Western Nebraska Community College's Courtney Medina became the fifth Cougar off of this year's Region IX championship team to sign to continue her softball playing at the four-year level after inking with Division II Lubbock Christian University, in Lubbock, Texas, on Friday.
"I decided to go to Lubbock Christian because it was a really good feel for me and that was the main thing," she said. "It is a small campus like up here, so class size and academics fit really well. Softball-wise they are a really good team."
Medina's signing to Lubbock Christian puts five Cougars at the Division II level next year. Medina follows in the Andy Hancock (Colorado Mesa), Whitney Fields (Adams State), Christian Bobian (New Mexico Highlands), and Kenzie Sawyer (Dixie State).
Medina said she was looking at some other schools, including Friends University, University of Colorado-Colorado Springs, Newbury College in South Carolina. She is glad to be finished with the recruiting process.
"I don't know who is more excited about that, my dad [Pete] or me," she said. "It is exciting for me to know that I went from one good program to another good program. It is good to know that I committed to a school that has as high accolades as here. I am happy to be done with the recruiting process for sure."
Medina had a standout sophomore season. Medina was named an NFCA third team all-American and earned all-region and all-tournament. The centerfielder finished the season with a .438 batting average with 91 runs scored, 106 hits, 14 doubles, four triples, and 57 stolen bases.
This year's numbers are a reversal from her freshman year when she batted .310 with 37 runs scored, 48 hits, 11 doubles, and four home runs.
The big difference was being switched from a right-handed power hitter to a left-handed slapper. She braced the change with excitement and said she loved the new role as the lead-off, slapping left-handed batter.
"I want to say that it was really hard to switch, but it wasn't, and I kind of sucked at the right side, so I decided to give the left side a try," Medina said. "I love slapping. I really do. I like the fact I can do a lot of different things with it. That is one of the reasons I enjoyed my sophomore year of softball more than any other year that I played softball."
The one thing that made Medina grateful about her two years here what the program accomplished on and off the court. Not only were they the Region IX champions, but they were named an NJCAA academic all-American team earlier this month. Medina said she grew as a person in her two season here.
"It [academic honors] definitely goes to show the kind of program that Coach Winn and Coach Katie [Groves] have in knowing that we can be successful not only on the field but off the field," she said. "We are good people off the field. The fact that they recruit character and players good at their academics and not just people that can just play softball says a lot. You can find ball players anywhere."
The hardest thing for Medina, though, is leaving the people that supported during her two years. That is one of the reasons she decided to make the trip up from her hometown of Ft. Collins, Colorado, to Scottsbluff to sign.
"I look out right now and see all these people from the community and it was a really big deal for me come back and sign because these are the people that shaped and supported me for two years," she said. "Without them I wouldn't be able to go on and play. It is definitely a tough time of knowing that wearing Cougars across my chest is done, but I am glad I got to because not everybody gets the chance to say they played for WNCC and I am happy that I got to. [Moving on] is one of the hardest things knowing that I will be leaving such a great program and people. There is no place like WNCC and replacing all these people."