Texas A&M Softball Moving All-American Infielder to New Position

The Aggies will have several new faces in the lineup this season.

Texas A&M softball infielder KK Dement is moving to shortstop in 2026. | Texas A&M Athletics

After the 2025 NCAA Tournament’s No. 1-seeded Aggies had a disastrous postseason that left them as the first top overall seed in DI softball history to fail to advance from its own regional, head coach Trisha Ford is rebuilding. 

Although she lost key players like ace Emiley Kennedy, infielder Koko Wooley, outfielder Allie Enright, and utility player Mac Barbara, a mix of veterans still return, along with five strong newcomers from the transfer portal. 

A new group, though, was a learning curve for Ford and her staff. They spent the fall season attempting to figure out which pieces gel where, and concluded that nearly every returning player needed to shift to a new position. 

For All-American KK Dement, this means she’s sliding over from second base to the position she got recruited for, shortstop. 

“We are trying to figure things out, if I am being honest,” Ford said during a press conference. “We have a young team, and we have everybody except for KP (Kennedy Powell) playing in a new spot than they were last year. KK Dement has moved over to shortstop, which is her natural position.” 

Ranked among the best 👍

Position Ranking (SS)
No. 8 KK Dement#GigEm | @SoftbalAmerica pic.twitter.com/UJgFbjA9Cv

— Texas A&M Softball (@AggieSoftball) January 15, 2026

Dement put her name on the map during her rookie season in 2025. She started 58 games, including 50 at second base, and saw eight appearances at shortstop, posting a .969 fielding percentage. 

While her defensive ability was never doubted, her production at the plate was a shocking bonus. She set Texas A&M freshman records with 18 doubles and 64 RBIs, while ranking fourth-most all-time in program history. Additionally, she led the team in doubles, two-out RBIs (27), and her 16 home runs tied for a team-best, while ranking second among the Aggies in slugging percentage (.743), total bases (124), and third in RBIs. 

Her debut performance landed her NFCA Central All-Region First Team and SEC All-Tournament Team accolades. In Softball America’s 2026 preseason Top 100 players, Dement landed at No.67. 

“The team has really meshed well," Ford said in the press conference. “There’s a lot of upside on this team, a lot of athleticism, and they are really connected. This year, it might take us a while to get into our rhythm, but I think by the end of the year, we are going to be in a good rhythm.” 

As for second base, senior transfer Tallen Edwards, the Gold Glove winner at third base last season with Oklahoma State, is expected to take the middle infield alongside Dement. 

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