MCC Softball Signing Day Photo Gallery
With more than 60 people in attendance, the Marshalltown Community College Softball team welcomed six new members to the program for the 2017 season, marking the first full signing class for head coach Garland Shirley.
Shirley indicated a need for change in the atmosphere of the program, and his philosophy was addressed with the incoming class. "Speed is what we are looking for, and this class has that," Shirley stated. "We want to force teams in to mistakes and these six girls that we signed today are fully capable of that."
2017 MCC Softball recruiting class:
Jordyn Achenbach: Madrid, IA; Madrid High School; Pitcher/Outfield; 5'6"
Achenbach on MCC: "I came to visit the campus and Marshalltown just felt right compared to other campuses I went to. I knew coach Shirley when he coached at Van Meter High School and I heard a lot of good things about him so that was a big reason why I chose MCC. I'm looking forward to more vigorous workouts and being more prepared to face better opponents at the college level. My coaches now are really pushing me to do more and be better."
Shirley on Achenbach: "Jordyn will compliment our pitching staff very well. She has several pitches that she can use really well with a lot of movement. She's a power pitcher that can put the ball where she wants it. Along with her solid pitching, Jordyn's a lefty that, offensively, can do some things for us as well that fits our offensive mold."
Emily Alexander: Grimes, IA; Dallas Center-Grimes High School; Second Base/Outfield; 5'4"
Alexander on MCC: "I liked how small Marshalltown is and I liked how close everyone is. I was planning on going to AIB when coach Shirley was there as the assistant and I really liked his coaching style so he was a big reason why I chose MCC. I'm really looking forward to coming here. I've played with two of the other recruits (Jordyn Achenbach and Jasmine Judge) so that helped in my decision."
Shirley on Alexander: "Emily is another lefty with a lot of speed, a good bat, and strong defensive skills. Emily's situation is unique because I began recruiting her when I coached at AIB and when we had the opportunity to get her here at MCC, we jumped because she fits perfectly into our offense."
Lexy Gatewood: Eagle Grove, IA; Clarion-Goldfield-Dows High School; Outfield; 5'4"
Gatewood on MCC: "I really liked the small class sizes and it's far enough from home but still within distance. MCC has a good occupational therapy program and I'm interested in that. Coach Shirley seemed like a really good guy and the girls on the team seem great as well."
Shirley on Gatewood: "Lexy is a player that has had great coaching throughout her career. All you'll ever hear about Lexy is how hard she works and how positive her attitude is. That is something we want in our program. Lexy's athleticism is something we can really use. I don't think we can even see her ceiling yet. With her speed, she can end up anywhere on the field for us."
Jasmine Judge: Marshalltown, IA; Marshalltown High School; Pitcher; 5'4"
Judge on MCC: "I already knew coach Shirley prior to committing here and I really liked his coaching style. I also knew Jordyn (Achenbach) and Emily (Alexander) so those things really drew me here. I think coach Shirley has really turned the MCC program around already and I'm ready to take on the challenge of college competition."
Shirley on Judge: "Jasmine adds a lot of depth to our pitching staff that gives us the luxury of providing a different look in the circle. She can be a number one, a number two, she can provide relief for us. The good thing about Jasmine is she won't be cemented in the circle, she can contribute in other areas across the diamond."
Victoria Noel: New London, IA; New London High School; Outfield; 5'6"
Noel on MCC: "When I came to visit, coach Shirley was very informative and as I toured the campus I just saw more things that really intrigued me. Being comfortable at a college is very important and the girls on the team that I met were awesome. Being from a small town, I really liked that Marshalltown has that small-town feel to it."
Shirley on Noel: "Victoria comes from a solid program. That's always a plus. When a player comes to you from a strong program, they know what a winning atmosphere is. New London went 32-3 last season, so Victoria already has that winning mentality that she can bring to our team. She was one of the top hitters in the program last year (.393 batting average) along with 23 stolen bases, so she really fits what we are looking for here at MCC"
Dion Shirley: Van Meter, IA; Van Meter High School; Second Base/Utility; 5'4"
Shirley on MCC: "I really liked the atmosphere on campus when I came to visit. On my visit, I got to attend a basketball game on campus and it just seemed like a really good fit. I've been playing upper-level softball for a while now but I'm pretty excited to play at the college level."
(Garland) Shirley on (Dion) Shirley: "Another lefty, Dion has plenty of speed to play all positions. She has been an all-state, all-conference, and all-district player at Van Meter who has played on the varsity since the eighth grade. Dion has always had a softball in her hands, and we were looking for that experience. Offensively and defensively, she's strong both ways. She has had some excellent coach under James Flaws and Hillary Pennington and provides plenty of athleticism to our program."
The MCC Softball team opens up the 2016 season at the Early Bird Tournament on Feb. 26 in Rochester, MN.
