The NCAA moved quickly in its response to the growing COVID-19 Pandemic, canceling on March 12 all remaining winter and spring sports championships across all divisions. A day later, the Mountain East Conference halted all spring sports activities indefinitely.
While season-ending tournaments were gone, a glimmer of hope remained to pick up the regular season after a waiting period. Unfortunately for area athletes and coach, no such luck. A week later, the other shoe dropped as the conference announced Friday that all athletics activities are canceled through the end of the academic year.
Baseball, softball and tennis season still in their infancy are no more. The outdoor track season never got a chance to start. Now teams are left to wonder what could have been while seniors are seeing their careers come to an unceremonious end.
Expecting Big Things
West Liberty’s softball team ended the 2019 season on a tear, capturing the MEC North Division Championship, rolling through the MEC Tournament and earning the No. 1 seed to host the Atlantic Region tournament. After an early regional loss, the Hilltoppers rebounded and nearly advanced, finishing as the runner-up.
All but one starter returned for 2020 and reigning MEC Coach of the Year Herb Minch’s team was not only tabbed to win the MEC North again, but also receives votes in the preseason Division II national poll.
Expectations were obviously high. Now? What could have been is mere speculation as the answers will never come. West Liberty got off to a so-so start to the spring, but was showing signs of coming around.
“It was kind of pulled out from under us. Now, it’s what if,” Minch said of the season. “We lost a few games this spring, but it wasn’t a physical component. It was a mental one. We didn’t show up a couple times, which was baffling. But we were getting it figured out and started to play real well.”
Minch admitted that his team was ahead of where it was at the same point in 2019 and he was looking forward to how the season progressed.
A Lost Season
“They took it pretty rough,” Minch said of his players. “We played on that Thursday and we learned between games of our doubleheader that they were shutting us down, but we waited to tell them until after the game. There were tears shed, that’s for sure.”
This was a team loaded to make another run at a conference title. The middle of the lineup was loaded, led by all-region catcher Kat Donzella from Wheeling Park, Wheeling Central infielder Allie Cook and outfielder Katie Beeman, the ‘19 MEC Tournament MVP. In the circle, all-region pitcher Makenzie Amend of Wheeling Park led a dominant staff, joined by Central alum Riley Bennington and Poca’s Taylor Bonnett.
Next Year?
Now all that’s left to do is to turn toward the future and prepare. West Liberty will return nearly every player next season so the club will be talented and experienced. But boasting a roster of 30-player strong, the cancellation of the junior varsity schedule will be detrimental to the younger players looking to get collegiate game-experience in effort to push for playing time next spring.
“We were traveling with about four freshmen on any given trip, but none were starting yet,” Minch said. “That’s not to say they couldn’t start down the road, but it’s a matter of them getting experience. But ultimately, we had a 12-game JV schedule that’s gone. That’s the bigger thing on our end. We have 35 players on this roster and half of them have not played in a varsity game through 15 games.”
The good news is those 15 will redshirt and not lose a year of eligibility.
No Seniors, But Four Players Departing
The Hilltoppers have no seniors on this season’s roster, but they are still losing four players, including three starters when next school year rolls around. All four departing players are juniors who are graduating early.
Sisters Kate and Audrey Meloun are from Birmingham, Alabama. Kate is graduating with an elementary education degree in the fall while Audrey will finish her biology degree this spring and is off to graduate school. Kate serves as the starting right fielder and the Hilltoppers fourth-leading hitter while Audrey is the team’s No. 2 catcher and occasional designated hitter. Kelly Mullins from Mentor is the starting left fielder and Garaway’s Kaitlyn Stress handles first-base duties.
“They all have eligibility remaining, but two are going to grad school and two are ready to enter the workforce,” Minch said.
Moving Forward
Minch and his fellow coaches are currently observing the dead period instituted by the NCAA, so along with the canceled season, he can have no in-person contact or practices with his players. The start of getting back to work is up in the air and is dependent on multiple factors, but Minch isn’t anticipating being able to do anything until at least the summer.
“Hopefully, I’ll see them and get back to it this summer and work on some stuff in a limited capacity, and then get going in the fall.”
The lone silver lining in terms of player health. Minor, nagging injuries plague players throughout the season. The early cancellation will give them time to rest and heal up.
“We had a couple that were physically not beat up, but were experiencing sore shoulders, minor pains, etc.,” Minch said. “They can get it fixed and come back cleared up in the fall.”
