Chapin grad Kristin Fifield enjoying success in final year at GCU

EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — Kristin Fifield has established herself as one of the best softball players to come out of El Paso, Texas.

The Chapin High School graduate has been playing for GCU since 2020 and is currently in her final season of her collegiate career.

Fifield — a three-time All-WAC first team member — is GCU’s DI-era record holder in RBIs (243), all-time career home runs (57), and holds the program’s single-season home run record (21).

Fifield will go down as one of the best to play at GCU, a thought that has crossed her mind as she nears the end of her time at the university.

“Personally, I try not to [think of legacy at GCU], but I have really great teammates, coaches, and family that always reminds me of everything I’ve done and everything I’ve had to had to do to get to where I’m at today and reminding me that the hard work I put in, in the offseason, at home, on my own, is paying off.” Fifield said.

Fifield really came onto the college softball scene in 2023. During her record-breaking year, Fifield hit .346, had 65 hits, 21 home runs, and an .803 slugging percentage. Fifield was named to the NFCA All-Region first team, earned All-WAC first team and All-Defensive team honors, and was named to the two D1 Softball D100 List (#55).

Having a very successful 2023 campaign, with a ton of accolades to show for it, put a pressure on Fifield to make 2024, her final year of collegiate softball, a great year as well. Fifield has dealt with the pressure well and is continuing to ball out for the Lopes.

“All of that definitely adds pressure because I feel I have to uphold those expectations in a sense,” Fifield said. “Definitely had a little bit more pressure, but I just try to remind myself to enjoy the moment and put it all out there and do the best that I can each and every game.”

Right now, Fifield is one of GCU’s top hitters as she has a .353 batting average, has 65 hits, 13 of the being home runs, and has recorded 58 RBIs.

This season will be Fifield’s last of her collegiate softball career and she’s making sure to enjoy every single moment of it.

“It’s really bittersweet and I’m enjoying every second of it,” Fifield said. “It’s crazy to think like it’s coming to an end soon, hopefully not too soon, but it is kind of crazy to think that I’m almost done with my college career.”

Fifield and GCU aren’t done just yet. The 48-11 Lopes won the WAC Tournament and are back in the NCAA regionals. For the third straight year, Fifield and GCU received an automatic bid to the NCAA Los Angeles Regional.

Fifield and GCU will begin the Los Angeles Regional — a four-team, double-elimination tournament — with a game against No. 6 UCLA on Friday.

The game will be streamed on ESPN+, following the regional opener between No. 17 Virginia Tech and San Diego State on ESPN2. GCU has played the other three regional teams in the past year and beat UCLA and Virginia Tech.

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