New Mexico Suncats softball recognizes record number of college commits

The members of the New Mexico Suncats softball organization who will attend college next season were feted at a ceremony Tuesday.

In a news release, the Suncats said the 26 players — all seniors in high school — who have committed to playing softball at colleges or universities, or who have earned academic scholarships, was a "record number of commits for any NM club softball organization ever."

The Suncats, which began as NM Fusion in 2010, is a nonprofit organization that sponsors traveling club teams. The Suncats are now comprised of 11 teams of various age groups, including two teams that compete at the Under-18 age level.

"We very seldom play in state," said Lydia Lucero, an organizer of Tuesday's ceremony. "We play in national tournaments."

According to the Suncats, 22 players have signed on to play softball beyond high school, and although most have committed to a specific school, a few are still deciding which school's offer to accept. The Suncats also recognized four players who will attend universities on academic scholarships.