Tag: ECC Falcons softball


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Young Hired as New ECC Softball Coach


August 16, 2024 | Athletics Campus News

A local coach with a state championship to his name is new head coach of the East Central College Falcons Softball team. Grant Young will be replacing Brad Wallach, who led the ECC Softball program for 15 seasons.

Portrait of new ECC Softball Coach, Grant Young
Coach Grant Young

Young has served as the head softball coach at Washington High School for the past two years, a role he will continue while coaching the ECC Softball Falcons. This past season, the Blue Jays finished with a remarkable 37-1-1 record, capturing the Missouri Class 4 state title without a single loss to a Missouri school.

The team was ranked third in the nation in the final National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) poll and was recognized as the top program in Missouri by MaxPreps.com.

Young, a 1996 graduate of Union High School, holds a B.S. in Cell and Molecular Biology from Missouri State University (2000) and an M.S. in Athletic Administration from William Woods University (2007). He and his wife, Julia, have two sons, Kaner and Ryker. Kaner will be attending ECC and playing baseball this year.

Coaching Career

In his three years as a head softball coach, including a year at Neosho High School in Missouri, Young’s teams have achieved an impressive 89-15-1 record. Over the past eight years with the Blue Jay program, serving as both varsity assistant and head coach, his teams have won six Gateway Athletic Conference titles, five district titles, four Final Four finishes, and two state championships (2021 and 2023).

Young was honored as the 2023 MHSFCA Class 4 Coach of the Year and was part of the NFCA Region 1 Zone Coaching Staff of the Year.

Young has also been a varsity basketball coach for the past 23 years, coaching both boys’ and girls’ teams. He has amassed 385 career wins, including seven MSHSAA district titles, two Final Four appearances, and a state championship in 2011 at Purdy. He was recognized as the Girls Basketball MBCA/Sportswriters 2011 Class 2 Coach of the Year.


Student Athletes Recognized Within Region 16


May 25, 2023 | Athletics Campus News

Several East Central College student athletes were recognized for their talent within the National Junior College Athletic Association Region 16.

Taylor Hanger, Pacific, a pitcher in her second year at ECC was named to the all-region first team.

Hanger led the Falcons throughout the regular season and into the post season, playing the last 12 games of the season with a slight fracture in her glove hand. She even pitched some of her best games with the injury, according to Dr. Jay Mehrhoff, ECC athletic director.

“It was difficult for her to swing the bat, but the coaches in NJCAA Region 16 noticed her talent and named her first-team all-region,” he said.

Hanger, a nursing major from Pacific High School, was an NJCAA Academic All-American and the ECC Female Scholar Athlete Scholar Athlete her freshman year at ECC.

“Hanger has had a tough balance in her last semester but has managed to be successful in all aspects of being a student athlete at the intercollegiate level,” Mehrhoff added.

She ended the regular season with a 12-8 record striking out 77 batters. Her grit and determination were not always evident as she would be all business when she was in the circle pitching for the Falcons.

Region Player of the Year

ECC Baseball Falcon Shane Kearbey, O’Fallon, Mo., was named the Region Player of the Year by the NJCAA Region 16 DII coaches’ vote. Kearbey, a left-handed pitcher, had a fantastic regular season going 5-1, pitching 61.1 innings and striking out 68 batters with a 2.39 ERA, Mehrhoff said.

Kearbey graduated from ECC May 13 with an Associate of Arts degree in Business. He graduated from Francis Howell High School in 2021.

Rounding out the first team all-region selections for the Falcons were two outfielders, Luciano Terilli, and Trey Orman.

“Terilli gave opposing batters nightmares with his good glove patrolling center field making spectacular plays,” Mehrhoff said. “His at the plate and defensive approach to the game made him an all-around player.

“Orman had his best season in college leading the Falcons in doubles with 12 and hit 4 home runs driving in 24 runs on the year,” he added.

The NJCAA Region 16 DII All-Defense team included Terilli along with Cameron Leach and Andy Hueste. Leach was a formidable outfielder with his glove and led the team with 22 stolen bases.

Hueste was injured early in the season but found his glove and bat heating up at the end of the season with 24 hits and some great plays from second base and shortstop positions.

ECC selections to second-team all-region were Seth Shannon (.341 batting average), DeVon Jennings (5 home runs), Mario Colombo (.316 batting average), Will DesHotels (2-2, 44 strikeouts), Billy Underwood (2.69 ERA), and Hayden Steelman. All six were starters and contributed to the team’s success throughout the season, both at the plate and from the mound.


#InspiringExcellence – Friend Named to NJCAA All-America Team


June 1, 2016 | Campus News Inspiring Excellence

#InspiringExcellence – Friend Named to NJCAA All-America Team

The National Junior College Athletic Association released the 2016 Division II Softball All-Americans selected by the sport committee.  East Central College softball standout Shelby Friend was named to the Second Team.

The sophomore from Newburg, MO was the starting pitcher in 28 games for the Falcons and recorded 107 strikeouts while compiling a 15-14 record.  At the plate Friend led the Falcons with a .488 batting average.  She had a .542 on base percentage and a slugging percentage of .831.  Her 13 home runs and 52 RBI also topped the team statistics.

Coach Brad Wallach’s team finished the 2016 season with a 28-22 record.

Members of the NJCAA All-America Teams can be found online.