USU Softball shatters records, redefines program in 2025
The 2025 Utah State softball team rewrote the record books and redefined expectations in a season packed with explosive offense and personal milestones.
Finishing with a 26-26 overall record and an 11-11 mark in Mountain West play, the Aggies delivered one of the most statistically dominant seasons in school history while laying the foundation for a promising future.
“Since I got here two years ago, our process is completely different,” head coach Todd Judge said. “From the way we weight train to the way we condition to the way we practice, our academics to the amount of awards we’ve received, the way in which we take games every day, being respected in the conference, making the conference tournament. All those kinds of things are great process-oriented things.”
Here are some takeaways from what some members of the team called a culture-shifting season:
A RECORD-BREAKING OFFENSE
Utah State’s offense was nothing short of electric.
The Aggies shattered school records in virtually every major hitting category: a .340 team batting average, 493 hits, 340 runs, 90 doubles, 66 home runs and 319 RBIs — all program highs. Most of these categories ranked them among the top 25 nationally, establishing the team as one of the most dangerous lineups in the country.
Judge, while not surprised by his team’s improvement, admitted he hadn’t foreseen a record-breaking year across the board.
“We saw moments of brilliance last year, hitting close to .300,” Judge said. “I knew it would take a couple of years to teach hitting plans and let them understand how important film is and how important batting practice is and how to be consistent with those things.”
Much of that production came from senior standouts Giselle Gonzalez and Ariel Fifita. Gonzalez slugged her way to a school-record 17 home runs and 60 RBIs, capping off a career that will be remembered for her powerful bat and clutch performances.
Fifita, meanwhile, set a school and NCAA-best mark by reaching base in 45 consecutive games. Her combination of elite defense and consistent contact made her one of the most complete shortstops in the nation. She also led the NCAA with 3.06 assists per game, anchoring the infield with unmatched reliability.
“I definitely worked way more than I probably did in previous seasons,” Fifita said. “We always hit before and after practice, always met with coaches in regards to film, always coming up with different approaches in our swing. I wanted to finish strong in my senior year.”
Catcher Kaylee Erickson made national headlines as well, blasting four grand slams — a Utah State record and tied for the second-most in a single season in NCAA history.
ALL-CONFERENCE EXCELLENCE
A program-best seven Aggies earned all-conference honors, including three on the first team: catcher Grace Matej, outfielder Kya Pratt and nine-hole batter Tatum Silva.
The second team featured Fifita, Gonzalez and second baseman Claudia Medina, while center fielder Olivia Marble earned an honorable mention. The sheer volume of recognition reflected the depth and balance of a team that thrived not only on individual talent but also on chemistry and resilience.
“I think our depth this year was a testament to us starting to get better,” Judge said. “We had some injuries in the last couple of weeks. We moved some players in, and nothing really dropped off.”
DEFINING MOMENTS
Few games symbolized Utah State’s breakout more than its Feb. 8 upset of No. 19 Baylor, the program’s first win over a top 20 opponent since 2010.
That victory set the tone for a hot start to the season, which included dominant performances at the Utah Tech tournament in St. George where the Aggies’ bats overwhelmed opponents.
In April, the team made more history, scoring a program-record 13 runs in a single inning during a 14-4 rout of Nevada.
Fifita pointed to those weekends — in Texas and St. George — as some of the most meaningful.
“No one knows the amount of hard work we put in other than us as a team,” she said. “That weekend in St. George, our hitting was just unstoppable … there was nothing we couldn’t hit.”
PITCHING PROGRESS
While the team ERA — 6.48 overall and 6.30 in conference play — suggested challenges in the circle, Utah State’s pitchers made noticeable strides.
Junior Emmalyn Brinka ramped up her strikeout numbers as the season wore on, and junior Rylie Pindel found her rhythm in conference play, allowing fewer earned runs in key stretches.
“I think we saw some great improvement from some of our pitchers,” Judge said. “We’ll have a lot of older players in the lineup next year, so that will help a lot. But this [recruiting] class coming in is my first class, and we have some great kids coming in, so there will be a lot of competition.”
SENIORS GO OUT SWINGING
The 2025 campaign marked the final ride for six seniors, all of whom left lasting marks.
In addition to the all-conference regulars — Fifita, Gonzalez, Medina and Marble — seniors Brooklyn Pritchett and Lyndsey Madrigal made the most of their moments. Pritchett delivered a dominant week in March, going 8-for-14 in four starts, including key matchups against eventual conference champion San Diego State. Madrigal was equally efficient in limited action, launching two home runs and driving in four RBIs in just 13 at-bats.
Judge praised Pritchett and Madrigal for the sacrifices they made, emphasizing those sacrifices weren’t due to a lack of talent. Madrigal played first base behind the lights-out Gonzalez, while Pritchett served as the backup left fielder to Silva, a top conference player, leaving little playing time for both.
“I think on a different team, Brooklyn and Lyndsey would have had much bigger roles,” Judge said. “I think it was good to see that when we did have injuries, we were able to bring those two in, and we didn’t drop off a bit.”
Pritchett, who could have easily grown resentful of her reduced role, instead expressed nothing but gratitude as she reflected on the season.
“They’ve been here for four years, so they deserved everything that they got this season,” Pritchett said, referring to her fellow seniors. “Our connection with the girls that have been here created that culture amongst us. We didn’t want to leave them.”
Fifita reflected on her journey with a similar level of emotion and gratitude.
“It’s been a mix of feelings,” Fifita said. “Frustration because we knew we had the talent to go further but also pride. I think we left a mark. We set a standard.”
THE ROAD AHEAD
With a foundation of experienced underclassmen and a record-breaking offense, Utah State’s ceiling continues to rise. The Aggies’ 26 wins were the third-most since 1997, and with key pieces returning such as Matej, Pratt, Silva and Erickson, the team still has room for further ascension.
Judge also boasts an incoming recruiting class of highly-ranked players all over the field, including pitchers ranked among the best in the nation.
“The 2025 class has met all the needs and wants we were hoping for in a recruiting class,” Judge said. “It has highly-ranked pitchers who can come in and compete immediately. It has middle infielders who are extremely athletic and have great offensive skills. It has players that can go get the ball in the outfield and make the field look small with their speed and arm strength. It also gives us depth at the catcher position. This class can be a game-changing class for Utah State.”
As the program turns the page, it does so with pride in what was accomplished and motivation for what’s next.