AC Softball Hosting Reunion for 2014 National Champs
In Angelina College’s nearly 60-year history, there has been just one national championship team.
This next week, that same team will celebrate the 10th anniversary of its title with a much-anticipated reunion.
The current Lady ‘Runner softball team will play host to the champs in a reunion ceremony scheduled to begin at noon on Saturday, April 20 at Lady Roadrunner Field. The current AC team is scheduled to play a doubleheader against Blinn College starting at 1 p.m., but those attending the reunion will have plenty of room and time to reminisce about one of the greatest moments in Angelina College Athletics history.
Should weather force game cancellation, the ceremony honoring the 2014 team still will take place inside Shands Gymnasium.
Under coaches Mark and Barbi Mattson, the Lady Roadrunner softball team in 2014 featured just two sophomores on its roster. After a slow start – the group started 1-3 in conference play – merely qualifying for the conference tournament seemed like a longshot. but the team overcame numerous challenges – including airport delays leading to a 39-hour trip just to get to St. George, Utah – on the way to earning their title. They would arrive at the site of the national tournament on just a few hours of sleep (and without having even seen the playing fields).
The 2014 Angelina College Lady Roadrunner softball team poses after winning the national championship in St. George, Utah. The team will hold its 10th-year reunion on Saturday, April 20 at Lady Roadrunner Field on the AC campus. (Gary Stallard/AC Athletics photo)
What transpired was legendary.
AC rallied from a 6-2 deficit to beat a ranked Southern Union College (AL) team 7-6 in extra innings. Next came another extra-inning thriller, with the Lady Roadrunners taking down Jefferson College (MO) team in a walk-off, 4-3 win in nine innings.
Next would come an 8-2 win over Region XIV foe San Jacinto College, followed by a nail-biting 4-2 win over nationally ranked Central Florida College.
The Lady Roadrunners were in the national championship finals, needing one win in two tries to take the title.
Central Florida didn’t make it easy, taking the first game by a 6-2 margin, setting up the winner-take-all match.
AC’s ladies showed no signs of a letdown after the loss, jumping out to an 8-1 lead before taking an 8-5 win.
When the last out settled into shortstop Sage Martinez’s glove, the team didn’t really celebrate. There was a team hug in the pitching circle, but that was about it.
It was as if they were as shocked as the rest of the softball world.
Prospective attendees for the reunion ceremony are asked to contact Sports Information Director Gary Stallard at gstallard@angelina.edu.
Attention East Texas! April 30 is East Texas Giving Day, and we’re rallying support for our Angelina County Chamber Foundation! Your donations directly fuel leadership programs that shape the future of Angelina County. Every contribution counts, no matter the size. Let’s empower our leaders of tomorrow together!
We are donating a percentage of our sales on the weekend of April 20th-21st to support Sabine County Community Partners. Additionally, you can drop off the following items at our winery during this donation weekend: diapers, diaper cream, wipes, hygiene items for all ages, cleaning supplies, school supplies, toys and books for all ages, duffel bags, diaper bags, backpacks, children’s clothing of all sizes, non-perishable snacks and juice, and pack-n-plays. They also accept gift cards to grocery stores or fast food restaurants like Subway or Dairy Queen.
Thank you to Sabine County Community Partners for their invaluable work in supporting our community’s most vulnerable members. Let’s continue to raise awareness and support each other during Child Abuse Awareness Month and beyond. #childabuseawareness
Date/Time Information:
April 20-21, 2024, from 11 am to 6 pm
Come visit the Farmers Market every Saturday year-round 9 AM – 12 PM, we have local produce, artisan bakers, candy makers, and a wide array of custom handmade jewelry, handwoven scarfs, wraps, and more. Local musicians are featured every Saturday morning playing your favorite tunes while you shop.
Please join us next Tuesday for a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Health Center of Southeast Texas SHEPHERD location! We are excited to have them as our members and we support their continued growth and success in their business!
Date/Time Information: Tuesday, April 16th at 11 am
Let your inner artist emerge with our Painting Party! The Art of Grace Studio Jessica Watson Hodges will guide you every step of the way, as you create your own masterpiece.
Wouldn’t this make the perfect Mother’s Day gift idea? Bring your mom, enjoy time together, or paint one for her!
Date/Time Information:
Tuesday, May 7 at 6 pm.
Snacks are provided, and beverages are available for purchase!
