McNabb signs early with Northern Colorado, looking forward to sophomore season at WNCC

It is hard to think about playing softball when there is five inches of snow on the ground and the temperature is barely above freezing. But for Western Nebraska Community College sophomore Jessie McNabb, her softball thoughts have continued through the winter months in trying to figure out a college choice after this year.

Well, the shortstop from Davidson, Saskatchewan, Canada, didn’t look far as she inked with Division I the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley.

“I choose Northern Colorado because it is not that farther from home and I still can drive to school,” McNabb said. “Also, my parents still can come and see me as well as I like the coaches a lot.”

McNabb had tons of colleges trying to land WNCC’s talented infielder, who earned all-region honors last year as a freshman while setting four school records. McNabb had looks from West Virginia Wesleyan, Wingate University, as well as other schools in North Carolina, South Carolina, Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota.

McNabb could have held out until after the season to sign, hoping for a bigger school, but she was satisfied with UNC. Plus, with that decision out of her mind, she can concentrate on her sophomore season at WNCC.

“I am glad it is done with because now I can focus on my playing,” she said about signing early. “I was actually talking to the coaches and they seemed really nice and told me that if I work hard, I should get to play.”

UNC, a smaller Division I university, finished last season with a 10-39 record. This season, the Bears play many top Division I teams, including four games against Nebraska. UNC will also host WNCC on April 8 in a doubleheader.

Besides McNabb, UNC coach Jennifer Schunke also announced three other signings. They include Erin Geddis of Mead, Colo., and Alexandra Neely and Erin Wilkinson of Windsor, Colo.

Schunke is pleased to get an athlete of McNabb’s talents in her program.

“Jessie will bring some maturity to our program next year," said Schunke. "She is a leader in all that she does; she just does so very quietly. She was a tremendous find for us and we can't wait to have her here."

WNCC coach Maria Winn-Ratliff expects McNabb to contribute to the Bears’ team.

“She is very versatile and she will be an impact player for them next year,” she said. “She is very coachable. She is a good kid, good student and she will be missed when she leaves. I hope she has another year [this spring] like she had last year.”

At WNCC last season, McNabb set the school records for most doubles in a season (23), most RBIs in a season (61), career doubles (23) and career triples (9). The 5-foot-6 Region IX academic all-American also batted .522 on the season (second best all-time) and finished with 57 singles and six home runs. She also scored 62 runs for the 36-21 Cougars.

McNabb said that she didn’t know what to expect during her freshman year as far as her hitting success, but is pleased with the outcome.

“The records just came,” she said. “I really wasn’t looking at breaking anything. It just happened. Hopefully I can do it again this year.”

But one of the reasons for McNabb’s success is because of Winn-Ratliffs’ softball knowledge and her willingness to help her players succeed off and on the field.

“She is the one that got me in contact with all the schools,” she said. “She also told me about these schools and coaches. The UNC coach is one of her friends.”

Winn-Ratliff said that she has made great strides in her year and a half here so far.

“Defensively, when she came here we looked at her as being a third baseman and then we moved her to shortstop,” she said. “Offensively, she could hit before she came here, but since coming here she has learned from our hitting style and has improved her offense.”

McNabb is grateful for Winn-Ratliff’s help in improving her softball skills.

“I have improved them [softball skills] a lot,” she said. “I have never been taught how to hit before or do anything. I came here and she taught me to hit her way and it seems to be working.”

McNabb also never dreamed of playing Division I softball while playing in Canada. Now, she said it is a bonus to coming to WNCC.

McNabb is the second player in two years to sign with a Division I college. Last year, Jessica Ventoza signed with the University of Washington. In Winn-Ratliff’s three seasons at WNCC, McNabb will be the 10^th player to go on to play college softball at a four-year university.

McNabb and the rest of her Cougar team will begin practicing for the spring season when they come back to classes Jan. 14. WNCC’s first contests are slated for Feb. 7-10 when they travel to Texas for games. One of McNabb’s goals this year is to bring home a regional title to Scottsbluff.

“It will take a lot of teamwork and everybody coming together to work as a team,” she said.

Last season the Cougar team came within one game of bringing home the regional title, falling to Otero Junior College in the if necessary game of the regional tournament. McNabb said that success is a good sign for this year.

“It was nice to beat them at regionals and it is a big bonus for this year knowing that we are capable of beating them,” she said. “We just have to play good.”