JUCO softball: IHCC's 2023 schedule released
Jan. 1—OTTUMWA — The Indian Hills softball team has announced its upcoming 2023 schedule as head coach Lindsay Diehl is set to open up her fifth season at the helm of the Warrior program. The Warriors are coming off a 46-10 campaign that included the program's seventh consecutive National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division I softball region XI championship.
The Warriors are set to open up the season on Feb. 23 at the home of the NJCAA Division I National Softball Tournament, Choccolocco Park in Oxford, Alabama. The season-opening tournament, dubbed the NJCAA National Preview, features 21 teams from across the nation, including perennial powerhouse programs from Florida, Texas and Tennessee. The Warriors will be the lone team from the state of Iowa to compete in the premiere event.
The early portion of the season will see road trips to Chattanooga State Community College (TN), Jefferson College (MO), and St. Charles Community College (MO). The Warriors will then take part in the Midwest Bash hosted by Wabash Valley Community College Mar. 10-12 in Evansville, Indiana. The tournament will feature a number of junior college teams throughout the Midwest, taking on the likes of Danville Area Community College (IL), Kankakee Community College (IL), Heartland Community College (IL), Three Rivers Community College (MO), Hocking College (OH) and Jefferson.
The road stretch continues throughout March for the Warriors with trips to Sedalia, Missouri to take on State Fair Community College and Overland Park, Kansas to face off with Johnson County Community College. Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC) play gets underway Mar. 25-26 with a four-game series with Iowa Western Community College. Under Diehl, the Warriors have boasted a 70-14 (.833) conference record over the previous four seasons.
The home slate opens up Apr. 1 with a four-game series against Rock Valley Community College at R.L. Hellyer Softball Field. In total, the Warriors will play 14 consecutive home dates in the first 12 days of April, including eight conference matchups.
The Warriors' home schedule concludes Apr. 29-30 with a four-game conference series vs. Southeastern Community College while the regular season campaign wraps up May 2 with a doubleheader at Kirkwood Community College.
This year's NJCAA Region XI Tournament will be held May 5-7 in Council Bluffs, hosted by Iowa Western, while the NJCAA Midwest District Championship will be held May 12-13. The 2023 NJCAA National Tournament will get underway May 23 in Oxford, Alabama.
