Midland College Lady Chaps Softball Opens the 2026 Season Versus Coastal Bend College
The Lady Chaps softball team finished the 2025 season with an impressive 47-11 record and an appearance in the NJCAA Region 5 Softball Tournament.
Midland College Softball
2026 Season Opening Series
Saturday, January 31 - Sunday, February 1
Coastal Bend College Cougars vs. Midland College Lady Chaps
Midland, TX
The Midland College Lady Chaps, after a week delay, will open the season beginning on Saturday, January 31st in a 1:00 p.m. double-header versus Coastal Bend College. MC was originally scheduled to kick-off the season a week prior, however an arctic blast, which covered a wide portion of the US southern tier states, forced the cancelation of the Coastal Bend College Round Robin in Kenedy, TX.
This weekend's four-game series between the Cougars and Lady Chaps will be played at Ulmer Park and the Midland United Girls Softball Complex in Midland, instead of at Lady Chaps Field. MUGS is located at 2900 West Kentucky Avenue in Midland. After several days of snow and ice blanketed the Midland area, Lady Chaps Field's playing surface was deemed to be unplayable.
The 2026 Midland College softball team returns eight from the 2025 season along with 14 fresh-faced freshmen. Top returning team members include center fielder Brianna Flores, first base Karissa Garcia, pitcher Marie Rondeau and third base Emma Davis. All told the eight sophomores helped guide the 2025 team to a 47-11 overall record, including 19-6 in the WJCAC. Midland College advanced to the NJCAA Region 5 Softball Tournament going 1-2 in the post-season.
Lady Chaps 2026 Roster: https://gochaps.com/sports/sball/2025-26/roster
The 2025 Lady Chaps ranked among the Top 15 teams in the NJCAA Division I Softball's statistical rankings. 5th in doubles, 10th in RBIs, 10th in team batting average, 11th in runs scored and extra base hits, 13th in hits, 13th in homeruns and 13th in total bases. There are a total of 141 teams that play NJCAA Division I Softball.
Lady Chaps 2025 Statistics: https://njcaastats.prestosports.com/sports/sball/2024-25/div1/teams/midlandcollege?jsRendering=true
Leading the MC softball program for the sixth season is head coach Angel Castro. Castro, former head coach of the Coastal Bend Cougars, has made a strong impression at Midland College and in the WJCAC by consistently increasing her win totals each year.
Over five complete seasons Castro has chalked up an impressive record of 183-78-1 (.700) and an 81-47 (.633) record in the WJCAC. Joining Castro for her second season at MC is assistant coach Liv Garza. Like Castro, Garza was previously associated with the Coastal Bend College softball program before arriving in Midland.
Angel Castro's Season-by-Season Record:
2021: *19-19 (14-16) post COVID-19 shortened season
2022: 32-20-1 (12-12)
2023: 40-15 (17-7)
2024: 45-13 (19-6)
2025: 47-11 (19-6)
Tot: 183-78-1 (81-47)
Castro has put together one of the toughest schedules she possibly could, with the ultimate aim being a more mentally tough team; particularly in the post-season. This season Midland College is scheduled to play against the likes of #6 Odessa College, #20 Navarro College and #24 Arizona Western College along with perennially tough teams such as Trinidad State College, Weatherford College and Howard College.
Lady Chaps 2026 Complete Season Schedule: https://gochaps.com/sports/sball/2025-26/schedule
Watch the Lady Chaps versus Coastal Bend College (live) on TSBNSports.com:
Saturday, January 31, 2026 @ 1:00 p.m. https://tsbnsports.com/coastal-bend-vs-midland-game-1-softball-saturday/
Saturday, January 31, 2026 @ 3:00 p.m. https://tsbnsports.com/coastal-bend-vs-midland-game-2-softball-saturday/
Sunday, February 1, 2026 @ 11:00 a.m. https://tsbnsports.com/coastal-bend-vs-midland-game-1-softball/
Sunday, February 1, 2026 @ 1:00 p.m. https://tsbnsports.com/coastal-bend-vs-midland-game-2-softball/
Go Lady Chaps!