7 national titles in a row: How this Rockford junior college built a softball dynasty
ROCKFORD — How do you build a dynasty?
Well, just ask 11th-year Rock Valley College softball coach Darin Monroe. His team is about to embark on the postseason in search of its eighth straight NJCAA Division III national championship, so he probably knows.
"It takes a lot of people working towards the same goal," Monroe said, "and it takes a lot of dedication."
But what, specifically, did Monroe and RVC do to build a once-average program into a juggernaut?
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The Golden Eagles, who were 12-18 the year before Monroe showed up in 2012, have now reached 30 wins in softball for the 10th straight season, and they are on a national-title-winning run that is currently unmatched by any other softball program at any other collegiate level. And no other NJCAA softball team has ever won seven national championships in a row.
RVC (39-9), ranked No. 1 in the nation once again at the NJCAA Division III level, looks to be headed toward another. And the entire school will shift to Division II starting next school year, which will add scholarships and other advantages to the mix. That should only make a good thing even better.
"I guess you could say we have a good thing going," Monroe said, smiling. "But it didn't come easy."
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The Golden Eagles are at River Grove for a double-header against Triton starting at noon Saturday to wrap up the regular season, and the Region IV tourney is at Joliet and begins next Friday, and the winner of that will have to win a district tournament the following week to earn a bid to nationals.
But no matter what happens over the next couple of weeks, this is already the epitome of a dynasty. And that not only shows from the wins, but also from the constant flow of strong Rockford-area players into the program, and eventual-four-year-college stars coming out of it.
Ashton Melaas is a former Hononegah star who was the NJCAA D-III National Pitcher of the Year for RVC last year. She is now a starter at D-I Stony Brook in Long Island, New York.
"Coach Monroe and that whole program prepares you for so much more — it's like they're getting you ready for Division I, everyday out there, it's crazy," Melaas said. "He mentally and physically challenges you every day. ... He makes you grow as a player."
While there are lots of moving parts and interchangeable pieces that are key, here are the basics to what Monroe said built the foundation of the Golden Eagles' softball dynasty:
1. Gain community and school support
The college, and the community, has to be the first to buy in, then it will trickle down to the program.
In Rock Valley's case, that's right where it started.
"We've just had incredible support from the administration, the board of trustees, the faculty. It's just been there from the start," said Monroe, now a seven-time NJCAA national coach of the year. "I don't think this happens without that kind of support. It's just not possible without it."
The college's facilities, including the softball diamonds and equipment, are constantly upgraded and updated, which gives it a good look and feel for the community. It also gives it an enticing scene for potential recruits.
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"That visit, when I first got to talk to Coach Monroe and see the facilities and everything they have to offer there, I was pretty much sold," said Maddy Carlson, the former South Beloit and Stateline Fury star who is now 13-6 with a 2.33 ERA for RVC this season. "And when you learn about this program, you just want to be a part of it."
2. Build a strong staff, and recruit
Building a strong staff has been key for Monroe and the RVC program, and one of his best moves has been bringing back two-time All-American and 2022 RVC Athletics Hall of Fame inductee Vivi Marquez.
Marquez joined Monroe as co-head coach of the softball program starting this season. She started out as the hitting and catching coach, as well as being a key cog in the recruiting process.
"A lot of it just comes down to recruiting," said Marquez, the 2015 NJCAA D-III Player of the Year, "and Coach Monroe has built a culture here that kind of sells itself."
Assistant D.J. Johnson has also been on staff for eight years and is an integral part of player development.
"Consistency in the coaching staff is so key," Marquez said. "And it's especially hard at this level."
3. Build it with home-grown kids
Monroe and the Golden Eagles have maintained a locals-first mindset throughout the growth of the program, and it has served them well. The program starts out recruiting in the Rockford area, and it doesn't just look for those softball players that will fall through the cracks.
They want the local stars.
"I wasn't sure where to go at first, but I started talking to Coach Monroe and Coach Marquez, and it clicked," said Kaitlin Stefek, a freshman from North Boone who was named the NJCAA Softball D-III player of the week two weeks ago. "They go after you, and then when you learn about this program, you're crazy not to want to be a part of it."
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This season, the Golden Eagles have seven players that are either from a local high school program or from a conference that includes local teams.
Monroe will often have half his roster filled with local stars. And the area high school coaches have no problem sending their stars his way.
"I don't think you could ask for better attitudes and better leadership for a program like that than what you get at Rock Valley. And the (high school) coaches around here know that," Hononegah's softball coach Dennis McKinney said. "There's not a kid in the area that he doesn't know."
4. Set players up to succeed
Rock Valley has turned into a proving ground for softball players to make themselves into powerful four-year college players. It happens every season.
"They know when they come here that the opportunity to go on and play at a four-year school is definitely there for our athletes," Monroe said. "This is just the beginning, that's our attitude around here. And we want to get them ready for that."
Monroe and his staff have good connections within the softball system, and scouts and coaches at the higher levels now just know to look there.
"They were everywhere; I had a lot to choose from," Melaas said. "They know what they're doing at Rock Valley. They know everybody there is to know in the game."
5. The program expects to win
The Golden Eagles are obviously confident — that comes with winning the way this program has. But junior college players are in for a brief two years, usually, and then gone, which makes building a culture harder.
It's a big part of what they do at RVC, though.
"When you start winning," Belvidere North's softball coach Brian Hilden said, "good kids find you."
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The competitive culture has intensified, and has grown into what it is now at RVC, which is at an elite level. They all expect that to continue over the next couple of weeks to close out this school year, and next year when they shift to Division II.
The groundwork is laid.
"We're a program that does all the little things the right way, and we win the right way," Monroe said. "And we keep winning and winning. ... I think we're going to be doing this for quite awhile over here at Rock Valley. Each group that comes in keeps telling us they don't want to be the ones to see it end.
"It's grown into this, and we want to keep it growing."
Jay Taft is a Rockford Register Star sports reporter. Email him at jtaft@rrstar.com and follow him on Twitter at @JayTaft. Sign up for the Rockford High School newsletter at rrstar.com.
This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Rock Valley College softball dynasty won seven straight NJCAA titles
