Former Lady Indian Captures National Title, Another Finishes Runner-up

Chipola College Athletics has been blessed in previous years by seeing countless former student-athletes succeed athletically after they transfer from Chipola.
This year the Chipola Softball team witnessed one of their former players help Simon Fraser University capture the NAIA National Softball Championship and another come within one swing of the bat of capturing a national title for Valdosta State University.
Former Lady Indian, Brittany Mayers, helped lead the Simon Fraser Clan to an improbable national title after losing six of their last eight regular season games.  However, after finishing runner-up in their conference tournament, Simon Fraser University advanced through the championship bracket at the national tournament to defeat Oklahoma City University 4-3 in the final game.
Mayers, a member of the 2009 Chipola Softball Team, started every game for Simon Fraser and had a batting average of .305 with 25 RBIs and 4 homeruns.
Another former Lady Indian that achieved enormous success with her new team was Alyssa Shirey.  Shirey worked effortlessly behind the plate for Valdosta State University to lead them to the NCAA Division II National Championship game.
With her team down 5-4 in the bottom of the seventh inning and one out, Shirey came up with a single to give hope to her team.  Nevertheless, after loading the bases with only one out, opponent Hawaii – Pacific’s defense stepped up to end the game and win the national title by collecting the final two outs.    
Earlier in the week, Shirey was honored by the National Fastpitch Coaches’ Association by being named a First Team All-American and as the Gulf South Conference East Division Player of the Year for 2010.  The senior catch is no stranger to success as this is her second time to make the NFCA’s All-American List as she earned second teams honors in 2009.
Shirey was an NJCAA All-American catcher at Chipola College and was a key member of the 2007 NJCAA National Softball Championship squad.  Shirey batted .416 on the year with 58 RBIs and 20 homeruns.  Her 20 homeruns ranked Shirey at #7 in the NCAA Division II Softball category for homeruns this year.