Defending National Champion Lady Wolves Ready for Season

The 2024-25 season saw the Co-Lin Softball team make program and MACCC history becoming the first team ever to finish 27-1 in conference play and winning the MACCC for the second-straight season. The Lady Wolves also made the NJCAA DII Softball National Tournament for the third-straight season and won their second National Championship in the last three years while finishing with a 48-6 overall record.

With a new season as defending champions quickly coming up, head coach Meleah Howard said she and the team are ready for the challenges that lie ahead.

"Obviously, we are ready to run it back this season. We did lose a lot of talent from last year's team, but I think that the talent we have brought in this season will step up to the challenge and our expectations are high," stated Howard. "This year's team is athletic and very versatile, and we have multiple players that can play all over the field. I think this team will show that versatility offensively too because I think we will be able to steal, bunt for a hit, and hit for a home run up and down our lineup. I'm very excited about what this team brings to the table."

The roster for the Lady Wolves features 23 players with all nine returning sophomores from last season and 14 incoming freshmen. The nine returning sophomores were all part of last year's championship team and include Stella Roberts (Raymond), Abby Burnette (Brookhaven), Emilie Williams (Summit), Anna Grace Rice (Greenwood), Brelie Phillips (Conehatta), Maddie West and Noellie Laiche both of Gonzales, LA along with Morgan Chisolm and Addison Lindley both from Madison. Howard says this group has stepped up to the plate as leaders and have the drive to get back to the national tournament this season.

"This group understands how big the target is on us this season because of their experience from last year. They know that every time we play, we are going to get everyone's best game, and they expect that coming into this season," said Howard. "One big thing about this group is that they are not complacent and they don't want to have just one national championship under their belt. They want this team and this group of freshmen to have the same experience they did last season and we are seeing a lot of buy in from our freshmen going into the season."

"Addison Lindley is a pitcher that didn't get a ton of game experience for us last year, but we like what she has shown us this fall along with Maddie West who has shown she will be ready for us when we need her," stated Howard. "This group is a versatile group and some of them are going to see time in other positions than where we saw them at last season. Morgan Chisolm, Stella Roberts, Brelie Phillips, and Abby Burnette are all players that will find themselves in that position of filling a new role at times along with Emilie Williams who looks to take over the second base spot where she has looked really good leading up to the season. Noelle Laiche is our best outfielder, and she is a leader out there for us. She has a cannon for an arm which she showed last season a few times especially in late game situations. Anna Grace Rice has continued to show improvement this fall and leading into the season and continues to do whatever we ask of her, and we like what we have seen from her going into her sophomore season."

The 14 freshmen include Brooklyn Reine (Kentwood, LA), Cadence Sheppard (Hattiesburg), Ahlyana Houston (Summit), Annie Poole (Brookhaven), Bailey Parks (Smithdale), Olivia Higginbotham (Hernando), Ava Browder (Picayune), Katelynn Malone (Bogue Chitto), Landry Loper (Olive Branch), Charmayne Morris (Philadelphia), Emma Foster (Winnsboro, LA), Mady McCrory (Purvis), Lily Crum (Vidalia, LA), and Ayari VanBlaircom (Daphne, AL).

"This group as a whole are extremely athletic and gritty. We have talked to this group about being prepared and how to handle the pressure at the collegiate level and we have to see that you are ready for that day in and day out," said Howard. "Brooklyn Reine is very speedy and brings a lot to the table offensively. Ahlyana Houston is a slapper that has a lot of power in her bat and she will bring a lot of pop to the lineup plus she's a great outfielder. Annie Poole has been swinging the bat really well and she has bought in to what we've been coaching them. Olivia Higginbotham is another big left-handed bat for us that can both slap and hit for power. She is also extremely fast and has been working well in the outfield for us too."

"Ava Browder and Lily Crum are two freshmen pitchers that have really impressed us this fall and we are expecting big things from both of them," added Howard. "Ava came in and had an excellent fall while Lily Crum is a dynamite in a small package type of pitcher. She owns the circle and brings a lot of energy to the team and the field. Mady McCrory brings a lot of pop to our lineup, and we are excited about her possibilities. Ayari VanBlaircom is another one that we are excited about, and she has bought in and shown us that she will play wherever we need her."

"Katelyn Malone, Emma Foster, Landry Loper, and Charmayne Morris all have shown growth and improvement in the fall and leading up to the season which gives us more versatility on the field and in our lineup when we will need them this season," said Howard.

Howard said success for her team and getting back to the national tournament will come down to a few things this season.

"I think this group has to remember that this is a team sport and you have to play as a team and at the end of the day even if you didn't have a great game, but the team won that you have to be happy about that result," stated Howard. "Our players have to remember that when you decide to be a better teammate than they do a better player then we play better as a team. This is something that we are seeing this team buy in to right now and they are working hard on holding each other accountable and lifting each other up when they need it."

The Lady Wolves season starts on the road with four games at the PCB JUCO Showdown in Panama City Beach, Florida on February 6 and 7, with the home opener set for Wednesday, February 18 against Baton Rouge.