NACC Softball set to begin its fall exhibition schedule

The Northeast Alabama Community College softball program enjoyed a magical 2026 season, winning the National Junior College Athletic Association Division I national championship in only the program’s second season of existence.

The groundwork for that championship season was laid in part the previous fall when the Mustangs played a challenging exhibition schedule. And now as NACC gears up for the 2027 season, which begins in February, the Mustangs are challenging themselves with another difficult exhibition slate that includes six games against NCAA Division I programs.

“We want to be challenged as much as possible,” said NACC head coach Joe Guthrie, “in order to identify weaknesses and improve them ASAP.”

NACC begins its fall exhibition schedule today at fellow Alabama Community College Conference program Marion Military Institute, which was one of the best ACCC Division II schools last spring. Today’s doubleheader in Marion begins at 1:30 p.m.

The Mustangs finished 56-4 last season and won the ACCC Division I regular-season and conference tournament titles before going 5-0 at the NJCAA Division I World Series, capturing the national championship with a 7-3 win in the finals vs. Temple (Texas) College.

NACC has added 15 newcomers to its 2026-27 roster to go along with a strong group of returning sophomores. The Mustangs’ roster features 14 sophomores and 11 freshmen.

The Mustangs welcome back 10 returners from last year’s team, including All-Americans Addie Edwards, Marti McCluskey and Lorelei Sullivan. Edwards was the ACCC, NJCAA and National Fastpitch Coaches Association Pitcher of the Year after going 34-0 and leading the nation in wins and ERA (1.12) while posting 219 strikeouts in 211 2/3 innings pitched.

McCluskey, who split time between third base and catcher, was the NFCA Player of the Year after batting .429 with 15 home runs and 78 RBIs while Sullivan led the ACCC in batting average (.503) while finishing near the top in that category nationally. The Mustangs also return sophomore Morgan Perkins, who started at shortstop last season and batted .385, as well as pitcher Erin Harrelson, who posted a 12-3 record with an 1.78 ERA and 58 strikeouts in 82 2/3 innings pitched.

Guthrie said the Mustangs’ roster is deep and the competition for playing time will be very competitive.

“We have a talented roster, and nobody on this team should feel comfortable,” Guthrie said. “Every player needs to bring their best attitude and effort each day to create value for themselves and the team.”

After opening the exhibition slate at MMI — Guthrie started the softball program at MMI in 2014 before later coaching at NCAA DI schools UAB as head coach and at Penn State, Louisiana, Bucknell and Texas A&M as an assistant coach — the Mustangs play three consecutive games against SEC teams, visiting Tennessee on Oct. 9, Alabama on Oct. 11 and Auburn on Oct. 17. NACC visits Samford on Oct. 23 and plays at Jacksonville State on Oct. 27 before taking on NCAA Division II program Auburn University-Montgomery (AUM) Oct. 30 at Choccolocco Park in Oxford. The Mustangs close the season Nov. 6 by hosting a doubleheader with UAB at NACC’s Nathaniel Ledbetter Stadium.