As 2025 came to a close, the Hawks reflected back on the past year's success while being hopeful for the future. With new coaches and athletes, Heartland Community College Athletics made National Tournament appearances, with a couple of teams having the chance to come out on top. Each team displayed its best during the season and is prepared to make a statement in its 2026 campaign.
Heartland Baseball, Softball, and Golf took on the start of 2025 as they led the Hawks through the New Year.
Softball saw a fresh start with the Head Coaching Position transitioning to Alabama softball alum, Krystal Goodman. In her first year, she led the Hawks to 18-26-1 record, with a .458 winning percentage in conference. The team accumulated a strong .309 team batting average and is ready to move forward stronger in the upcoming season.
Heartland Golf is led by Head Coach Darrin York, who is in his fourth season leading the Hawks. In the 2025 season, York achieved a record-breaking finish with the Hawks finishing 6th at Nationals after becoming Regional Champions with a 2nd-6th place finish in the 12 tournaments they competed in.
Rounding out the 2025 Spring Schedules was Heartland Baseball, led by Head Coach Chris Razo in his 6th year leading the Hawks. The Region Coach of the Year helped maintain the program's reputation with a winning record of 47-16, going 27-5 in conference play. On the field, the Hawks showed dominance at the plate and on the field as their hitters accumulated a .347 batting average compared to their opponents' .268 BA. On the mound, the pitching staff held their own with a program 5.20 ERA compared to opponents' 9.60 ERA. The team finished the 2025 season as Region 24 and District Champs with another National Tournament appearance in the books.
Fall 0f 2025 was packed with competition as Men's and Women's Cross Country, Men's and Women's Soccer, and Women's Volleyball competed in their seasons.
Men's and Women's Cross Country saw a new Coach at the Helm as Johnathon Nowacki stepped into the position for his first year. With his introduction to the program, he was able to make a statement in their meets and conference match-ups. For the men's team, in their meets, they were able to secure top-10 finishes in their regular-season competitions. Their success led them to their 1st place finish at the Region 24 meet. Finishing out the 2025 season was a trip to Fort Dodge, Iowa, for the NJCAA DII National Meet. Out of 46 teams, the Hawks finished 7th overall with sophomore Aiden Lee leading the charge, finishing 14th.
Another new look on the field was from the Men's and Women's Soccer coach, Luke Babson, who took on the program for his first year. The men's team finished the season 6-9 with a strong presence in the Region tournament. After their 4-0 win to advance to the championship, the Hawks fell short to the Cobras in the tight 0-1 match.
The women's team, on the other hand, made a strong statement throughout the season, going 17-4-1 with Region 24 and District Championship wins to advance to the National tournament. The season of tough opponents and strong competition led them to their final moment of the 2025 season, the National Championship match in Wichita, Kansas, against #2 Northeast Mississippi Community College. Even with their strong performance, the Hawks fell short in the end 1-2, but were able to walk away as the National Runner-Up, concluding a difficult season.
Finishing out the year 2025, the Heartland Volleyball team walked away from their season, making history in the 6-year program. Head Coach Mary Frahm started the program and was able to reach new heights in this season's endeavors. With a 40-4 record, going undefeated in conference, becoming District A Champions for the first time, sweeping 34 matches with set wins coming out to 145-20. It was no surprise that the Hawks came out on top as the NJCAA DII National Champions only dropping one set in the four-match tournament. With their place in history cemented, the Hawks continue to remain resilient and hopeful for future seasons.
With 2026 finally here, the Heartland Hawks hope to continue their strong reputation amongst all sports. The Hawks are ready to take flight into the new year and are prepared to take on opponents by putting their best and strongest foot forward.
