Bella Holland receives a high five from a coach after hitting a home run against Texas Woman’s University on May 7. Holland hit 21 home runs this year for the West Texas A&M University softball team and helped guide the Lady Buffs to an appearance in the NCAA Division II World Series. Photo courtesy Christian Guerrero / West Texas A&M University
By David Wolman
When it came time for the start of fall practice for the West Texas A&M University softball team, Bella Holland believed that her versatility would give her an advantage.
With five players competing for two starting positions in the outfield – left field and right field – Holland welcomed the challenge.
Having that many people compete made Holland realize that the potential for this year’s team would be great and make the team better. But after all, it was a competition. And with Holland having played in left field, right field and shortstop throughout a standout high school career at Farmersville, she went in with the mindset of winning the starting job.
Holland won the starting job in left field, and it’s a role that she hasn’t relinquished.
Despite being a freshman, Holland, a 2025 graduate of Farmersville High School, played like a veteran. She finished second on the team in batting average (.427), hits (88), home runs (21) and RBIs (63). Holland also went a perfect 11-of-11 in stolen base attempts and drew 34 walks. She’s also a defensive standout for West Texas A&M, having committed three errors on 80 chances for a .963 fielding percentage.
“Going in, my coach changed up a bunch of stuff,” she said. “It was a lot mentally. I just had to mentally mature and not worry about the outcome of the game. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter if you got 4-for-4 with four home runs. If you’re not winning the game, it doesn’t matter. I think just letting loose and humbling myself made me a better athlete.”
Holland’s maturity and offensive production provided a huge spark during what was a breakout season for the Lady Buffs, who made the NCAA Division II World Series for the first time since winning their second national title in program history in 2021.
At the World Series, held May 28-31 in Chattanooga, Tennessee, West Texas A&M played in four games, with three needing extra innings to decide the winner.
The Lady Buffs lost 5-4 to No. 4-ranked Cal State San Marcos in nine innings in the opening round, but they rebounded with back-to-back victories over St. Thomas Aquinas (10-2 in five innings) and No. 5 Missouri Southern (6-3 in nine innings). However, West Texas A&M’s quest for a third national title ended after a 5-4 loss to No. 1-ranked Saint Leo in 10 innings on Sunday, May 31.
Holland, hitting in the leadoff spot in the Lady Buffs’ batting order, finished the World Series with four hits and four RBIs.
West Texas A&M finished the season with a 54-10 record.
“The talent that they had there was unmatched,” she said. “Being able to play those hard and intense games, it’s a completely different focus. Those extra-inning games are fun, in a way. They’re stressful, but they’re so much fun.”
What made her freshman season so fun for Holland was being able to focus on one sport after having to balance softball and volleyball in high school.
Holland also makes sure to balance fun with hard work.
Three days after West Texas A&M concluded play in the World Series, Holland was back in the weight room.
Holland was training with Farmersville alumni Alyssa Smith, Drake Grimes, Ethan Stone, Rendi Fetty at Farmersville High School.
When Fetty, Holland and Smith were lifting, Grimes and Stone were hyping them up. When it came time for Grimes and Stone to lift the weights, Fetty, Holland and Smith yelled words of encouragement.
“You grind together and do all the hard stuff in the weight room, but you still get to joke around,” Holland said. “It is nice having athletes that will push you.”
Holland is already looking forward to her sophomore season. With five players that logged significant playing time for West Texas A&M set to graduate, she is expected to take on a leadership role.
“I took in a bunch of information, tried to be a sponge,” she said. “I’m ready to step into a leadership role and help out the younger players.”
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