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Wesson – Copiah-Lincoln Community College’s Carlon Brabham and Cera Blanchard received additional postseason honors. The softball pair were named 2021 National Junior College Athletic Association’s (NJCAA) Division II Second Team All-Americans.

Brabham, a sophomore from Amite, Louisiana, led the team in batting average (.449), home runs (18), RBIs (63), hits (61), slugging percentage (.912) and on-base percentage (.506). The Lady Wolves third baseman was second on the team with nine doubles and 20 walks.

Brabham was named Mississippi Association of Community College Conference (MACCC) First Team All-Conference, National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-South Region First Team, and NJCAA All-Region 23

“It is really exciting because it is something me and Cera worked really hard for in the offseason,” Brabham said. “It is nice because the hard work really paid off.”

Blanchard, a freshman pitcher from Metairie, Louisiana, was third in the NJCAA with a 1.55 ERA. She was 15-4 on the season with 16 complete games, 140.1 innings pitched, 138 strikeouts, and 47 walks. At the plate, Blanchard was second on the team with a .470 on-base percentage.

She batted .367 with three home runs, 40 hits, eight doubles and had a .541 slugging percentage. Blanchard was also named Mississippi Association of Community College Conference (MACCC) First Team All-Conference and National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-South Region Second Team, and NJCAA All-Region 23.

“I was excited and I was happy for my team,” Blanchard said. “My team really pushed me and helped me. I knew they always had my back, and they were going to do whatever they could do to help me. It gave me more confidence.”

They did face some challenges along the way. Softball coach Meleah Howard  had a baby in the middle of the season, so the two other coaches Amber Beall and Drake Flowers had to take over, Brabham said.

She said it took some adjustment to get used to.   Coach Howard convinced Brabham to drive past Southwest Mississippi Community College from Amite and go to Co-Lin in her recruitment, she said.

“I chose to go to Co-Lin because of Coach Howard. She came to watch me play a lot, and I really liked her and her family,” Brabham said. “She sounded confident that she was going to put the program back where it was. She did her first year.”

Next year, Brabham will be attending Mississippi College in Clinton.