LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Three programs each from National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division I and II were voted ATEC/NFCA NJCAA Regional Coaching Staffs of the Year, the Association announced on Wednesday.
Three of the top-four ranked programs - No. 4 Temple College (Midwest), No. 2 Northwest Florida State College (South) and No. 1 McLennan Community College (West) – in the regular season represent NJCAA DI. RV Lansing Community College in the East, No. 1 Parkland College in the Midwest and No. 13 Hinds Community College in the South earned NJCAA DII honors.
Temple College, No. 4 in the final regular-season poll, has posted a 49-11 overall record and 25-7 in North Texas Junior College Athletic Conference play. The Leopards earned an at-large bid to the NJCAA Division I Softball World Series. Under the direction of head coach Kadie Berlin-George, along with Matt Blackburn and Maurice Zeleski, the Leopards have a top-10 offense, which is ranked second in doubles (151), fifth in batting average (.410), ninth in triples (25) and 10th in home runs (86).
Holding the No. 2 ranking all season, Northwest Florida State opened 2024 21-0, one of three win streaks of 15 or more games this season. Head coach Andy Lee and assistant coach Natalie Erwin have directed the Raiders to a 55-4 record and a Florida College System Activities Association (FCSAA) regular season title (19-1). Additionally, NWF is perfect at home (23-0) and captured the NJCAA South Atlantic District B title which earned it an automatic bid to the DI World Series.
Top-ranked McLennan has had a firm grip on the No. 1 ranking all season as it started 44-0 and is currently 57-2. Head coach Chris Berry, along with assistants Jessica Smith and Rhein Carmichael, have steered the Highlanders to a Region V crown and an automatic bid to the DI World Series. McLennan boasted one of the top offenses in the country, ranked first in triples (57), total bases (1193) and extra base hits (276) and second in runs scored (62), base hits (694), batting average (.441), on-base percentage (.52)) and slugging percentage (.758). They also are ranked second in shutouts (23), third in opponents’ batting average and fourth in ERA (1.95) and WHIP (1.07).
McLennan, Northwest Florida State and Temple are the No. 1, 3 and 5 overall seeds at the DI World Series, May 20-25 in Oxford, Ala.
Lansing Community College has posted a 41-16 record and 27-3 in Michigan Community College Athletic Association (MCCAA). Head coach Marc Kibby and assistant coaches Bill Cross, Janet Hengebach and Miakoda Confield guided the Stars to a MCCAA Western Division title, winning the division by seven games. Lansing also posted the top overall record in the league, accumulating 14 more wins than the next closest program.
Under the direction of co-head coaches Kristi and Dan Paulson, along with 2021 Easton/NFCA NJCAA DII Assistant Coach of the Year Stacey Birdsong, Parkland has been a dominant force in NJCAA DII this season. After starting the season 2-2 (both defeats to DI programs), the Rattlers have gone to win 55 of their final 57 games as they head into the NJCAA DII Softball World Series, May 20-23 in Spartanburg, S.C., as the tournament’s No. 1 overall seed. Parkland is 57-4 overall (19-0 at home) and 23-1 in the Mid-West Athletic Conference, winning both the Region 24 and Central District championships.
The Hinds Community College staff of head coach Mike Crzanich with assistants John Plummer, Megan Robinson and Madison Monson, are overseeing a major turnaround in 2024. After a nine-win 2023 campaign and 31 victories over the last two seasons, the Lady Eagles hold a 32-16 overall record and are the No. 13-ranked team in NJCAA DII and have been a mainstay in the polls since April 1. The 32 victories are most since 2008 when Hinds was under the direction of previously-mentioned NWF head coach Andy Lee.
All three of the NJCAA DI winners, along with Parkland in NJCAA DII will be vying for a national championship in their respective divisions.
To be eligible, the program’s head coach must be an NFCA member and winners were voted by member head coaches in each of their respective regions. The National Coaching Staff of the Year will be announced on June 5 following the conclusion of the 2024 NJCAA Division I & II Softball World Series.
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