Kirk to retire at the end of 2022 season

FULTON, Miss. – It's every coach's goal to leave their program better than they found it.

Coach Andy Kirk will achieve that goal when and wherever the 2022 softball season ends for Itawamba Community College.

Kirk announced on Wednesday that following the 2022 season, he plans to retire as Indians head coach and from coaching.

"It is a big decision in your life when you move on from a great institution like Itawamba has been to me," said Kirk. "Softball and sports have been so important to me and my family, but the time it takes away from everybody has taken its toll… I'm excited for the next chapter, to move on with my family and spend more time with them, take some vacations, get away from the grind of coaching. My nieces, nephews and grandkids are getting older, and I'm ready to become a fan of theirs."

The Union County native whose career spanned 11 seasons as a college head coach has a 358-121 record. The Indians won the 2012, 13, 14 and 15 North Division championships before the league adopted a 15-team statewide conference in 2016. In the much tougher format, Kirk guided the Indians to two regular season championships and a runner-up finish as well as one conference title and two runners-up.

The 2019 season proved to be the most successful in the program's history. The Indians finished 40-16, won their first-ever conference tournament championship and earned both runner-up status in the region tournament and the program's first-ever appearance in the national tournament.

"Coach Kirk's impact on the softball program will be remembered forever, but his legacy will be the influence he has had in the lives of so many individuals who have been part of the program," said ICC President Dr. Jay Allen. "His career has embodied our goals at the college – being successful in the classroom, winning on the field and preparing our students for life after ICC. We wish Coach Kirk and his family the best of luck in this next chapter of their lives."

Kirk, who is the Indians' all-time winningest softball coach, has taken ICC to both the conference and region tournaments since taking over the program in June of 2011. In his career, 14 student-athletes have earned All-American status, and 21 had the opportunity to continue their education through softball scholarships. Over 130 ICC softball players have earned national academic honors, and nearly 200, conference academic honors under Kirk's tutelage.

"We've had a lot of success here, and received so many accolades," Kirk said. "We've got a great team this year, one of the best to end my career."

No. 4 ICC is currently 20-2 on the season and 6-2 inside conference play. The Indians earned the nation's top ranking on March 7, the first program at ICC to be ranked best in the country.

ICC plans to begin the process of hiring the next head softball coach in the coming weeks.


ICC Achievements

MACJC North Division Championship: 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015
MACJC/MACCC Regular Season Championship: 2018, 2021
MACJC/MACCC Regular Season Runner-Up: 2019
MACJC/MACCC Tournament Championship: 2019
MACJC/MACCC Tournament Runner-Up: 2018
NJCAA Region 23 Tournament Runner-Up: 2019
NJCAA National Tournament Appearance: 2019
Conference Coach of the Year: 2018, 2019, 2021

Through the Years

2012 – 34-13 Overall, 22-2 North Division
2013 – 31-15 Overall, 18-6 North Division
2014 – 37-13 Overall, 21-3 North Division 
2015 – 32-13 Overall, 19-5 North Division
2016 – 39-10 Overall, 22-6 Conference
2017 – 39-14 Overall, 23-5 Conference
2018 – 41-11 Overall, 26-2 Conference
2019 – 40-16 Overall, 23-5 Conference
2020 – 9-5 Overall, 0-2 Conference*
2021 – 36-9 Overall, 25-3 Conference
2022 – 20-2 Overall, 6-2 Conference

* COVID shortened season