MUSCLE SHOALS & PHIL CAMPBELL, ALA. – Northwest-Shoals Community College Interim President Dr. Chris Cox announced Tuesday morning the reinstatement of athletic programs at the College. Beginning in fall of 2022, NW-SCC will field men's baseball and women's softball teams.
According to Cox, the College received approval from the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) at their board meeting on Friday (10/22) and is preparing a search to hire coaches for both teams. "This is a really exciting time for Northwest-Shoals, our community, and our high school athletes," said Cox. "As a former coach and community college athlete, I know how special athletics are to a college and its community. Athletics will add a tremendous opportunity for the College to build even stronger bonds and relationships in our community."
Northwest-Shoals Community College Patriots have been without athletic programs since they were suspended in March of 2011. Currently, the College is requesting to be placed on the December Alabama Community College System work session for approval to request bids on upgrades to the baseball and softball facilities. Once approved the college, will initiate the bid process for those renovations. "As I said about a month ago, we plan to have state-of-the-art classrooms, and the baseball and softball facilities will be no different," stated Cox.
The College is preparing a search to hire coaches for both teams. Once onboard, the coaches will focus on recruiting and building their respective programs. "The amount of high school talent we have in this part of the state in baseball and softball is second to none," said Cox. "We have multiple teams in a 50-mile radius that have been state champions in just the past couple years."
NW-SCC will award approximately 24 scholarships for each of the men's baseball and women's softball teams. The scholarships will cover books, tuition, and fees. Prospective student athletes interested in joining the NW-SCC baseball or softball team should complete the athletics scholarship link that will be posted on the College's Financial Aid webpage on November 15, 2021.
NW-SCC will resume its membership with the Alabama Community College Conference (ACCC). "The Alabama Community College Conference is thrilled to have Northwest-Shoals reinstate athletics," stated ACCC Commissioner Dean Myrick. "Northwest-Shoals' valued history in athletics, will only enhance the prestige, and competitiveness of the Conference while setting us on a path to even greater success and notoriety. The opportunities athletics provide to future student athletes are endless, and we can't wait for the success stories of these individuals in years to come. Go Patriots."