East Mississippi to introduce women’s golf during upcoming academic year

SCOOBA -- With assistance from the NJCAA Foundation, East Mississippi Community College has announced plans to introduce women's golf to the institution's athletics landscape during the upcoming 2024-25 academic year.

As was supplied two years ago during the reinstatement of the EMCC men's and women's soccer programs on the Scooba campus, the NJCAA's Sport Opportunity Grant will provide $2,000 to assist in the introduction of EMCC's women's golf program. EMCC is set to join Northwest Mississippi and Pearl River as the first three Mississippi Association of Community Colleges Conference members to compete in women's golf beginning this coming fall semester.

Getting set to begin her fourth season as the head coach of the East Mississippi men's golf team, Ashton Maddaloni will additionally serve as women's golf head coach starting with the upcoming academic year. This past season, she guided the Lions to their first district men's tournament team appearance since 2018.  

"We are very grateful to the NJCAA Foundation for this Sport Opportunity Grant, as women's golf is really growing worldwide in popularity," EMCC President Dr. Scott Alsobrooks said. "We're very proud of Ashton (Maddaloni) for the job she has done with our men's golf program, and I'm equally excited to see how our women's program develops and competes under her leadership."

"We are excited to add women's golf to the athletic programs that we currently offer here at East Mississippi," EMCC Director of Athletics Sharon Thompson added. "This opportunity will give young, aspiring female golfers a chance to compete on the collegiate level. We are grateful to once again be a recipient of the NJCAA Sport Opportunity Grant to assist us in adding a women's golf program."    

"Through the NJCAA Sport Opportunity Grant, the NJCAA Foundation is creating opportunities for member colleges to expand and develop sports offerings," stated Brian Luckett, NJCAA Foundation Executive Director. "Athletics at the two-year level continue to grow and progress, resulting in student-athletes being afforded more significant development opportunities athletically and academically."

Prior to taking over East Mississippi's reinstated men's golf program in 2021 following the Lions' three-year hiatus from the links, Maddaloni competed in collegiate golf for six years. After receiving her bachelor's degree in communication/public relations from the University of Louisiana at Monroe in 2019, the Eclectic, Alabama native moved on to earn her master's degree in sports administration at Hattiesburg-based William Carey University. Maddaloni capped her successful collegiate playing career at William Carey as a two-time All-Southern States Athletic Conference performer as well as earning repeat Women's Golf Coaches Association All-American Scholar honors in the classroom.

"I am very excited to have a hand in helping get women's golf started at the community college level in the state of Mississippi," Maddaloni said. "It will be another avenue of opportunity for women's golf, and I am hoping that it encourages growth of the game within the state."

The NJCAA Foundation's Sport Opportunity Grant provides two-year institutions a way to support the addition, growth, and sustainment of NJCAA sports. The NJCAA Sport Opportunity Grant is available for NJCAA member colleges looking to expand sport offerings on their campuses while increasing student-athlete access and achievement. The grant is awarded based on need and allotted funding.

About NJCAA Foundation

The mission of the NJCAA Foundation is to enhance the NJCAA national organization, student-athletes, member colleges and local communities through financial support, scholarships, program initiatives and community service.