Inside San Diego State Softball: Keeping the Standard High in 2026

San Diego State Softball Building Toward Another Championship Run

Lala Macario (28) and Jazmin Williams (9) (Photo Courtesy of San Diego State University Athletics)

Inside Look: San Diego State Softball

Coach Stacey Nuveman Deniz and the San Diego State Aztecs have set a great standard in the Mountain West Conference. They have captured the MWC Tournament Championship the last three seasons, with a regular season crown in 2024 as well.

Coming off a 38 and 19 2025 that saw them in the NCAA Los Angeles Regional, this team has a solid group with a revamped pitching staff heading into 2026. I spoke with Coach Nuveman Deniz and went over the team and how things have been this fall.

Reloaded Pitching Staff

“It's been a good fall. We just finished our last fall competition this past Saturday. We did our alumni game, so we had a celebratory end of the fall. We have a mix of veterans and quite a few new players as well, and youth on our team. Overall I think we had a very successful fall. We learned a lot,” said Nuveman Deniz.

When asked about the pitching staff, and looking over the roster myself, it was evident how many new faces she has in that group. Ava Schaeffel is the lone returning pitcher. She finished her freshman year with a 3-1 record and a 2.01 ERA over 38.1 innings of work. That sets the circle up with youth and transfers.

“We have a lot of new faces in the circle. We have six pitchers and five of them are new. That is going to be a big focus for us, getting that group to really come together and figure out where everyone is going to land in the pecking order as far as innings,” she said. “We are a program that utilizes data and analytics to a high degree in terms of matchups and how we approach our pitching plan from a game-to-game basis.”

One pitcher in particular that I asked about was Key-annah Pu’a. Pu’a is a transfer from Fresno State who has faced the Aztecs several times in Mountain West play. Last season, she pitched 80.1 innings with an 8-8 record and struck out 32 batters.

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Not a huge strikeout pitcher, but according to Nuveman Deniz, she has good stuff down in the zone, which plays well in the higher-elevation settings in the conference.

“She has good down stuff. She is more down heavy, with a good off-speed pitch. We like down-ball pitchers. She became available. We needed depth in the circle and experience as well. She threw a good amount the last couple of years. We liked her experience and her stuff. Her down-ball profile fits into our arsenal nicely.”

Six arms on staff will have to grow fast. February will be here before you know it, and that is when you really see who is best suited where in the scheme of things.

“With six arms, we have a lot of options, but I think the early part of the season is going to be about putting them in different situations, whether it is starting, closing, or middle relief, and finding out where our best combinations are,” Nuveman Deniz said. “That is going to be a big task for us the first five or so weeks of the season to see where we are.”

Montse Reyes-Cardenas, Faith Jordan, Candace Tarle, and Matti Kwarta round out the six on staff.

Defensive Strength and Key Returners

The defense behind the pitchers looks solid for the Aztecs, and one player who cannot wait to get back on the field is Lala Macario. Macario was having a hot start to 2025 before going down with an ACL. The second baseman hit .465 with a .976 OPS in 16 games.

She is close to being fully released medically and has not played in any fall scrimmages. Coach Nuveman Deniz says she looks great and is following doctors’ orders, taking it step by step.

“She is a huge part of our team, not just her softball skill set and abilities, but also her leadership and energy. She embodies a lot of the things that we like to be and want to be about as a team. Playing with energy, she is very fun to watch,” she said.

The Aztecs have had some nagging injuries here and there this fall, and with that has come chances to become more versatile. That is the silver lining in these situations.

“I have not gotten a real strong sense of our best nine in these positions, offensively or defensively. We have had little injury-bug things that have nipped us this fall,” said Stacey.

“The good news is we have a lot of versatility, and that is a good problem to have. We have had this conversation with several players. I do not want them to feel like moving around to different positions says anything other than we are trying to expose your versatility and find the best combination.”

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Quinn Waiki, from Hilo, Hawai‘i, had a freshman season in the field that earned her Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year. She was the first freshman in the history of the conference to take that award home. She recorded 90 putouts with 123 assists at shortstop and has attributes and abilities that cannot be taught.

“I have been around a lot of good players. Defensively, I would put Quinn Waiki up against anybody, whether players I played with or players I coached. I do not even know how much of it was taught,” said Nuveman Deniz.

“I should give her dad some credit. Duke did a great job training her in Hawaii. There is an absolute natural, instinctive, fluid quality. Every movement is fluid and beautiful. Arm slot, hands, release, transfer. I know she works on it, but some of that you cannot teach. That is why I put Quinn in that category.”

Through all of the great play, Stacey wants to see and hear her command the field more and learn to put a bad at-bat behind her and move on.

“The next level up is commanding the infield. As a freshman she was more quiet and subdued. The challenge is bringing out more, because the next level is directing traffic on the infield and gaining more confidence that way. Also not carrying a bad at-bat onto defense, which happened a little last year. Some of that is growing up and maturity. This fall we have seen a lot of growth.”

