Kingsville - Junior 1B Dakota Martinez was named to the All-Lone Star Conference First Team, leading four members of the Texas A&M-Kingsville softball team who received All-Conference recognition at the annual LSC softball banquet Wednesday night.

In addition to Martinez's selection, a pair of Kingsville's freshmen, 2B Victoria Vargas and OF Kennia Chong, were each named to both the All-LSC Second Team and the All-LSC Freshman Team. Rounding out TAMUK's honorees was sophomore 3B Alaunah Almaraz, who received the conference's Gold Glove award, one of just 11 players in the LSC to be so honored.

Dakota Martinez | Jr. | 1B | All-Conference First Team

At the end of March, Martinez became the first Javelina in program history to win LSC Hitter of the Week twice in the same season. Her first time receiving the honor came off a 9-of-15 weekend with three doubles, a triple, two homers, and two walks. In a win over the Cameron Aggies in game one of their doubleheader, Martinez hit for the cycle, the first time a Javelina had done that since 2023. In total for the weekend, Martinez posted a .647 on-base percentage and slugged 1.333, driving in seven runs.

The second time receiving the honor followed a weekend where the Javelinas swept the Angelo State Rambelles, which was the program's first sweep of a top-10-ranked team since 2022 at the time. Martinez had a 3-of-5 weekend with a walk, a home run, and four RBIs. 

On the season, Martinez tallied up 55 hits, eight doubles, three triples, and 10 home runs, T-9th all-time on the Javelina single-season HRs list and T-13th most HRs in the LSC. All that with a batting average of .364 and a slugging percentage of .656 for the season. 

Victoria Vargas | Fr. | 2B | All-Conference Second Team | All-Conference Freshman Team

By way of Houston, Texas, Vargas led the Javelinas in batting average, and 17th in the conference, batting .377 on the year. Her 58 hits on the year led the Javelinas and T-13th most in the LSC. Vargas also added 10 doubles, a pair of triples, and drew 24 walks, most on the team, to her regular season totals. Adding to her already stellar freshman season, Vargas finished T-15th in the LSC and first on the team in runs scored with 42 on the year.

Not only was Vargas a threat to get on base, but she was as much of a threat while on base with 14 stolen bases on the season, T-10th most in the LSC. In a matchup win against St. Edwards recorded two stolen bases, a season-high for the freshman.

Kennia Chong | Fr. | OF | All-Conference Second Team | All-Conference Freshman Team

Another freshman who's left her mark on the season, Chong has been lethal at the plate, recording the second-best batting average on the team with a .373 average. She totaled 47 hits on the year, 19 of which were doubles, 3rd all-time on the Javelina single-season doubles list, 3rd most in the LSC, and T-20th in the nation. 

Chong totaled the fourth most home runs on the season with six. She also finished first on the team in sacrifice flies, tied for the most in the LSC, and T-12th in the nation with six total on the year. The freshman also finished third on the team with 40 RBIs on the year.

Alaunah Almaraz | So. | 3B | LSC Gold Glove Award Winner

In her very first season wearing the blue and gold, Almaraz received LSC Gold Glove honors. In her 46 appearances, she recorded 39 putouts, 88 assists, four errors, and achieved a .969 fielding percentage. While being a defensive threat at third base, Almarez managed to turn three double plays on the year. 

Almarez was also able to get the job done on the offensive side, having a .322 batting average with 39 hits, four doubles, and two hits collected on the year. She also added 33 total RBIs to her offensive numbers, proving to be a dual threat for the Javelinas.

Up Next

Your Javelinas will begin their postseason run Thursday at 5:00 p.m. when they take on the No.17 Oklahoma Christian Eagles with a shot at the Lone Star Conference Tournament Semifinals on the line.