Bio

Coach Mike Mendenhall

During the 2025 season, Coach Mike Mendenhall led the McCook Community College to a record-setting season, culminating in a top 8 finish in the National Junior College Athletic Association World Series in Yuma, Ariz.

The unranked Lady Indians finished the season 51-11 and went 3-2 in the team’s first-ever trip to the CWS. At Arizona, MCC knocked off 10th ranked Butler, 8th ranked Trinity Valley and second ranked McLennan.

During the regular season the Lady Indians set the school record with 48 wins and claimed the school's second ever Region IX title. MCC went 20-4 in the region and 23-3 in home games at the Jaycees Sports Complex.

At the CWS Banquet in Arizona, Mendenhall was one of 16 coaches (among the 140 Division 1 coaches) who received regional Coach of the Year Awards.

In his third year at MCC, he picked up career-win No. 100 on April 13 when MCC beat Lamar Community College 7-2. In first three years in McCook, Mendenhall’s teams have gone 116-60 – a winning percentage of .659.

Last season, the team claimed the last-ever Nebraska Community College Athletic Conference title sweeping North Platte, Southeast Community College and Central Community College to finish 12-0.

The team finished the regular season fifth in the nation in total runs (520), eighth in total bases (941) and third in stolen bases (205). MCC pitchers struck out 323 hitters, seventh best in the nation.

NINE MEMBERS OF THE TEAM were selected to the 2025 All-Region IX Division 1 team by a vote of the seven region coaches. Kaliyah St. Amand was named Region IX Freshman of the Year and the region's Player of the Year.

Other MCC players named to the All-Region IX first-team include: pitcher Sadie Kahl; catcher Payton Kinsley; infielders Lexi Knapp, Paige Warren, Laila Gutierrez; outfielder Angela Banzet and designated player Rocio Mascorro. Ayana Goodwin was one of five players in the league receiving honorable mention.

McCook placed six players on the Omaha World-Herald’s All-Midlands junior college team. That included St. Amand and Kahl as well as Knapp, Gutierrez and Warren on the infield, and Kinsley at catcher. Banzet, Goodwin and Moscorro received honorable mention status.

Following the season, three Lady Indians were selected to the 2025 National Junior College Athletic Association Division 1 All-America softball team. Gutierrez was named second-team All-American while Kinsley and Warren were picked for the third team.

Four players from the record-setting team signed on to play at four-year schools:
      • Sadie Kahl moves on to the University of Northern Colorado (NCAA-D1)
      • Anna Elliott signed with University of Texas at Tyler (NCAA-D2).
      • Laila Gutierrez will play at William-Penn University (NAIA-D1).
      • Lexi Knapp moves on to York College (NAIA-D1).

In his tenure at MCC, 11 players have moved on to four-year programs.

IN THE CLASSROOM IN 2025, the team earned a 2025 designation from the NJCAA as an Academic Team of the Year with a 3.46 team grade point average.

There were 11 players selected to the one of three NJCAA All-Academic teams for GPAs of 3.6 and higher. Fourteen players were named to the 2024-2025 Academic All-Region IX women’s team.

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.

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.

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