Must RSVP to Jessica at 936-300-2691
Angelina College Athletics this week paid tribute to an outgoing coach, welcomed the incoming guy (a familiar face), and watched its baseball and softball teams battling on their respective diamonds.
Oh, and our men’s soccer team got to spend a day with some very special kids.
Here’s a recap of the week, along with upcoming events.
Coleman Honored, McKelvey Takes up the Mantle as Lady Roadrunner Head Coach
Angelina College on Thursday held a brief ceremony honoring the service of Byron Coleman, who led the Lady Roadrunner basketball program as head coach for the past 19 years.
Following Coleman’s tribute, Athletic Director J.J. Montgomery announced the incoming new head coach – a man who’d occupied the seat next to Coleman for several years as an assistant coach.
Randy McKelvey now takes the helm of the program after helping Coleman lead the Lady Roadrunners to some of the program’s biggest moments in history, including the 2019 appearance in the NJCAA Division I Women’s National Tournament in Lubbock. This past season, the duo led the Lady ‘Runners to their first-ever regular-season conference championship.
Roadrunner Baseball Shows ‘Bounce Back’ in Key Series
After dropping a tough 9-5 loss at home to Panola College on Wednesday, the Roadrunners bounced back for a couple of huge road wins Saturday in Carthage.
In the opener, ‘Runner pitcher Gabe LeBlanc went the distance in a 6-2 AC win. LeBlanc scattered five hits while allowing just two earned runs and striking out eight Ponies over his seven innings of work. Sam Hardcastle drove in two runs, and Sean Bazmore, Mason Lampe, Dalton Mullins and Michael Herndon drove in a run each.
In the nightcap, pitchers Ethan Jezierski and Spencer Alexander teamed up to tame the Ponies in a 6-4 Roadrunner win. Jezierski allowed two earned runs over six innings, and Alexander finished off the game with three innings of one-hit baseball. Lampe rocked a solo homer, Hayden Hupe picked up two RBI and Bazemore drove in another run in the win.
The wins proved huge in that they moved AC (15-23, 6-12) to within two games of the fourth-place Ponies for the final playoff spot in the Region XIV North Zone standings. The Roadrunners have nine division games remaining in the season, starting with this week’s three-game series against Tyler Junior College. The teams square off at Poland Field on Wednesday in a single, nine-inning game scheduled for a 1 p.m. start. AC and Tyler then play a doubleheader in Tyler on Saturday starting at noon.
The ‘Runners travel to Wharton on Monday for a non-division game starting at 4 p.m.
Softball Falls to Division Leaders
The Lady Roadrunners on Wednesday hosted Galveston College, which leads Region XIV in homers with a whopping 90 long balls.
The first-place Whitecaps proved those stats aren’t flukes, as they swept the Lady ‘Runners 13-3 and 16-7 at Lady Roadrunner Field.
AC then traveled to Houston on Friday to face second-place San Jacinto College, with the Lady Roadrunners dropping both games by 16-3 and 11-8 scores.
AC (13-33, 3-9) were scheduled to host Alvin College in a doubleheader starting at 2 p.m. Monday at Lady Roadrunner Field, but those games have been postponed because of inclement weather. A makeup date will be announced later.
The Lady ‘Runners will travel to Alvin on Saturday for a twin bill scheduled for a 1 p.m. start.
Soccer Team Lends Hands (and Feet) to Good Cause
The Roadrunner men’s soccer team recently spent a day with some great kids, visiting with TOPSoccer players in Jacksonville for an afternoon of soccer and Easter Egg hunting.
TOPSoccer is a community-based soccer program designed to meet the needs of children with physical and/or mental disabilities.
UPCOMING EVENTS OF NOTE:
Softball National Champions 10-Year Reunion: Yes, 2024 marks the 10th anniversary of Angelina College’s only national title: The Lady Roadrunner Softball team’s 2014 national championship. Current plans include hosting a reunion ceremony tentatively scheduled for Saturday, April 20, when the Lady Roadrunner softball team will host Blinn College in a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m. Current plans include starting the ceremony at noon, but there’ll be more information released soon.
This Week’s Schedule (NOTE: Baseball and softball subject to change with pending inclement weather):
Roadrunner Baseball:
Monday, April 8: AC at Wharton College, single 9-inning game starting at 4 p.m. in Wharton.
Wednesday, April 10: AC vs. Tyler Junior College, single 9-inning game starting at 1 p.m. at Poland Field on the AC campus.