Offensive Focus and Philosophy

Offensively for the Aztecs, it goes back to some of the same things I heard Coach Stacey Nuveman Deniz express this summer when she coached the Bandits in the AUSL. It is about learning to move runners, manufacture runs, and score without relying on the long ball every time. She also wants to continue working on limiting strikeouts and being more intentional with two-strike approaches.

“I think in general, I am someone that wants to limit strikeouts offensively,” said Nuveman Deniz. “Not that we struck out an ungodly amount of times, but I think we can do a better job with our two-strike approach and just being a little more intentional about our at-bats and situational hitting.

“Sometimes hitters want to swing for the fences, and that is not always what the game calls for. A home run is always welcome, but that is not always what wins you the game. I want to see them be more effective moving runners, hitting behind runners, and doing the little things. A ground ball to the right side with a runner on third is not flashy, but it is an RBI.”

That same mindset that I saw from her AUSL coaching , where her Bandits team was known for small-ball execution, smart situational hitting, and energy on the bases.

“The game is the game,” she said. “Whether it is pro or college, when it comes down to it, it is about situational hitting and doing whatever you have to do to win. These young women have grown up playing showcases where the focus is all about showcasing yourself. It is not always about moving runners or sacrificing yourself to advance a teammate.

“Our job is to bring that back, to infuse that mentality that we will not only win by out-slugging teams. Sometimes you have to win in other ways, taking an extra 60 feet when you can, being efficient in the circle, and doing the little things right. That is how you beat the best teams.”

Offensive Game Changers

One of the biggest power threats in the Aztecs lineup is senior Shannon Cunningham, who started 45 games at first base last season. Cunningham became known as a big-moment hitter, delivering multiple go-ahead and walk-off swings throughout the year and showing she can change the game with one swing.

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“I have been around people with natural power, and she is also strong in the weight room. The way she puts it together when she connects is outstanding,” said Nuveman Deniz. “With Shannon, the power potential is always there. Her challenge is consistency and not getting too down when it does not go your way. It sounds cliche, but in our sport if you ride the emotional roller coaster of outcomes, the game will chew you up and spit you out. There is too much failure.

“I think Shannon has struggled with that a little bit. She has worked really hard on her mental game. Coming into her senior year, she is as motivated as I have ever seen her to leave on a high note.”

Another key piece in the Aztecs offense is Jazmin Williams, who appeared in 56 of 57 games last season and started 48 times, splitting time between center field and second base. She hit .283 with 13 doubles, a triple, and five home runs while driving in 28 runs and scoring 30. Her extra-base power and speed made her a steady presence near the top of the lineup, finishing second on the team in doubles, runs scored, and stolen bases.

Williams also posted a strong .490 slugging percentage, drew nine walks, and stole 13 bases in 14 attempts. Her 92.9 percent success rate ranks ninth in program history. She is a versatile player who can help the Aztecs wherever needed, whether in the infield or outfield. Offensively, she puts constant pressure on opposing defenses with a rare combination of power and wheels.

Fall Standouts

When asked who has made noticeable strides this fall, Julie Holcomb and Kaila Pollard were two names that immediately came to mind for Coach Nuveman Deniz.

Holcomb, a speedy outfielder with a left-handed triple-threat profile, has continued to grow since earning opportunities late last season. Pollard, meanwhile, has been a player the Aztecs are excited to finally see back in action. She did not play last year after transferring from Oregon, and also redshirted in 2024 due to injury. It has been a while since she has been in the full swing of things, with her last live game action coming in 2023 when she was at Florida.

“Julie Holcomb was kind of a spot player last year and got some opportunities toward the end of the season, but she finished on a high note,” said Nuveman Deniz. “She has done a nice job of picking up where she left off. She is a triple-threat slapper with speed, and I really like what I have seen from her this fall.”

As for Pollard, the Aztecs expect her to bring a significant offensive and defensive presence once the season begins.

“She is truly an elite hitter. She has battled through injuries, but we feel like she is in a really good place both physically and mentally. We are excited to see her in the lineup every day. Her skill set and softball IQ are top notch. I do not know if she has leveled up, because she has always been good, but we are seeing a different version of her now that she is healthy, and we cannot wait to have her back in there."

The Aztec Standard

San Diego State’s culture remains a major strength, built around trust, connection, and accountability. Nuveman Deniz and her staff emphasize building relationships off the field just as much as developing skill on it.

“When you feel that your coach or your leader truly values you and cares about you, you’re more willing to do hard things,” Nuveman Deniz said. “We talk to our players every week, not just about softball, but about life. Those little check-ins matter. It builds trust, and when that trust is strong, everything else follows.”

That approach has helped San Diego State stay among the nation’s most consistent mid-major programs. The Aztecs will open the 2026 season in February against Minnesota and have another challenging early slate that includes several Power Four opponents, and matchups with Oklahoma, Texas Tech, at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic.

The Aztecs like every team in the country have some things to figure out between now and February, but best believe they will be ready to go as usual.