After contacting every junior college coach in the nation, conducting extensive research, and measuring the top junior college programs, we are very happy to recognize the first JUCO Hot 100. 

Many of these sophomores will go on to play at four-year universities and will likely be key contributors for high- or mid-major programs in 2019. Strong and competitive at their respective positions, these talented athletes hailed from all over the country.

Big thanks to Jennifer McKibben and AthPro360 for their research to create the first JUCO Hot 100. Recognizing the talent and hard work of junior college athletes who continue to improve the quality of softball is a privilege and an honor.

10 | Kaleigh Wynne, P/IF | Chattanooga State

A returning third-team NJCAA All-American for head coach Blythe Golden, the uncommitted Wynne is a stud in the box and on the mound. Throwing up to the mid-60s, she racked up 163 strikeouts in 149 innings pitched with a 20-5 record and 1.78 ERA as a freshman, leading the Tigers to a regional championship and a berth to the NJCAA World Series. In 2018, she is batting .491 with 15 home runs, 20 doubles, and 67 RBIs. In the circle, she is averaging close to 9 Ks per game with a 20-2 record and 1.53 ERA. Currently riding a 34-game winning streak, Chattanooga State will lean on Wynne’s maturity and strong competitive fire to get the Tigers back to Utah in May.

9 | Jaydee Boursaw, C | Yavapai (Lindsey Wilson Univ.)

The Vallejo, CA, native burst onto the college scene in a big way leading the NJCAA in long balls (32) her freshman year as well as compiling 101 RBIs, third in the country. A first-team NFCA All-American and Arizona Community College Athletic Conference Player of the Year, Boursaw is well on her way to more postseason accolades, as she’s racked up an NJCAA D1 second-best 27 home runs and 81 RBIs. Meanwhile, Boursaw and her Roughriders teammates are looking to earn their way back to the NJCAA Championships after a fourth-place finish in 2016.  

8 | Kenzie Young, OF | Butler

If you want production at the next level, look no further than Butler Community College, which has sent 10 players to NCAA Division I programs in the past two years (five to Power Five conference programs). Kenzie Young is the next player being groomed for the next level. After earning All-American honors and setting a new Butler record for runs scored (90) as a freshman, Young is powering the way for the back-to-back national champs. Her game is speed (68 runs scored, 37 stolen bases, seven triples) and power (14 home runs, 60 RBIs) all while being a remarkably tough out (five strikeouts in 125 at-bats) with high-level instincts in the outfield. Wrapping up conference play with a 28-0 record, the NJCAA fourth-ranked Grizzlies (44-4) are going to be difficult to get past as they look for their third NJCAA Division I Championship in a row. 

7 | Sydney McCollum, IF | Cypress College (Long Beach State)

A 2017 California Community College All-American, McCollum was the perfect fit for Brad Picklers’ 48-0 Cal state champions last year. The middle infielder transferred in the spring of her freshman year from St. John’s University in New York. In addition to her All-American honors, McCollum was named the Orange Empire Conference Most Valuable Player after finishing the year with a .432 average, 49 RBIs, 28 stolen bases, and 19 doubles. Even though the Chargers saw their 62-game winning streak end earlier this season, they have since successfully defended their OEC title and are well on their way for a trip to the state championships, with McCollum leading the way. The star shortstop decided to stay on the West Coast and has committed to play for Long Beach State University next season. 

6 | Dalilah Barrera, P | Temple (Texas State)

There may be pitchers littered throughout the Hot 100 who had better accolades as freshmen, but you would hard-pressed to find one who has taken her game to another level like Dalilah Barrera. Complementing her pitches on both strengths and finesse on the mound, so far in 2018, she has posted a 16-1 record and 0.82 ERA, averaging 11.80 strikeouts per game. On February 26, she recorded every out of Temple's game vs. Northeast Texas CC by strikeout. Last season, Barrera received second-team all-conference honors after finishing the year with a record of 16-4, 1.44 ERA, and 218 strikeouts while tallying six saves and holding opponents to a .156 batting average. 

It feels so real now! Can’t wait to start that new chapter of my life soon.. AGTG ??? pic.twitter.com/AkVdvxpvQF

— Dalilah Barrera (@Dalilah1833) November 16, 2017

Signed to Texas State University, Barrera will be mentored by Bobcats pitching coach Cat Osterman next season. But first, Barrera will team up with fellow sophomore Karina Sanchez in the hunt to lead the NJCAA No. 3-ranked Leopards back to St. George.

