MCC Golf Completes Top Ten National Finish

From School Reports

The Meridian Community College golf team completed its 2016 spring season recently with a great postseason run at the NJCAA Division II National Tournament at Swan Lake Resort in Plymouth, IN. The Eagles posted a total four-round team score of 1213 (61-over par) to finish the tournament in eighth place and also had a pair of its players named to the All-American Team.

Clayton Gray was named a Second Team All-American at the conclusion of the tournament, while Grant Reneger was named an Honraoble Mention All-American for the Eagles. Gray earned an All-American selection by placing 16^th among the field and finished the tournament with a four-round total of 293 (5-over par). Reneger was named an Honorable Mention for All-American by firing a four-round total of 296 (8-over par) which was good enough for a tie in 24^th position.

Camden Backel also finished tied for 37^th for the Eagles with a four-round total of 302 (14-over par), while former Lamar star Lance Strickland ended the tournament in a tie for 89^th with a four-round total of 322 (34-over par).

MCC was also honored during the pre-tournament festivities with two of its players being named to the PING All-American Team. Lance Strickland was named a first-team member of the NJCAA Division II PING All-American Team, while Grant Renegar was named a Second Team All-American representative from MCC. Strickland and Renegar were also named to the PING All-Region Team that consisted of players from the Central Region.

MCC head coach Ronnie Key was also named a finalist for the Dave Williams National Coach of the Year Award which is presented by Golf Pride Grips. The Williams Award honors the national coach of the year in NJCAA Division II men’s golf.

The night also included former MCC golf coach Lou Weddington Hart being inducted into the NJCAA Men’s Golf Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Hart is the first ever female member of the NJCAA Men’s Golf Hall of Fame.

MCC Softball Star Named to MACJC All-State Team

From School Reports

The Meridian Community College softball team recently had one of its players named to the prestigious MACJC All-State Team to conclude the 2016 season. Freshman Mycahla Howard was named a member of the 2016 MACJC All-State Team after having a solid first season as a member of the MCC softball team. Howard led MCC in most offensive categories in 2016 as MCC missed the postseason by just one game.

Howard led MCC in home runs with six and finished the 2016 season with a batting average of .375, and was second on the team in RBIs with 26. Howard had 31 singles, seven doubles, one triple, and finished with 19 runs scored. Howard played defensively on the field at third base for the Lady Eagles and played in all 42 games during the 2016 campaign for MCC under the direction of head coach Faith Robinson.

MCC Golf Prepares for National Tournament

From School Reports

The Meridian Community College golf team is in full preparation for its biggest tournament of the season as it is set to compete on the national stage. The Eagles are set to participate in the 2016 NJCAA Division II National Championship Tournament on May 24-27 at Swan Lake Resort in Plymouth, IN. The team will depart for the tournament on Friday and are looking to build on an already stellar record in 2016. MCC played in 11 total tournaments during the season and won four over that span, and most against some of the top competition in the Southeast.

The Eagles will enter the tournament ranked fourth according to the latest Golfstat.com rankings and several of the players on the roster have had a superb season for MCC head coach Ronnie Key. MCC will send four of its players to the National Tournament after finishing second in the Region 23 Tournament earlier this season to Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. The Eagles had four of its players qualify for the National Tournament based on its impressive scoring averages during the conference season and one of those players is from the Meridian area. Freshman Lance Strickland, a former Lamar standout, will lead the Eagles into the national event after claiming the 2016 MACJC Player of the Year Award. Strickland led the way with a 70.38 scoring average in the six MACJC tournaments that he competed in during the season. Strickland is currently ranked third in the nation among all players in the Division II ranks heading into the tournament after winning two tournaments during the season. Strickland was all named to nine All-Tournament Teams in 11 appearances for the Eagles during the season.

Sophomore Grant Renegar (McComb, MS- Parklane Academy) will also look to lead the Eagles to victory and made the MACJC All-State First Team, and is currently ranked 10^th nationally among all players in Division II. Renegar won a pair of tournaments during 2016 and was also named to the All-Tournament Team on eight different occasions. Renegar has a 72.64 scoring average in 11 tournaments this season and qualified for the National Tournament bases on his scoring average this season for the Eagles.

