher Reese Heflin stands at the center of the resurgence, hoping to cap off her high school career in reputable fashion before ascending to East Texas Baptist University. Waiting in the wings behind Heflin is sophomore Evelyn Moore, a first-team all-district selection who led the team with a .431 batting average and 25 hits in her debut.
When she’s not on the mound, Moore will primarily patrol the infield. Fellow district first-teamer Ariel Yee (Jr. C) adds power to the lineup, posting a team-high 24 RBIs and five home runs, while junior shortstop Ella Romo, another first-team pick, hit for over .400. Complementing the group, second-team all-district honorees Bailey Baird (Sr. 3B) and Allie Guillot (Jr. OF) reinforce the continuity and depth that Fort Bend Christian will rely on as it looks to make a State-level breakthrough.

Dana Strange (VYPE/Phlox Photography)
Katy's EK Smith - From Homemade Cookies to No. 1 in Texas
If you don’t think Ella Kate “EK” Smith is ooey-gooey sweet, just ask legendary Impact Gold coach KC Jackson.
“The first time I ever met EK, she was 10 years old,” Jackson said. “She walked up to me wearing those old ‘rec spec’ goggles and handed me a tin of homemade chocolate cookies. I’ve loved her ever since.
“She wasn’t the same kid she is today. She was meek and quiet, still trying to find herself. She wasn’t very good yet — and that’s what makes her story so special. It shows you what hard work and a willingness to learn can do. What stood out the most was how she listened. She never broke eye contact with you… ever.”
PURCHASE THE 2026 BASEBALL/SOFTBALL PREVIEW
Fast forward a few years and EK Smith is HER.
The Katy ace is the No. 1 pitcher in Texas and is headed to play her college ball for the No. 1 program in the country — the Oklahoma Sooners.
Yet even with all those accolades piled high, she’s still that same little girl showing up with homemade cookies for the Godfather of Greater Houston softball.
“I still love to bake,” she laughed. “I’m really good at sourdough bread. I love coffee — 7 Brew or Dutch Bros. I got an espresso machine for Christmas, so now I can make my own.”
Ask anyone — a teammate, an opponent, a coach — and you’ll hear the same thing: everyone likes EK.
Even former stars from down the road at Foster High School know the deal.
“Oh, I know about EK,” said Arkansas shortstop Ella McDowell, a Softball America Freshman All-American last season. “She’s two years younger than me, but everyone knew she was the next big thing in Houston.
“My advice to her is to enjoy her senior year and keep the same confidence when she gets to college. She belongs there. With her skill set, she’s going to have a big career.”
So what makes EK Smith so special? What makes her one of the most coveted prospects in the country?
“Think of a softball player with a middle-linebacker mentality who’s an elite pitcher, an elite hitter, and an elite fielder,” Jackson said. “At six feet tall, she’s our best baserunner. You can’t take her off the field. She’s 18, but she talks like she’s 28. Her softball IQ is so far off the charts she could coach right now.”
And yet, what makes her tick isn’t all that complicated.
“I’m still just a kid who loves hanging out with friends,” the USA Softball star said. “I try to keep everything in perspective. When I’m on the mound in pressure situations, I’m usually humming or singing my favorite song.
“What I love most are the postgame dinners with my teammates at Texas Roadhouse — especially those rolls. Softball doesn’t define me. I want to win more than anyone, but if we lose, it’s not the end of the world. We just come back the next day and try to be better.”
Former Katy coach Kalum Haack — one of the most respected names in the game with more than 850 career wins — still remembers the 10-year-old who used to show up at his camps.
“When she pitched as a little kid, we practically had to walk the ball back to her on the mound because she couldn’t catch… at all,” Haack laughed. “But every year, she just kept getting better. By ninth grade, you could tell she was going to be special.
“And now, with all the praise and how bright her future is — she’s still the same great kid.”
Somewhere between homemade cookies and sold-out stadiums, EK Smith never changed.
There is so much fun to be had at a VYPE Media Days!
From team and individual pictures, social media shout-outs and video interviews, it is all there for the student-athletes to feel like a superstar.
Our team traveled to Westbury Christian School for their 2026 Spring Media Day recently. Check out the behind-the-scenes hype video below!
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