HANCEVILLE – A trip to the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division I softball national championship game for the third consecutive season has yielded another award for the Wallace State Community College softball program.
Wallace State’s coaching staff was recently named the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) NJCAA Division I National Coaching Staff of the Year.
Head Coach Jayne Clem and assistant Tracy Grindrod guided Wallace State to a 62-9 record and a national runner-up finish for the second year in a row, adding to the school’s 2008 national championship.
Clem and Grindrod earn the distinction for the second time in three seasons, also winning it in 2008.
“You have to have great players to make good coaches. The players buy into what we do and put in many hours to get us to the level we are at,” Clem said. “Tracy is awesome to work with and does a great job. Our program couldn’t be at this level without him.”
At the conclusion of the Alabama Community College Conference (ACCC) Region 22 Tournament in May, Clem was named the ACCC Coach of the Year for the ninth time in 11 seasons.
Clem collected her 500th career victory this season, picking up the milestone in late February. She has a career record of 550-139 at Wallace State.
Under Clem and Grindrod, Wallace State has won six ACCC Region 22 Tournament state titles, including the last four.
Wallace State also placed three players on the NFCA Louisville Slugger/NFCA All-American team.
Lefty ace Kelsey Dennis (31-1 record, 0.69 ERA), shortstop Saige Wright (.327 average, 43 steals) and outfielder Katie Pierce (.333 average, 16 runs, 16 stolen bases) were named to the first team.
Dennis was named a NJCAA 1st-Team All-American last month, while Wright was a third-team selection.
For more information about Wallace State softball, visit wallacestate.edu or wscsoftball.com.
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Russell Moore
Staff Writer
Wallace State Community College
P.O. Box 2000, Hanceville, AL 35077
1-866-350-9722 Direct line: 256-352-8443
256-352-8314 fax
Visit us online at www.wallacestate.edu
ACCC STATS
Cassie Daniels