Madison Love named SFCC softball assistant coach

 State Fair Community College Softball Head Coach Michele Rupard has announced Madison Love as the Roadrunners assistant softball coach. She will serve as the pitching and hitting coach. Love was a standout pitcher and position player at SFCC during the 2018 and 2019 seasons. As a sophomore, Love helped SFCC to a 26-24 record, the best record in the history of the program. 

"Madison is an alumna of SFCC," said Rupard. "I have coached her in the past. I know the values she learned both on and off the field. As soon as I became the head coach, my first call was to Madison. It was important for me to have someone in this position who can control the pitching staff so that I could focus on other aspects of the program." 

Love earned second-team All-Region and first-team All-Conference as a freshman in 2018. She earned first-team All-Region and first-team All-Conference honors as a sophomore. Love also earned Region 16 All-Tournament Team honors and was named National Fastpitch Coaches Association NJCAA Division I Second-Team All-American. As a sophomore, Love finished second in the nation in strikeouts per seven innings with 10.46 and fifth in the nation in strikeouts with 257. 

"I've always wanted to work here since I played here," said Love. "I wanted to learn from the coaching staff here because I had success here as a player. I wanted to come back since this is where I started. I think I can add a pitching background. Coming from Central Methodist I learned a lot from the coaches there. I will be able to use what I learned there to help our pitching staff and our team." 

Love transferred to Central Methodist University (CMU) in Fayette where she earned NFCA NAIA All-Region second-team honors along with Heart of America Conference All-Conference first-team honors, and Heart of America Conference second-team All-Conference honors. In 2021, Love totaled 22 wins with a 1.86 ERA in the circle. 

"Madison brings a lot of competitiveness," said Rupard. "She is one of the hardest working student-athletes to come through State Fair. She carried that on to Central Methodist. She is a good advocate for community college softball. She also possesses a lot of pitching knowledge." 

Love excelled in the classroom earning Academic All-American scholar athlete honors. She earned Dean's List recognition five semesters. 

Love worked in CMU's Athletic Department as a graduate assistant where she gained experience in recruiting camps and pitching and hitting instruction, field preparation, and stats. She has an Associate of Fine Arts from SFCC and a Bachelor's of Science in Exercise Science from CMU and is working toward a Master's of Education in Athletic Administration from CMU. 

David Rohrbach
SFCC Athletics