Thompson: Season And Championship Are Forever Etched In Memory
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Elena Thompson displays her championship ring she earned as a member of Copiah-Lincoln Community College. softball team. The team won the NJCAA Division II Softball Tournament last May.
The Copiah-Lincoln Community College (Co-Lin) Lady Wolves made school history by winning the NJCAA Division II Softball Tournament last May in Spartanburg, South Carolina. It was the college’s first ever National Championship. For team member and Water Valley native Elena Thompson, the season and championship are forever etched in her memory.
“This team will always hold a special place in my heart,” Thompson shared. “We had an unbreakable bond and it showed on the field,” Thompson told the Herald.
The Lady Wolves were one of two top teams from the NJCAA Region 23 Tournament that qualified for the national tournament in South Carolina. They entered the region tournament as the No. 2 seed behind conference champion Jones College. The Lady Wolves defeated Mississippi Gulf Coast in the first round and Pearl River in the second round. Then they faced Jones College Lady Bobcats who won 10-2, putting the Lady Wolves in the losers bracket.
After defeating Pearl River a second time, the Lady Wolves knew they had to sweep Jones to win the Region 23 Championship. They came out bats blazing for a 9 -5 win and a 9 -2 win to claim the championship and advance to the nationals.
A total of 16 teams advanced to the National Tournament including the Lady Wolves as the fifth seed and the Lady Bobcats as the sixth seed. The Lady Wolves defeated Parkland (IL) in the first game, rallying from behind for the 4-2 victory. This set up a meeting with the previously undefeated Murray State College, who had a 58 game win streak. Their streak ended as the Lady Wolves recorded a 2-1 victory.
The next game would be an all familiar Mississippi winners bracket showdown between Co-Lin and Jones College. The Lady Bobcats handed the Lady Wolves a 5-3 loss, sending them to the losers bracket. The Lady Wolves won their next game and again were in a familiar spot of having to defeat Jones twice to win the championship. After a 10 – 5 win in the first game, the Lady Wolves recorded a shutout against Jones, 7 – 0, cinching the college’s first ever national championship.
“Being a part of this team was an honor and I will cherish the memories forever,” Thompson noted when reflecting on the amazing season months later.
Thompson graduated Phi Theta Kappa from Co-Lin on May 9 and was named Distinguished Academic All-State (3.8-4.0 GPA). She received several scholarship offers to continue her softball career, but chose to take off and work with plans to enroll in Esthetician School in June. The break from the field is well-earned, Thompson has been playing softball since she was eight years old. She played on three travel teams, competing in tournaments across the country. Thompson started playing school ball in the sixth grade at Magnolia Heights in Senatobia. She led her high school team to a MAIS State Championship in 2019. Thompson pitched many no-hitters and recorded a few home runs and was selected to play on the MIAS All-Star team her senior year of high school. Thompson played her first season of collegiate ball at Itawamba Community College before transferring to Co-Lin for her sophomore season.
She is the daughter of Steve and Theresa Thompson and the granddaughter of Charles and Linda Heath, Julia Thompson and the late Jimbo Thompson.
