MaxPreps 2015 New Mexico preseason softball Fab 5, presented by the Army National Guard

1. Rio Rancho
2014 finish: 28-4, Class 5A state champion
Head coach: Paul Kohman

The Rams, now in the elevated Class 6A, return seven starters, but the two graduation losses both were great run producers who now are playing at Division I colleges. Three of their four losses last year were to out-of-state opponents. The Running Rams again will feature tremendous speed, having stolen 211 bases and being thrown out just 23 times last season. Junior shortstop and leadoff hitter Breonna Castaneda - already committed to the University of Utah - is a superstar in the making. Last year she batted .505, scored 51 runs and drove in 36 while stealing 30 bases in 31 attempts. Sophomore catcher Venessa Gallegos batted .554, scored 49 runs and drove in 36. Senior Victoria Lopez, a Northern Colorado recruit who was 6-2 last year, will carry the pitching load early. Senior second baseman/catcher Jordan Manno will play for the University of Detroit Mercy.  Other key seniors are Dominique Soto, Jovanni Felix and Molly Harder.

View last season's New Mexico softball rankings, presented by the Army National Guard

2. Volcano Vista (Albuquerque)
2014 finish: 22-6
Head coach: Tim O'Meara

The Hawks have a new coach (Tim O'Meara) and a transfer pitcher (junior Angelica Lujan) who could help them put together the state's premier pitching staff, vaulting them directly into the state championship picture. Lujan, a righthander who has pitched for a strong club team in the offseason, played for West Mesa (Albuquerque) last year, but has been nursing a slight knee injury since August. She will team with another righthander, junior Celina Sullivan, who carried the load last year. New Mexico State University signee Victoria Castro is one of six returning starters, having batted .454 with six home runs and 30 RBIs. Junior catcher Lauren Wilmert is another key veteran.

View last season's New Mexico softball playoff brackets

3. Onate (Las Cruces)
2014 finish: 32-4
Head coach: Fernie Valles

The Knights return six starters from the only in-state team to beat Rio Rancho last year. They also placed second in the state tournament to the Rams. Three juniors will form the nucleus for another strong state championship run. Second baseman Alex Candelaria batted .375 and showed excellent power with nine home runs. Center fielder Brandy Hernandez used her speed from the leadoff slot to steal bases and wind up with a .411 batting average, while catcher Krystal Vaca hit .390 and used her strong throwing arm to hold runners close.

View last season's New Mexico softball stat leaders

4. Piedra Vista (Farmington)
2014 finish: 22-9, Class 4A (now 5A) state champion
Head coach: Kevin Werth

The Panthers have won a state title for the last nine years (they broke the record of seven two years ago). Six starters return in hopes of another repeat. "We're a blue-collar team and just try to out-work everybody," says veteran coach Kevin Werth, who has a 335-113 career record. "Seventy-seven percent of our seniors get offered (softball scholarships) at some level." Junior Megan Risner again will head the pitching staff, having posted an 18-3 record last year with 91 strikeouts and a 1.82 ERA. Junior catcher Haley Parson batted .449, drove in 45 runs and slammed six home runs. Another junior, second baseman Autumn Begay, batted .380, belted 11 home runs, drove in 22 runs and scored 22. Senior shortstop Tegan Woosley batted .347 and is "one of the strongest kids I ever have coached," Werth pointed out.

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5. Valencia (Los Lunas)
2014 finish: 19-11
Head coach: Jeff Young

The Jaguars hope to take a big bite out of the state tournament picture this year with all of their starters coming back. Power-hitter supreme Erin Sharpe, a third baseman-pitcher, will lead the way. Last year as a junior she batted .440 with 11 home runs and 12 doubles, driving in 36 runs and scoring 35. On the mound she posted a 5-1 record and 2.44 ERA with 47 strikeouts and 12 walks in just over 57 innings. Sharpe and first baseman Kayla Young both will play for Bellevue University in Omaha, Neb., next year. Young, daughter of the head coach, batted .471 with five home runs, 29 runs and 26 RBIs. Junior Amber Baca will be another key pitcher.