After winning the third most games in program history (39), Head Baseball Coach Craig McMurtry reflects on his team's success and celebrates 15 players as they move on to 4-year schools this Fall.
"The 2020-2021 season was one of my most enjoyable as a head coach. We had a great group of young men that showed up to practice every day ready to work and showed up every game ready to compete. It is a real joy seeing guys working together for the good of the team, pushing each other to be their best, and genuinely caring about each other as individuals and teammates. As a head coach that is always a challenge, especially at a JUCO where there is such a quick turnaround of personnel."
The team's work ethic and determination is reflected in the programs record book as the 2020-2021 team's pitching staff set the school's Single Season Team Strikeout record (434) and the team's offense set the Single Season Team Triples record (32) along with the Single Season Team Stolen Base Record (140). Furthermore, individually players etched their names in the record books as Nathan Medrano and Ulises Quiroga find themselves 9th All-Time in Single Season Wins, Medrano 2nd All-Time in Single Season Strikeouts (86) while Quiroga is 6th All-Time in Single Season Strikeouts (84). Offensively for the 2020-2021 Leopards Seth Stephenson finishes 6th All-Time in Single Season Hits (74), 7th All-Time Single Season Runs (54), 2nd All-Time in Single Season Triples (8), and 5th All-Time in Single Season Stolen Bases. Travis Chestnut will find himself 4th All-Time in Single Season Runs (55) and 3rd All-Time in Single Season Stolen Bases.
Off the field the 2020-2021 Leopards had an impressive year in the classroom as 22 players received NJCAA All-Academic Team honors and the team was ranked 7th nationally amongst all of junior college baseball teams with a team GPA of 3.53.
"With a group this motivated in the classroom and on the field, it is no surprise that we had 15 of our players move on to continue their academic and baseball careers at the university level. Eight players committed to Division I programs (Diego Escobedo-Fernandez, Ulises Quiroga, Charles "Andruw" Gonzales, Maxwell Puls, Sammy Diaz, Seth Stephenson, Nathan Medrano, Brian Shadrick), six to Division II (Jacob Elizondo, Dylan Blomquist, Clay Bradford, Jackson Sioson, Jack Brinley, Cole Payne), and one to NAIA (Raul Aragon). Each one of these guys worked hard to achieve this opportunity and I know they will continue to push themselves to be the best baseball players and quality young men that they can be. They have been great representatives for Temple College, and I wish them nothing but continued success in the future!"
– Coach Craig McMurtry