GOLDEN, Colo. – Colorado School of Mines head softball coach Mike Coutts has announced addition of five student-athletes who will join the Orediggers for the 2024-25 season.
 
The class is comprised of an infielder, outfielder, pitcher and a pair of utility players with three student-athletes coming from Texas, one from Missouri and one from nearby Erie.
 
Brooke Gonzales // Infielder // Cypress, Texas // Bridgeland HS
Gonzales comes to Mines after prepping at Bridgeland High School in Cypress, Texas where she was a two-sport letter winner in softball and volleyball. During her career, she was named to the 16-6A Academic All-District Team and was also a four-year honor roll recipient while also being a member of the National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta and the National Society of High School Scholars. She ranks 41st in a class of 853 and carries a 4.0 GPA. On the club circuit, Gonzales plays for the Bombers HTX 18U Dees. She plans to major in Environmental Engineering at Mines.
 
Matix Hull // Pitcher // Erie, Colorado // Erie HS
Hull will join the Orediggers following a decorated career at Erie High School. A two-way standout in the circle and at the plate, Hull posted a career record of 32-8 with a 2.59 ERA and 170 strikeouts over 216 innings, including going 20-2 with a 1.16 ERA during her final two seasons. She also posted a .394 career batting average during her time as a four-year letter winner. Hull helped lead Erie to a Class 5A State runner-up result this fall and helped them repeat as 5A Front Range Regional Champions from 2022 when they also took home a league title. In 2022 Hull was part of a final four squad and in 2021 was a member of an elite eight team. She was the starting pitcher in the 5A All-State Game in 2023 and earned Second Team All-State and First Team All-Conference honors as a senior as well. She also earned Second Team All-State honors as a junior, First Team All-Conference 4A NCAC and First Team All-State as a sophomore and Honorable Mention All-Conference honors as a freshman. On the club tour, she plays for Angels Quimby. A two-time Academic First Team All-State selection who was a four-year Dean's List honoree and AP Scholar who earned an AP Capstone Diploma, Hull plans to major in either Environmental or Chemical Engineering at Mines.
 
Mia Lopez // Outfielder // Houston, Texas // Bellaire HS
A four-year letter winner at Bellaire High School in Houston, Lopez brings a big bat to Golden, owning two of the top 10 records in program history for hits in a season as well as batting average. As a senior, she batted .505 with 56 hits and posted a .504 mark as a sophomore with 58 hits. Also a threat on the bases, Lopez swiped 20 bags in her sophomore season and 13 as a senior. Each of her final three seasons she led her team in batting average and on-base percentage while leading them to the Texas Class 6A semifinals as a junior. Four times in her career she earned All-District honors and was named a First Team selection in each of her final three seasons. On the club level, she has played for Illusions Gold Plocheck and Impact Gold Jazz and in the 2023 season batted .462 while fielding .963. Off the field, Lopez ranks in the top 20% of her graduating class and carries a 3.52 GPA and plans to study Electrical Engineering at Mines. She will be the second member of her family to attend school in Golden, joining her older brother Christian who is a member of the wrestling program.
 
Grace Weiler // Catcher/Utility // Victoria, Texas // Victoria West HS
Weiler will arrive in Golden following a standout career at Victoria West High School in Victoria, Texas where she was a two-sport standout in volleyball and softball. Through three seasons at the prep level, she boasts a .487 career batting average and a .535 slugging percentage while fielding at .987 on the defensive side. As a junior she earned Academic All-District honors and was named District Offensive Player of the Year and Victoria West's Most Valuable Player. Weiler also earned Academic All-District honors as a freshman and sophomore and was an All-District Honorable Mention in 2022 and a First Team All-District Selection in 2021 while also earning All-Area Honorable Mention honors and being the recipient of the team's Heart of a Warrior Award. On the club tour, she plays for the Texas Blaze and earned All-Tournament Second Team honors at the Colorado Sparkler 2022 in the 16U division. Off the field, she sports a 4.0 GPA and ranks fifth in a class of 383. A three-year member of the honor roll and consistent Academic Top 10 Performer, Weiler has received the AP Rural and Small Town Recognition Award from the College Board and plans to major in Chemical Engineering at Mines.
 
Lindy French // Infielder/Catcher // Festus, Missouri // Lutheran South HS
Rounding out this year's class, French will arrive at Mines following a decorated career as a three-sport athlete in softball, basketball and track & field at Lutheran South High School in Saint Louis. On the diamond, French batted .324 as a freshman before posting a breakout sophomore season where she batted .451 with 37 hits, 25 runs, 24 RBI and slugged .622 with a .511 on-base percentage. As a junior and senior, she batted above .400 while slugging .541 and .717 in those seasons with 102 total hits, 68 runs scored and 48 RBI. Over her final three seasons, she struck out just nine times and fielded .967 or better as a junior and senior. Three times French earned First Team All-District and First Team All-Sectional honors while twice being named All-State along with an All-District nod. Twice she served as team captain and as a senior lead LSHS to a district title. An accomplished javelin competitor as well, she broke the school record in the event and went on to finish second in district and fifth at sectionals as a freshman and in both her sophomore and junior seasons reset her own school record, twice winning district titles, placing on the podium at sectionals and inside the top 20 at the state level while also serving as a captain. Off the field, she earned Academic All-State honors all four years of her prep career in each sport she played and earning Academic Honors with Higher Distinction for two years before earning Academic Honors with Highest Distinction two years as well. French ranks in the top 10% of her graduating class and plans to study Environmental Engineering at Mines.
 
 
Fans can keep up with Mines softball on X at @MinesSoftball and on Instagram at @mines_sb. They can also keep up with Colorado School of Mines Athletics all year long on Facebook, X and Instagram using the handle @MinesAthletics.