Bio

Coach Mike Mendenhall

This is Mike Mendenhall’s third season as MCC softball Coach. He’s guided the Lady Indians to 30-win seasons in both of the previous seasons finishing 31-28 in 2023 and 34-21 last season.

Last season, MCC was one of four Region IX teams that qualified for the post-season tournament under a new format. The third-seeded Lady Indians traveled to La Junta, Colo. to play second seed Otero Junior College where they fell 2-1 in a best-of-three-game series.

Three players were named to the all-Region IX 9 team. Sophomore Ella Covill-Marter and freshman Anna Elliott were named to the first team and freshman Lexi Knapp received honorable mention.

Seven players were named to the NJCAA All-Academic team including Kalyn Jackson, Angela Banzet, Anna Elliott, Sadie Kahl, Kaylee Smith, Ayana Goodwin and Graci Nelson. These seven also earned Region IX All-Academic team honors along with Haylee Anguiano, Brylee Dean, Alexis Knapp and Andie Suhai.

By virtue of the team’s 3.29 GPA, it received NJCAA designation as an Academic Teams of the Year award.

CAREER PATH: Mendenhall is a high school graduate of Laramie High School in Laramie, Wyo., and earned his associate degree from Northeastern Junior College in 2007. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business from Bellevue University in 2010 and earned a master’s degree athletic administration/coaching from Concordia University in Irvine, Calif., in 2011. He also earned a bachelor’s degree in human health and performance/secondary education from Fort Hays State in 2015. 

While at McCook, he coached the McCook American Legion Baseball Seniors from 2012-2016, was a full-time substitute teacher in 2015 and 2016, and also worked for McCook Lettering for four years. From 2010 to 2014, Mendenhall was an assistant coach at MCC for baseball and assistant softball coach in 2016.

He spent a year as a personal fitness teacher at USD 480 in Liberal, Kan., and a year at Cornerstone Christian Academy in Las Vegas, where he taught physical education and was the assistant athletic director.

From 2018-2023 Mendenhall was a high school weight training instructor/physical education teacher as well as head baseball coach, and assistant softball coach at Sterling, Colo., High School.

In addition to his coaching duties as MCC, he also serves as a Success Coach in the Learning Commons.

FORMER ALL-CONFERENCE PLAYER: Mendenhall played baseball for Northeastern Junior College in 2006-2008 and was a first-team all-Region IX player. He went to Doane College and was named to the all-conference team both years.

“Athletics were a huge part of my life growing up and I was lucky enough to earn college scholarships to play baseball,” he said. “I know the expectations for a college athlete are incredibly high.”

In the 14 years since his playing career ended, he said he’s been able to “give back” by coaching baseball and softball. In addition to his summers coaching at McCook, he’s been involved with the youth baseball program in Sterling, serving as president.

FAMILY: Mike is the father of two sons Landry and Maddox and he and his wife Erin have two daughters Faith and Michaela.