ODESSA, Texas (April 30, 2025) – Junior shortstop Keri Sanford of The University of Texas Permian Basin softball team has been named Third-Team All-Lone Star Conference for the 2025 season.

Sanford started in all 52 of her games played this season (51 at shortstop; 1 in left field), made the second-most starts on the team, and hit in the leadoff spot in the Falcons' lineup in 50 games. Sanford led the Falcons with a .371 batting average and also led in at bats (167), runs scored (31), hits (62), triples (5), total bases (77), slugging percentage (.461), on-base percentage (.413), and stolen bases (11-for-11). As the team's starting shortstop, Sanford was second on the team with 183 chances, was first with 74 assists (33 more than the next player), and helped turn five double plays.

Sanford set a new career-high in games played, games started, batting average, at bats, runs, triples, home runs (1), runs batted in (14), slugging percentage, walks (12), on-base percentage, sacrifice bunts (3), putouts (86) and assists. She had a 10-game hitting streak to open the season, had 19-multi hit games, posted three four-hit performances, and scored at least two runs in a game nine times. In the Lone Star Conference, Sanford ranked eighth in triples, 16th in hits, 17th in at bats, 20th in stolen bases and 25th in batting average.

Sanford was named UTPB's Edgardo Madrid & Associates Women's Student-Athlete of the Month for February after hitting .452 while also leading the team in runs scored (18), hits (28) and triples (3) during the first month of the season. She had 10 multi-hit games during the month, including two 4-for-4 efforts. She also had six games in which she scored at least two runs, including five runs in one game (Feb. 11 at Southwest). Sanford ranked in the top-10 in the Lone Star Conference in batting average, hits and triples during the opening month of the season.

During UTPB's opening-day sweep of Schreiner University (Jan. 31), Sanford finished game one 2-for-4 with two RBI's and two runs scored and was 3-for-4 with two runs scored in game two, making her a combined 5-for-8 with four runs scored and three RBI's from the top spot in the lineup during Opening Day. During the four opening-weekend games, Sanford hit .615 (8-13) and led the team in hits (8), runs scored (8), total bases (10) and stolen bases (3-3). Sanford also finished 4-for-4 with five runs scored and hit her fist-career home run with a three-run home run to left field in a 16-5 game-one win at the University of the Southwest (Feb. 11). Sanford would again go 4-for-4 with two triples and two runs scored in a game against Texas Woman's University (Feb. 16) during the opening weekend of LSC action. Lastly, Sanford was a combined 5-for-8 during UTPB's home sweep over Sul Ross State University (Apr. 6), and was 3-for-7 with three runs scored during the final series of the season against Western New Mexico University (Apr. 27).

In 2023, Sanford became the first Falcon to be recognized on the Lone Star Conference All-Freshman Team.