Saturday, April 13: AC at Tyler Junior College, doubleheader starting at noon in Tyler.
Lady Roadrunner Softball:
Monday, April 8: AC vs. Alvin College, DH starting at 2 p.m. at Lady Roadrunner Field on the AC campus.
Saturday, April 13: AC at Alvin College, DH starting at 1 p.m. in Alvin.
For up-to-date information on any potential schedule changes, AC fans can visit the Angelina College Athletics website (www.angelinaathletics.com) or follow on social media (@ACAthletics on X/Twitter, or Angelina College Athletics Facebook page.)
Reminder: Nearly all Angelina College games (even road games) are live-streamed on TSBN Sports. Visit the Angelina College Athletics website (www.angelinaathletics.com), look for the scrolling schedule on the right, and click the blue “Video” link for the game you’re wanting to watch. (If there’s no blue link, that means TSBN isn’t streaming that particular game.)
Angelina College Athletics Presents Check to East Texas Cancer Alliance of Hope
Back in March, Angelina College hosted a “Coaches against Cancer” day that included everything from AC baseball, softball, and basketball games to numerous other activities. The goal: Raising money for cancer awareness.
Cancer survivors Ashley Berry and Daisy Brumley threw out ceremonial first pitches for softball and baseball, and the college hosted several other activities all designed both to honor those affected by the disease and to generate donations from a generous community.
On Tuesday, AC coaches and staff members presented Berry, chairperson of the East Texas Cancer Alliance of Hope, with a check representing those donations.
“It means a lot to have this kind of support,” Berry said. “We’re still a young non-profit organization here in Angelina County, but we’re doing great work. To know that we have community partners backing and supporting us – not just us, but the entire community – and the clients under our care just means so much.”
Berry acknowledged having all those events made it a fun experience with all involved, while also creating even more awareness.
“Our cancer patients are always asking who’s helping us, and knowing that Angelina College is supporting them means those patients in turn are going to come out and support AC.”
AC Athletic Director J.J. Montgomery knew such an event would be meaningful to the Alliance, but seeing all the effort come to fruition through the donation was exciting.
“The biggest thing we try to teach our athletes at AC is giving back to the community,” Montgomery said. “Any way we can help anyone in our community, we’re going to do that.
“I’ve known Ashley for years, and I know her dedication to that organization and how much it means to her. Being able to help really tops it off. Seeing the smile on her face today as she received that check means so much. Having our coaching staff here at AC show they’re so willing to participate shows it’s so much bigger than just the money.”
Montgomery added that the “Coaches against Cancer” event is going to get even bigger over the coming years.
“I think it’s going to continue to grow as we go along,” Montgomery said. “We (the AC staff) have already sat down and discussed some of the things we can do next year to make it even more fun and to get more of the community involved.
“It’s going to be a big deal, and it’s for such a great cause.”
Long-time Assistant Played Role in Program’s Biggest Moments
In searching for its next head coach to fill the vacant seat former Lady Roadrunner head coach Byron Coleman just left behind, Angelina College didn’t have to look too far down the bench.
The seat right next to Coleman was the perfect fit.
AC this week announced that long-time assistant Randy McKelvey now will take on the role as the Lady ‘Runners’ main man – a role for which McKelvey has been preparing for years.
Randy McKelvey address the crowd during Wednesday’s ceremony at Angelina College. AC this week named McKelvey, a long-time assistant to Byron Coleman, the new head coach of the Lady Roadrunner basketball program. (Gary Stallard/AC Athletics photo)
“To God be the Glory,” McKelvey said. “This really came out of nowhere. I didn’t expect it (Coleman’s resignation), especially with the run we had this year. But when he told me about his decision, I told him I was ready, and he agreed.
“From that point, I was already getting into ‘go mode’ in recruiting and building on the success we’ve had together the past 10 years.”
Angelina College’s Randy McKelvey (right) celebrates with Byron Coleman following the Lady Roadrunners’ 2019 Region XIV Conference Tournament win in Shreveport. McKelvey this week was named head coach of the Lady ‘Runner program. (Gary Stallard/AC Athletics photo)
McKelvey and Coleman worked together off-and-on for the past decade going back to when Coleman offered his protégé a position as a volunteer assistant. The tandem combined for some of the Lady Roadrunner basketball program’s biggest moments, including the 2019 conference tournament championship, which led to the program’s first-ever appearance in the NJCAA Division I National Tournament. For his efforts, McKelvey was named the 2019 Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Assistant Coach of the Year.
