MCC Softball recognized at Friday banner recognition

The 2025 McCook Community College softball team was recognized Friday at halftime of the men's basketball game for their historic 2025 season that ended in the "Elite Eight" of the 20-team D1 College World Series Tournament. Two new banner's recognizing the team's achievements were installed atop the rafters in the Peter and Dolores Graff Events Center.

The unranked Lady Indians finished the year 51-11 and went 3-2 in the team's first-ever trip to CWS in Yuma, Ariz.

After an opening-round 4-2 loss to No. 17 Crowder Community College (Neosho, Mo.) MCC was relegated to the consolation round where they upset No. 2 McLennan Community College (Waco, Texas) 11-6. On Day 3, the Lady Indians topped 10th seeded Trinity Valley (Athens, Texas) 8-3 to open the day, then won 6-3 Wednesday night over No. 8 Butler Community College (El Dorado, Kan.). The season came to an end on Day 4 with a 10-2 loss to No. 11 Wallace State Community College.

At the CWS Banquet MCC Coach Mike Mendenhall was one of 16 coaches receiving regional Coach of the Year awards. In his third season at MCC, Mendenhall picked up his 100th career win on April 13.

During the regular season the Lady Indians set the school record with 48 wins and claimed the school's second ever Region IX title.

MCC began the season with 18 games on the road including games in Oklahoma and Kansas before starting the home slate March 12 where MCC eventually won 23 of 25 games at the Jaycees Sports Complex. On March 9 the team went on a 16-game win streak.

The team claimed the last-ever Nebraska Community College Athletic Conference title sweeping North Platte, Southeast Community College and Central Community College to finish 12-0.

Against Region IX teams the Lady Indians won 20 of 24 games to finish first in the standings to claim the regular season championship, earned the top seed and hosted the post-season tournament. At the tournament, MCC went 3-0 beating Trinidad State 10-3, downing Western Nebraska 2-1 in eight innings and earning the CWS berth with a 9-1 win over Western Nebraska in the championship game.

The team finished the regular season fifth in the nation in total runs (520), eighth in total bases (941) and third in stolen bases (205). MCC pitchers struck out 323 hitters, seventh best in the nation.

Nine members of the team were selected to the 2025 All-Region IX Division 1 team by a vote of the seven region coaches.

Kaliyah St. Amand was named Region IX Freshman of the Year and the region's Player of the Year.

In addition to St. Amand, other MCC players named to the All-Region IX first-team include: pitcher Sadie Kahl; catcher Payton Kinsley; infielders Lexi Knapp, Paige Warren, Laila Gutierrez; outfielder Angela Banzet and designated player Rocio Mascorro. Ayana Goodwin was one of five players in the league receiving honorable mention.

FOLLOWING THE SEASON, three Lady Indians were selected to the 2025 National Junior College Athletic Association Division 1 All-America softball team.

Gutierrez was named second-team All-American while Kinsley and Warren were picked for the third team.

Gutierrez, sophomore shortstop from Seminole, Texas finished the year with 75 stolen bases in 60 games, ranking third in the nation in steals. She batted .350 with 18 doubles, four triples, eight home runs and 45 RBIs. She scored 90 runs, which was third most in the nation. She had a .459 on-base average and a .604 slugging average. She is MCC's all-time leader with 122 stolen bases, scoring 165 runs in 114 games. She had 98 career RBIs and 14 homers.

Kinsley, freshman catcher from Didsbury, Alberta, batted .377 in 59 games with 16 doubles, a triple, 21 home runs and 86 RBIs. She was sixth in the nation in homers and 11th in RBIs. She scored 72 runs and stole 14 bases with a .463 on-base average and an .802 slugging percentage. In the Region IX tournament, Kinsley batted .454 with four doubles, a home run and seven RBIs in three games and slugged 1.090. In MCC's five-game run in the College World Series, she batted .438 with four doubles and six RBIs and was named the ESPN+ Player of the game for her three-for-three performance, two doubles and three RBIs in an 8-3 win over No. 8 Trinity Valley.

Warren, freshman third-base/pitcher from (Victoria, British Columbia), batted leadoff most of the season and batted .417 with a .457 on-base average with 90 hits, 89 runs scored, 24 doubles, eight triples, five home runs, 56 RBIs and 52 steals. She ranked fourth in the nation with 89 runs scored, fifth in the nation with her 24 doubles, eighth in hits, 10th in triples and 12th in stolen bases. In the pitching circle, she went 9-1 during the regular season with a 3.16 ERA in 10 appearances striking out 54 hitters in 44 innings.

Four players from the record-setting team signed on to play at four-year schools:
• Sadie Kahl moves on to the University of Northern Colorado (NCAA-D1)
• Anna Elliott signed with University of Texas at Tyler (NCAA-D2).
• Laila Gutierrez will play at William-Penn University (NAIA-D1).
• Lexi Knapp moves on to York College (NAIA-D1).

IN THE CLASSROOM, the team earned a 2025 designation from the NJCAA as an Academic Team of the Year with a 3.46 team grade point average.

There were 11 players selected to the one of three NJCAA All-Academic teams for GPAs of 3.6 and higher: First Team (4.0 GPA): Cassidy Fenske. Second team (3.80-3.99 GPA): Angela Banzet, Haley Emmerson, Peyton Kinsley, Olivia Pollon. Third team (3.60-3.79): Kashlin Beck, Sadie Kahl, Ayana Goodwin, Audrey Reeves, Anna Elliott and Kaylee Smith,

Fourteen players were named to the 2024-2025 Academic All-Region IX women's team including: Angela Banzet, Anna Elliott, Audrey Reeves, Ayana Goodwin, Cassidy Fenske, Haley Emmerson, Kashlin Beck, Kaylee Smith, Kendree Kern, Olivia Moorhead, Olivia Pollon, Payton Kinsley, Peytann Weiland, Sadie Kahl.