Freshman Camden Backel (Madison, MS- Madison Central) will also look to make a splash at the event after having a solid first year for the MCC golf program. Backel made the MACJC All-State Second Team and is currently ranked 17^th nationally among all Division II players. Backel placed on four All-Tournament Teams during the season and finished with a 73.64 overall scoring average. Backel also qualified for the National Tournament with his strong play at the Region 23 Tournament bases off his scores.

The final member of the MCC golf team to qualify for the National Tournament was sophomore Clayton Gray (Baldwyn, MS- Baldwyn). Gray had a 77.04 scoring average during the season and is ranked 75^th nationally. Gray also qualified for the National Tournament with his strong performance at the Region 23 Tournament.

The MCC golf team also performed well in the classroom to conclude the 2015-2016 academic year by posting a team GPA of 3.38.

MCC Baseball Closes Out 2016 Season

From School Reports

The Meridian Community College Eagles headed into the second day of the 2016 MACJC State Tournament needing a victory to keep its season alive and punch a ticket to the Region 23 Tournament. The Eagles fell in an early 5-0 hole after one inning and couldn't recover to fall at the hands of Northwest Mississippi Community College by a final score of 9-4.

MCC closed out the 2016 season with an overall record of 39-12, while Northwest Mississippi claimed the final spot in the Region 23 Tournament next weekend with the victory.

MCC finished its final game of the season against the Rangers with 10 total hits and were led at the plate by Luke Craig. The freshman first baseman drove in a pair of runs on a pair of singles, while Blake Fields added one RBI on a solo home run. Jaylon Keys knocked in one run on a single and Matt Berler finished with one single. Baylor Obert, Dalton Smith, and Nate Romans each ended the game with one single apiece.

Austin Harrison (6-2) suffered the loss on the mound for the Eagles by only recording two outs in the first inning. Freshman Spencer Price shined out of the MCC bullpen by working five innings and recording seven strikeouts. 

MCC Baseball Prepares for State Tournament

From School Reports

The Meridian Community College baseball team is gearing up for the 2016 MACJC State Tournament that is set to begin on Thursday in Ellisville, MS on the campus of Jones County Junior College. The Eagles advanced to the tournament by defeating Itawamba Community College in a dramatic three-game series over the weekend at Scaggs Field. The Eagles needed a 7-5 victory in the third game of the series with the Indians to advance to this week’s postseason event at JCJC. MCC has enjoyed a great deal of success during the 2016 campaign and will look to build on its already storied baseball tradition this week at the State Tournament.

MCC will enter the tournament as the second seed among the four-team field and will face off against East Central Community College on Thursday afternoon at 2 p.m. in the first round. The Warriors will enter the tournament as the number three seed and should prove to be a tough opening draw for the Eagles. ECCC advanced to the State Tournament after sweeping past Mississippi Gulf Coast in its three-game series in Decatur over the weekend. ECCC swept the series over the Bulldogs on Saturday after a wild 27-21 victory and enter the tournament having won six straight games. The two schools split their regular season meeting back on April 12 with MCC winning 11-4 and the Warriors grabbing a victory by a final of 8-4.

MCC is currently 39-10 entering the tournament and will need at least one victory in the State Tournament to clinch a spot in the Region 23 Tournament which will be played May 19-22. The other first round game on Thursday at the State Tournament will feature Jones County Junior College and Northwest Mississippi Community College which is scheduled for a first pitch of 6 p.m.

MACJC Tournament

Ellisville

Community Bank Park

May 12 games

Game 1, No. 2 Meridian vs. No. 3 East Central, 2 p.m.

Game 2, No. 1 Jones County vs. No. 4 Northwest, 6 p.m.

May 13 games

Game 3, Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2, 2 p.m.

Game 4, Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 6 p.m.

May 14 games

Game 5, Winner Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4, 2 p.m.

Game 6, Winner Game 4 vs. Winner Game 5, 6 p.m.

May 15 game

Game 7, If necessary, 2 p.m