McKelvey, a Lufkin native, also was instrumental in recruiting Natasha Mack, who left Angelina College with numerous program records and a status as the only Lady Roadrunner ever drafted into the WNBA.
All that success, according to McKelvey, doesn’t necessarily translate into personal pressure.
“Honestly, there’s no pressure,” McKelvey said. “I want to keep showing up every day doing the best I can do, and I know Coach Coleman will be close to me. He’s such a good friend, and we’ll be connected forever. I know I’ll be able to ping things off of him as far as my ideas and what he’s seeing, things of that nature.”
As for the differences in their approaches to coaching, McKelvey said there may be a few elements he’ll implement himself, but otherwise, he’s going to go with what he’s learned from sitting next to Coleman.
“So many of the things he taught certainly will be part of what I teach,” McKelvey said. “We’ll definitely work to be a fast-paced team just like we’ve always had, and while there may be a few things I do differently, Byron’s approach has been too successful to ignore.
“The main thing is to make sure our kids come in ready to work hard. We’ve got our motto ready for next year: ‘Work and Win.’”
McKelvey added much of what he learned from his mentor didn’t have anything to do with game strategy.
“The first thing Byron told me way back when I started as a volunteer assistant was that coaching is the easy part,” McKelvey said. “The hard part is managing the student-athletes, which takes up even more of your focus. This was my first coaching job, and from the beginning I saw what he was talking about. I’ve had so many individual conversations with so many kids, and the flexibility Byron gave me to mentor these kids is going to help me take these players where we want to be as a program.”
Mostly, McKelvey said, he wants to continue to focus on the individual player as a whole: From student-athlete to successful member of a community.
“Of course, we want to win, but the main goal will always be to get these kids graduated and walking across the stage and letting them take a piece of the Angelina College legacy into their lives,” McKelvey said. “I tell them all this is just a chapter in their books, and I want to do my part in being a positive role model for them in a way that will carry on long after they leave school.”
LUFKIN – You know that feeling of boredom behind the wheel. So bored that you just can’t help but pick up your phone. You look down at it or read a text, right up to the moment your car is airborne at 70 miles per hour.
During Distracted Driving Awareness Month TxDOT is reminding everyone to stay focused behind the wheel with the Talk. Text. Crash. safety campaign. During April each year, TxDOT reminds drivers to put their phones down. The good news – you are listening. TxDOT statistics showed an 18 percent reduction in the number of fatalities last year. But we don’t think it’s enough.
In 2023, there were 94,330 traffic crashes involving distracted driving statewide, resulting in 399 fatalities and 2,793 serious injuries. In 2022, there were 95,830 crashes involving distracted driving statewide, resulting in 487 fatalities and 2,822 serious injuries.
In the nine-county Lufkin District, there were 549 crashes involving distracted driving. Those crashes resulted in six deaths and 47 serious injuries.
Looking at a text or watching a video is not important. You remaining safe in a vehicle is very important to your family and friends, and helping you stay safe on the roadways is important to TxDOT.
“Any loss of life is tragic but imagine killing or seriously injuring someone else because you thought you could text and drive at the same time,” said TxDOT Executive Director Marc Williams. “When you’re behind the wheel, you need to focus on only one thing: driving. Looking at your phone, eating or adjusting your music can wait until you’re safely parked.”
It’s important to remember that texting while driving is also a crime. If someone is caught reading, writing, or sending a text while driving in Texas, they can face a fine of up to $200. Many cities have outlawed any use of a handheld device while driving.
TxDOT urges drivers to put their phones away and remember these tips to stay safe:
Give driving your full attention — any distraction is dangerous, whether it’s your phone or anything that takes your eyes or your mind off the road.
Put down the phone — turn it off or use your phone’s settings to block texts and calls while driving.
Pull over — come to a complete stop before you use your phone, eat, or do anything that interferes with driving.
Make sure you tell your friends, family, and coworkers that you won’t respond to texts or calls while driving.
TxDOT’s Talk. Text. Crash. distracted driving awareness campaign is a key component of #EndTheStreakTX, a broader social media and word-of-mouth effort that encourages drivers to make safe choices behind the wheel to help end the streak of daily deaths. Nov. 7, 2000, was the last deathless day on Texas roadways.
The information presented represents reportable data collected from the Texas Peace Officer’s Crash Report (CR-3). It was received and processed by the department as of February 6, 2024.
