"We" is Greater Than "Me"

Mothers are usually right, an annoying fact of life for most children. When Morgan Boyd was 6 years old, her mother had to force her to give softball a try. Guess what? Mom was right – it was love at first practice. A multisport athlete at East Stroudsburg High School South, Boyd always came back to softball.

This year, Boyd was named to the NJCAA Division III Softball All-American team, earning First Team honors at the utility position after batting .379 with 10 doubles, four triples, six home runs, and 40 RBI for the Spartans. She is the fifth All-American selection in NCC softball history and the first since 2013. All-American Team honors recognize outstanding athletes in the sport.

“When I found out I was named an All-American, I was shocked,” says Boyd, who considers hitting back-to-back home runs in the Spartans’ 13-8 win over Penn State Hazelton a season highlight. “Personally, it is a validation of all of my effort and always putting the team before myself. Coach K [Eric Kutteroff, head softball coach] always says ‘WE > ME.’ This recognition reflects not only myself, but the group of girls that I got to play with this season. We all had to work together and push each other to be the best that we can, and I could not have done it without them.”

It was Kutteroff and that group of girls that made Boyd’s decision to play softball for NCC an easy one. Boyd began her college career at a four-year university. Realizing it wasn’t the best fit, she reached out to a friend who also plays at NCC. She requested a meeting with Kutteroff; after spending some time with him and a few of the players in December of last year, she knew right away, making the decision to transfer to NCC that day.

That decision paid off. In addition to the All-American Team honors, Boyd also was named to the All-Region Team for Region 19 along with teammates Hannah Karc ’24 and Cassandra Schillo. The Spartans made it to the Region 19 final four, ending the season ranked eighth in the nation in the NJCAA Division III.

Boyd admits that staying motivated through a long season while maintaining a full course load can be challenging. For a student-athlete, being a student comes first, and she credits her coaches with helping their players balance academics and athletics. For example, she says, coaches plan practices while leaving room in their players’ schedules to focus on their studies. Having the support of her team also makes the tough moments easier to manage.

“Staying motivated as a student-athlete is my biggest challenge,” says Boyd. “Whether in the classroom or on the field, motivation can be hard, especially in the middle of the season. Softball has given me a chance to meet so many great people and make so many memories with them. I look forward to practices and games because I know it will make my day better being around such great people.”

Away from the field, Boyd is pursuing another passion: interior design. Boyd says that she’s always had an eye for art and design. When her family started renovating their home, Boyd helped with choosing wall colors and furniture and even contributed to designing the kitchen. Boyd strives to bring the same excellence to the classroom that she does to the field.

“My classes have taught me a good work ethic, and my professors push me to be the best student possible and make sure that I’m successful,” she says. Boyd plans to transfer to a fouryear school to earn a bachelor’s degree and, hopefully, play softball, before one day earning a master’s degree.