Lady Wolves Eyeing Third Straight National Tournament Appearance
The 2024 season saw the Co-Lin Softball team finish 47-7 overall, 26-2 in conference play. For the first time in school history, the Lady Wolves won the regular season MACCC Championship and made the Region 23 Championship earning their second straight NJCAA Division II National Tournament appearance. After losing their first game in Spartanburg, the Lady Wolves fought all the way to a fourth-place finish in the tournament. With the 2025 season quickly approaching, head coach Meleah Howard says she is excited about what her team brings to the field while looking to defend their MACCC crown and get back to the national tournament.
"We are expecting the same thing for this season as we did last season," stated Howard. "We want to win conference again, finish in the top two of the region tournament, and make it to the national tournament again, and I think that we can do all of that."
"We lost a lot of talent from last year's team, but we are returning a lot of experience in the circle and on the field," added Howard. "We are hoping those sophomores that are back will take control and help us get back to where we want to be."
The roster for the 2025 team features 18 players split evenly between nine returning sophomores and nine incoming freshmen. Howard said she likes what that unique attribute of their roster brings to the table for the team.
"I like having nine of each and it makes it easier because it has allowed us to pair a sophomore with a freshman and let them build some accountability with each other," stated Howard. "I also like the balance it provides for our team by not being sophomore or freshman heavy. It gives the girls a greater sense of partnership with each other. We have seen this group work together really well and form a strong bond as a group."
The nine returning sophomores for the Lady Wolves include Olivia Banes (Pelahatchie), Avery Williams (Olive Branch), Emeri Warren (Sebastopol), Kynlee Madere (Lutcher, LA), Emma Kate Fimiano (Petal), Taylor Efferson (Holden, LA), Emily Richarde (Lakeland, TN), Keegan McCorkle (Tyronza, AR), and Carson Hughey (Brookhaven). The nine freshmen are Stella Roberts (Raymond), Abby Burnette (Brookhaven), Noelle Laiche (Gonzales, LA) Emilie Williams (Summit), Anna Grace Rice (Greenwood), Brelie Phillips (Conehatta), Maddie West (Gonzales, LA), Morgan Chisolm (Madison), and Addison Lindley (Madison). Howard said that fans should expect big things from both groups this season.
"I'm really expecting Olivia and Taylor to pick up where Madison Moak and Abby Grace Richardson left off with their power in their bats. Olivia really came on late last season especially in postseason play and she's looking good going into the season while Taylor can really swing the bat well and she had a power display during the national tournament last season we hope carries over," said Howard. "Emily had a very good run in the national tournament including a great game against Parkland and we are hoping she is able to carry that over to this season. Emeri, Carson, and Kynlee are three more players that were in the lineup throughout last season. Keegan started last season as our number two pitcher and this season we're expecting to see some different things out of her including at the plate. Avery came to us as an outfielder/second baseman and we're trying her at a new position this season and she has done great there and at the plate throughout the fall. Emma Kate will give us some time in the circle this season as well as some plate appearances because she also has a strong bat."
"Brelie is going to come in and be impactful for our team. She plays hard and is gritty and hits the ball well. Noelle is extremely versatile for us as we've seen her pitch, play second, and the outfield. Noelle brings a lot to the table with her running ability and hitting. Abby is an absolute beast defensively and is improving offensively on things while Emilie is a similar player who looks great defensively and her hitting has improved since the fall," stated Howard. "Morgan and Stella will be behind the plate, and they have come in and worked hard. We told them that it was going to be a long season and that we would need both of them, so they've done a great job of working together and making each other better. Maddie is a pitcher that can spin it really well while Addison can pitch and play first, and she brings a lot of power to the circle and the plate. Anna Grace is another first baseman for us, and she is a great teammate."
The schedule for the Lady Wolves features eight matchups against preseason ranked opponents in NJCAA Division I and II including No. 4 Northwest Florida State, No. 11 Gulf Coast State (both Division I schools), No. 2 Kirkwood, No. 4 Jones, No. 11 Pearl River, No. 12 LSU-Eunice, No. 22 Kankakee, and No. 23 Lansing. Howard said she likes the challenge this schedule will give her team.
"We are hoping that this season will get to start on time unlike last year and even though we have a long break after our opener it will still be a tough test for our players," said Howard. "It is going to be difficult, and we know that everyone will give us their best game during non-conference and conference play this season. I think the conference play will be tough as always and we will not be able to lose focus against any of our opponents because the conference as a whole has gotten better. Any team can win on any day, so we have to bring it and be ready every time that we take the field."
Howard said success for this season will come down to one thing.
"Success this season will take everyone," stated Howard. "In the past, we might have had a few players that we could rely on to pull us out of a hole when we needed them to, but this season it is going to take one through nine in the lineup whoever that is in that game as well as the whole pitching staff. We might have to change some things up offensively and rely more on speed than power while defensively I know that we will be solid. It will take the whole team and honestly that will be a good thing because then they are all responsible for our success."
The Lady Wolves open the season hosting Reid State Technical College on Saturday, February 1.