Since his arrival four years ago, RVC Softball Head Coach
Darin Monroe immediately turned his team into the one to beat in the N4C (North Central Community College Conference). Now after winning back-to-back NJCAA (National Junior College Athletic Association) national championships, the Golden Eagles are also the team to beat in the nation.
#1 ranked and #1 seeded RVC defeated #2 Herkimer County Community College for the second day in a row to secure a second straight national championship. After a 2-1 win over Herkimer on Friday night, the Golden Eagles triumphed for the title with a 3-2 win on Saturday afternoon in Rochester, MN.
Jazmyne Sherwood's two-run single in the fourth inning got the scoring started and the Golden Eagles added another run in the fourth. Turns out that's all the runs they would need as RVC let
Morgan Adolph on the mound and the stellar defense behind her take it from there. Although Herkimer plated a run in the fifth and another in the seventh, Adolph and later closer
Katie Starkey would combine to hold the Generals to two runs to secure the championship. Starkey held off Herkimer's threat for more damage in the seventh with a strikeout to end the game with runners on for the Generals.
This was the third straight appearance at the NJCAA tournament and second straight national championship for RVC Softball since Monroe arrived four years ago. In his four seasons he has compiled a record of 156-44, including an astounding 52-5 record this season, establishing a program record.
RVC Softball joins Volleyball (1996, 1997), Golf (2001, 2002), and Women's Basketball (2011-2012, 2012-2013) as RVC athletics programs to have won back-to-back national championships. This is the
15th national championship in RVC Athletics history and the eighth since 2011. Of those eight, seven have been won by women's programs with RVC Men's Basketball (2013-2014) being the only men's championship in the last 13 years for RVC.
NJCAA Tournament Awards: Morgan Adolph (MVP & Most Outstanding Pitcher),
Vivi Marquez (Most Outstanding Offensive Player),
Haley Love (Most Outstanding Defensive Player),
Kaytee Keefe (Marucci Elite Hitter Award), Â
Darin Monroe (Coach of the Tournament)
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