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H. R. No. 48 *HR26/R1710* ~ OFFICIAL ~ N1/2
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To: Rules
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026
By: Representative Mangold
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 48
A RESOLUTION COMMENDING AND CONGRATULATING THE COPIAH-LINCOLN 1
COMMUNITY COLLEGE LADY WOLVES SOFTBALL TEAM AND HEAD COACH MELEAH 2
HOWARD ON WINNING THE 2025 NATIONAL JUNIOR COLLEGE ATHLETIC 3
ASSOCIATION (NJCAA) DIVISION II SOFTBALL WORLD SERIES. 4
WHEREAS, on May 24, 2025, in an unbelievable winner-take-all 5
game that will surely be remembered for years to come, the 6
Copiah-Lincoln Community College Lady Wolves Softball Team 7
astonishingly repeated history by winning, for the second time in 8
just three years, the National Junior College Athletic Association 9
(NJCAA) Division II Softball World Series when the team once again 10
reigned supreme over the Jones County Junior College Lady Bobcats 11
at the championship finals with a 6-4 victory in Oxford, Alabama; 12
and 13
WHEREAS, after winning their first ever National Championship 14
by defeating longtime rival Jones College in 2023, the Lady Wolves 15
finished their 2025 season with a phenomenal 48-6 record, a 16
record-setting 27-1 mark in conference play, and a second 17
consecutive Mississippi Association of Community Colleges 18
Conference Championship after securing their first in 2024; and 19
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WHEREAS, in the World Series double elimination event, Co-Lin 20
pounded Jones College 9-1 in the first matchup of the final two 21
unbeaten teams before the Lady Bobcats handed the Lady Wolves 22
their only loss of the tournament in game one on Saturday with a 23
7-3 win; and 24
WHEREAS, with only 30 minutes for the players to rest and 25
regroup after the first game, the storied rivalry between the Lady 26
Wolves and Lady Bobcats reached fever pitch as the two teams took 27
to the field for the high stakes 71st all-time meeting between the 28
two powerhouse squads in which the Lady Wolves ultimately 29
"experienced the mountaintop of fun" by defeating the Lady Bobcats 30
6-4 yet again, securing another National Championship in just 31
three years; and 32
WHEREAS, several Lady Wolves were recognized at the World 33
Series for their remarkable performances, including Taylor 34
Efferson, who was named Most Valuable Player of the Tournament, 35
and Carson Hughey, Brelie Phillips, Olivia Banes and Kynlee 36
Madere, who were named to the All-Tournament Team; and 37
WHEREAS, the team's success throughout the season would not 38
have been possible without, in Coach Howard's words, "some real 39
grit about them" and the endless training and hard work of each of 40
the following talented student-athletes who comprised the 2025 41
Co-Lin Lady Wolves Softball Team: Olivia Banes, Stella Roberts, 42
Abby Burnette, Noelle Laiche, Avery Williams, Emilie Williams, 43
Anna Grace Rice, Emeri Warren, Brelie Phillips, Kynlee Madere, 44
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Maddie West, Emma Kate Fimiano, Taylor Efferson, Emily Richarde, 45
Morgan Chisolm, Keegan McCorkle, Addison Lindley and Carson 46
Hughey; and 47
WHEREAS, the Lady Wolves have been superbly coached and 48
inspired by Head Coach Meleah Howard and Assistant Coaches Amber 49
Beall and Terry Bauer, who have broadened the players' knowledge 50
of the game and refined their skills in execution; and 51
WHEREAS, in recognition of her tremendous success, Coach 52
Howard, a former Co-Lin standout player now in her eighth season 53
as Head Coach of the Lady Wolves, has been selected for numerous 54
prestigious honors throughout her career, and at the 2025 World 55
Series, she was presented the Coach of the Tournament Award; and 56
WHEREAS, in their tireless dedication, the Lady Wolves have 57
developed a winning, cooperative spirit and a high degree of 58
sportsmanship, and their activities and attitudes, both on the 59
field and off, reflect great credit upon the individual players 60
and their coaches; and 61
WHEREAS, it is the policy of the House of Representatives to 62
recognize and commend the superb accomplishments of Mississippi 63
student-athletes, especially those such as the Copiah-Lincoln 64
Community College Lady Wolves Softball Team, whose excellence on 65
the field and in the classroom bring honor to their school, 66
community and the entire State of Mississippi: 67
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF 68
REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby 69
H. R. No. 48 *HR26/R1710* ~ OFFICIAL ~
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ST: Copiah-Lincoln Community College Lady
Wolves Softball Team; commend on winning 2025
NJCAA Division II World Series.
commend and congratulate the Copiah-Lincoln Community College Lady 70
Wolves Softball Team and Head Coach Meleah Howard on winning the 71
2025 National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division 72
II Softball World Series and extend best wishes to the team and 73
coaches for continued success in all their future endeavors. 74
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be 75
furnished to Head Coach Meleah Howard on behalf of the 76
Copiah-Lincoln Community College Lady Wolves Softball Team and to 77
the members of the Capitol Press Corps. 78