July 1, 2020
East Central Community College head softball coach Leigh White has announced the hiring of former Lady Warrior standout Mahalia Gibson as assistant softball coach.
The Philadelphia native brings impressive credentials as a player to the Lady Warrior team.
“We are thrilled to have Mahalia Gibson join our softball program at East Central Community College,” said White. “Not only was she an extremely talented softball player on the field, but she is a high-character individual who fits perfectly into our team philosophy to positively impact our young ladies as players and as individuals.”
Gibson starred for two seasons at ECCC, where she helped lead the Lady Warriors to a 48-14 record and to the championship game of the 2015 National Junior College Athletic Association Division II Softball National Championship tournament.
That season, Gibson hit .406 with 80 hits, including 24 doubles and 52 RBIs, all team bests. She tied for the team lead in home runs with 11 and had a .971 fielding average. She was named NJCAA Division II First Team All-American, NJCAA Division II Softball National Championship All-Tournament Team, NJCAA Region 23 All-Region Team, and Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges First Team All-State. She was also named an Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar in 2016.
Gibson continued her softball and academic career at Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond, where she became one of the Lions’ most potent hitters. She had numerous multi-hit games, including the matchup against University of Louisiana Monroe, where she went 4-4 with three home runs. Gibson was named All-Louisiana Conference, All-Southland Conference, and Southland Conference Newcomer of the Year.
Following graduation, Gibson spent one year at Pearl River Community College in Poplarville as a graduate assistant and then a volunteer assistant.
Gibson prepped at Oak Grove High School in Hattiesburg, where she was a standout player for the Warriors. She hit .463 her junior year and .458 her senior year. She was named High School Softball Pitcher of the Year for the state of Mississippi in 2013.
Gibson holds an associate’s degree from ECCC, a bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology—Fitness and Human Performance from Southeastern Louisiana University, and is currently working on a master’s degree in Sport Management from the University of Southern Mississippi.
