PROVO, Utah — BYU softball freshmen Kaiya Fabela and Rita Tavita were named to Softball America’s Freshman Watch List, the outlet announced Monday morning.
The duo were two of 33 Big 12 freshmen selected to the list.
Fabela, who was also named to D1Softball's D100 Freshman Watch List, was a three-time District 6-4A Catcher of the Year and a three-time all-area selection by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Dallas Morning News and DFW Metroplex.
The 5-foot-9 Fort Worth, Texas, native was also named all-state by the Texas Sports Writers Association and the Texas Girls Coaches Association and earned a spot on the Extra Inning Softball Class of 2025 Top 20 list.
Tavita, the 2024-25 Utah Gatorade Player of the Year, captured a state championship at West Jordan High School during her senior season. A three-time all-state and all-region honoree, she batted .557 with 41 RBIs and 15 home runs in 2025.
In the circle, the 5-foot-10 Salt Lake City native posted a 6-1 record with a 1.56 ERA as a senior. Over two seasons at West Jordan, Tavita recorded a 1.95 ERA with 230 strikeouts across 187 innings pitched.
BYU opens the 2026 season at the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Clearwater, Florida, on Thursday, Feb. 5.
The full Freshman Watch List is available on Softball America’s website.