Northeast Alabama Community College (NACC) President Dr. David Campbell had a special moment on Mustang Field as he threw out the ceremonial first pitch before the Mustangs' game against the Wallace State Lions on Sunday, March 16, 2025.

The occasion was especially meaningful, as NACC Women’s Softball is a dream turned reality for Dr. Campbell, who has served as the college’s president for 24 years. In the fall of 2022, Northeast administrators submitted the initials plans for the softball program and facility to the Alabama Community College System (ACCS) Board of Trustees. Dr. Campbell was confident in his decision to bring softball to NACC. In 2022, he stated, “Look at the history of women’s softball teams in our area and the success of individuals. We have champions in our area, and we want them to play against the best competition out there.”

After an extensive search, Dr. Campbell hired Joe Guthrie as the first head coach for the Mustang Softball team in the summer of 2023. Coach Guthrie’s impressive resume, recruiting ability, and player development program solidified the decision. Later that summer, NACC broke ground on the state-of-the-art softball facility. Northeast was supported in this project immensely by legislators Speaker of the House of Representatives Nathaniel Ledbetter, Senate Majority Leader Steve Livingston, and Representative Mike Kirkland.

Only three years after the program’s inception, Northeast held its inaugural softball game on Mustang Field at Nathaniel Ledbetter Stadium on February 1, 2025.

Under Dr. Campbell’s leadership, NACC has seen remarkable growth, and the addition of women’s softball is one of the latest milestones. The Mustangs, currently holding a 12-8 record in their inaugural season, continue to make their mark in the ACCC conference.