EL PASO, Texas – UTEP Softball Head Coach TJ Hubbard announced the addition of seven standout student-athletes who will join the Miner program for the 2027 season. The incoming class features six freshmen — Lainey Alcaraz (Albuquerque, N.M.), Emily Gilleland (Broken Arrow, Okla.), Chloe Hill (Murrieta, Calif.), Lily Larrabee (Rio Rancho, N.M.), Janai Stover (Riverside, Calif.), and Brooklyn Wells (Edmond, Okla.) — along with junior college transfer Destanee Nez (Tucson, Ariz.).
"This class brings a strong mix of athleticism, power, and competitive experience," said Hubbard. "Each of these athletes comes from successful programs and knows what it takes to win. We're excited to see how they'll continue to raise the standard of UTEP Softball and contribute to the culture we've built here in El Paso."
Lainey Alcaraz | P | Albuquerque, N.M. | La Cueva HS | NM Suncats
Alcaraz is a right-handed pitcher out of Albuquerque's La Cueva High School, where she's earned four varsity letters under coach Ron Romero and helped lead the Bears to a combined 77-16 record. She contributed to back-to-back State Championships in 2023 and 2024 with her club team, the NM Suncats.
Alcaraz owns a career 2.98 ERA and .438 batting average, earning multiple All-District and All-Metro honors, as well as All-Academic Team recognition. She was also named to the Alliance Championship and State Championship All-Tournament Teams.
Emily Gilleland | OF | Broken Arrow, Okla. | Broken Arrow HS | Epic National 18U Smith/Burnett
Gilleland joins the Miners from powerhouse Broken Arrow High School in Oklahoma, where she's collected seven varsity letters and helped the Tigers to three regional championships. She's a three-time All-District selection, All-Region honoree, and capped her senior season as an All-State selection.
A consistent offensive performer, Gilleland hit .392 as a junior and .324 as a senior, while also swiping double-digit bases each year.
Competing with Epic National 18U Smith/Burnett, Gilleland has captured several major titles, including the 2025 Nationals (St. Louis) Championship and the 2024 USA-ES World Fastpitch Championship.
Chloe Hill | INF | Murrieta, Calif. | Linfield Christian HS | Corona Angels Slye
Hill has been a dominant presence at Linfield Christian, helping the Lions to a 55–14 record over three seasons under coach Paul Perez. She boasts a career .519 batting average with 121 hits, earning First Team All-League honors in each of her three seasons and being named the 2024 Team MVP and 2025 Clutch Player of the Year.
A three-time Scholar Athlete, Hill also competes with the elite Corona Angels organization, playing under coaches Felton Ollison, Dena Slye, and Marty Tyson, where she's participated in top national showcases including the Colorado IDT and Alliance Nationals.
Lily Larrabee | C/UT | Rio Rancho, N.M. | Rio Rancho HS | Wicked Select
A dominant power hitter from Rio Rancho High School, Larrabee has been a five-year varsity letterwinner under coach Paul Kohman. In her junior campaign, she posted a staggering .570 batting average, 1.206 slugging percentage, 16 home runs, and 59 RBIs.
Larrabee's accolades include District Player of the Year (2024), First Team All-District (2023–25), and Albuquerque Metro First Team (2024–25) honors. She has also been named to the All-Academic Team four times and was part of multiple USSSA New Mexico State Championship squads.
Destanee Nez | P | Tucson, Ariz. | Eastern Arizona College / Canyon del Oro HS
Nez joins UTEP after an impressive freshman campaign at Eastern Arizona College, where she helped the Lady Monsters to the ACCAC Division I Conference Championship and a 34-1 overall record. Under 2025 ACCAC Coach of the Year Alex Aguirre, she posted a 5-0 record across 22 appearances, tossing 87.1 innings with 68 strikeouts, a 2.16 ERA, and 1.44 WHIP.
She was named First Team All-Conference, First Team All-Region, and earned NJCAA All-American honors in 2025.
A product of Canyon del Oro High School, Nez helped lead her team to four straight state championship appearances, including three runner-up finishes and one semifinal berth. Across 104 prep games, she compiled a .349 batting average with 74 RBIs, while dominating in the circle with a 26-2 record, 2.02 ERA, and 241 strikeouts in 190.2 innings.
Janai Stover | C/UT | Riverside, Calif. | Martin Luther King Jr. HS | Corona Angels
Stover joins the Miners from Martin Luther King Jr. High School, where she hit .390 with a .434 OBP and .662 slugging percentage under coach Lana Carlone. She tallied 30 hits, including 12 extra-base knocks and 18 RBIs, while earning Scholar Athlete honors.
On the club circuit, Stover has thrived with the Corona Angels, batting .439 with a .902 slugging percentage. A two-time Alliance Stars of Tomorrow selection, she brings elite speed and power potential to the UTEP lineup.
Brooklyn Wells | C/UT | Edmond, Okla. | Casady School | Oklahoma Athletics National 18U Madden/Brown
Wells, a two-sport standout (softball and basketball) at Casady School, has been one of Oklahoma's most consistent offensive performers, hitting above .500 every season for a career .544 batting average and .650 on-base percentage. She's a four-time All-SPC selection, two-time All-District First Team honoree, and earned Region 3 All-Region honors across both teams.
Wells also starred for Oklahoma Athletics National 18U Madden/Brown, which placed third at the 16U Tier 1 Alliance Fastpitch Championship Series. She was recognized as the Co-Offensive Player of the Year (3A-4) and Team MVP, showcasing her versatility and leadership both behind the plate and across the diamond.
"This class represents the kind of student-athletes we want at UTEP—hardworking, talented, and driven to succeed both on and off the field," Hubbard said. "They'll make an immediate impact in our program and bring a winning mentality to El Paso."
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