Avery senior standout softball pitcher Morgan Yackey will be able to continue her softball career beyond the prep level, attending college and playing softball at Muskingum (OH) College.Muskingum, a private, liberal arts Division III College located in New Concord, Ohio, boasts a long heritage of athletics. Muskingum is a member of the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC), one of the oldest conferences in the NCAA.
The Fighting Muskies softball team is led by head coach Donna Newberry, the all-time winningest coach in NCAA Division III history with 858 victories and recent inductee into the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Hall of Fame.
A 10-time OAC Coach of the Year, Newberry has coached at the school for 35 seasons winning 18 conference championships, including a current streak of 11 straight. A total of 14 players have attained All-American status under Newberry’s tenure, and she led the 2001 Muskingum team to a National Championship. Coach Newberry is excited by the prospects of coaching Yackey at the collegiate level.
“I am very pleased that Morgan has chosen Muskingum College to further her education and continue her softball career,” Coach Newberry said regarding Yackey, “She is a good athlete and I believe that she will make a positive impact on our softball program here. I am looking forward to the opportunity to coach her and to help her reach her full potential as a player and as a person."
Morgan is the daughter of Merritt and Sara Yackey of Newland. Both are graduates from Muskingum, where Merritt was a member of the track and field team and was a school record holder in the high jump.
Yackey has an 8-7 pitching record in 86 innings pitched on the mound this season with 86 strikeouts and a 2.16 ERA. Morgan has a .520 batting average and .680 slugging percentage at the plate, with 26 of the team’s 120 hits this season. She has a home run, 12 RBI, and has scored 15 runs.