5 | Morgan Goree, P | Chipola College (Univ. of West Georgia)

Very few colleges on any level are lucky enough to have two high-caliber pitchers on the same team, but at the junior college level, it’s virtually unheard of. Part of the 1-2 punch for Chipola, Goree is another ace paired alongside No. 1 player Krystal Goodman. Touching 62-63 mph, Goree mixes a variety of pitches that she can throw at three different speeds. Her command and ability to control speeds are what make Goree special and a dangerous counterpart to the flame-throwing Goodman. Sporting a 48-2 record (20-0 this season) in her two years, Goree averages close to eight strikeouts per game with an NJCAA DI second-best 0.39 ERA. This small-town Georgia girl had many NCAA Division I programs calling, but chose to head home and commit to Division II University of West Georgia.  

4 | Evelyn Loyola, C | Howard College

Loyola does her fair share of damage at the plate, but it’s her skills behind the plate that sets her apart. Named 2017 NFCA Diamond Catcher of Year, she throws out 50 percent of runners and has only one error to her name. Also named NFCA First-Team All-American, the 6-footer hit 20 home runs with 67 RBIs while holding a .423 batting average last year. With Howard ranked 13th in the country and on verge of postseason play, Loyola is bound to receive plenty of looks in the next month.

3 | Lauren Tycksen, OF | Salt Lake CC (UNLV)

You want tough? When most players are worried about school, a social life, and softball, Tycksen battled thyroid cancer to start her 2018 season. A returning first-team All-American for the always potent Bruins, Tycksen is picking up where she left off, hitting .462 with a .527 on-base percentage, swiping 41 bases, and leading the Bruins with 66 runs scored. The dynamic lefty has only four strikeouts in 145 at-bats and patrols the outfield for one of the best junior college programs in the country. It's been a remarkable year so far for the now cancer-free Tycksen, who will play for UNLV coach Kristie Fox and the Rebels next season.

2 | Molly Jacobsen, P | Des Moines Area (Ole Miss)

Jacobsen is a 5-foot-7 southpaw from Adel, Iowa, who racked up numerous awards following her freshman season, including NJCAA First-Team All-American honors. In her sophomore year, she is a perfect 17-0 for the NJCAA DII top-ranked Bears, who sit at 34-0 overall.  In 101.1 innings pitched, she has given up just three earned runs for a microscopic 0.21 ERA. Jacobsen has recorded 193 strikeouts for an average of just over 13 per game, and she is in a league of her own with only nine walks all year. Boasting a career record of 42-4, she is inching closer to 500 career strikeouts. Des Moines Area, like most of the top programs, has former players littered across the country, including seven former players playing at the Division I level this year. It’s no surprise that Jacobsen added to that legacy by signing with the University of Mississippi.

1 | Krystal Goodman, P | Chipola College (Univ. of Alabama)

Towering 6-foot-1 pitcher Krystal Goodman throws in the upper 60s with the ability to touch 70 mph. From Long Beach, Mississippi, Goodman is a powerful force on the mound. For Goodman, she didn’t imagine junior college would be her path. Before Chipola, she posted test scores and grades good enough for most Ivy League schools. Unfortunately, after she asked for a walk-on spot at two in-state DI universities, that path did not pan out. 

After receiving a tip from a friend in the softball community, Chipola associate head coach Jimmy Hendrix booked a trip to a small USAF tournament in Alabama. Goodman and the Indians found out that a whole lot of faith and luck go a long way. Humble and gracious of the gift she has been given, Goodman goes about her business on the mound without drama or fanfare.

Her freshman year at Chipola was showered with accolades: Conference Pitcher of the Year, first-team all-state, and first-team All-American after posting a 25-1 record with 214 strikeouts and a .061 ERA.

Fast forward to 2018, Goodman and counterpart Morgan Goree have led the Indians to a 46-1 record and NJCAA No. 2 national ranking. Goodman is 19-1 with 15 complete games and a 0.48 ERA with 184 strikeouts. Though she still will steadily throw in the upper 60s, she has also learned to command a good off-speed and use all planes of the plate more efficiently than ever before.

Because of her growth and faith in the process, top NCAA Division I programs flocked to the scene and she had plenty of choices for four-year universities. Coming from a family of Ole Miss graduates and supporters, no one saw it coming on signing day when she chose to yell “Roll Tide” instead of “Hotty Toddy.” 

After a stressful recruiting experience, there is no pitcher more deserving than Goodman, who only had one other junior college scholarship offer coming out of high school. With another Conference Pitcher of the Year plaque under her belt in 2018 and a sure bet for a second All-American nod, let’s see if Goodman can finish her fairy-tale ending by helping bring Chipola home its first national championship since 2015.