For some mid-major schools, making the NCAA Tournament is the goal. Earning an at-large or automatic bid is a rare enough occurrence that it’s worth celebrating on its own.
Texas State isn’t one of those programs. It’s capable of defeating the likes of Texas Tech and Texas A&M. Head coach Ricci Woodard, who recorded her 900th career win this year, has made the Bobcats a consistent tournament attendee. They knew they could’ve gone farther, and Woodard’s sights have long been set past the regionals.
“Every year I get to that point,” Woodard told the American-Statesman. “Still waiting for that breakthrough to get us to the Super Regionals.”
Azua’s spectacular 2026 season had been another leap in excellence. She recorded a 1.95 earned run average, struck out 236 batters, won 26 games, and, in two starts against the Yellowjackets, allowed five earned runs.
“You could tell we were both very similar,” Woodard said. “It was gonna boil down to the key hit, and we just struggled off and on all year long to come up with that.”
Softball is a game where players fail more often than not. It’s not as if Texas State purposely left Azua out to dry. It’s just that Georgia Tech was better in both games.
Azua ends her junior campaign with the most innings thrown in the entire nation, as of May 16. Woodard admitted she would’ve liked to lessen her pitcher’s load earlier in the year, but she doesn’t think it played much of a factor in the postseason losses.
“She’s always going to give us a chance to win a ball game, and that’s what I love about her,” Woodard said.
Woodard said she feels for the seniors, as their college athletic careers come to an end. Pitcher Emma Strood threw a two-hit shutout against Florida A&M to set up Texas State’s rematch against Georgia State. Catcher Megan Kelnar, who struggled at the plate for most of the season, recorded Texas State’s lone RBI Saturday off pitcher Madalyn Johnson.
The moments are etched into Texas State’s lore. But as eight seniors depart, the Bobcats have a mountain of production to replace. Keely Williams and Aiyana Coleman had the two highest on-base plus slugging percentages. Sydney Harvey and Sami Hood were plus defenders at centerfield and shortstop, respectively. Strood was the lone reliable arm aside from Azua, and both pitchers preferred Kelnar behind the plate.
Woodard said she hasn’t thought too hard about the future. She knows some underclassmen who have been “biting at the bit” to get on the field, and she’ll probably dabble in the transfer portal.
The Pac-12 looms for Texas State, where it could cement itself as the conference’s powerhouse. Woodard’s final season leading Texas State through the Sun Belt was a successful one. But the shine of a regional bid has long since faded for the legendary coach.
“You just got to keep finding ways to fuel the fire,” Woodard said.