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SECTION, Ala. (WHNT) — Another college softball team could be coming to the Tennessee Valley, this time to Northeast Alabama Community College! College officials proposed the plan earlier this week.

College officials say they have submitted plans to establish a women’s softball team at the college and will build a women’s softball stadium on their campus.

As part of the approval process, the college had to submit renderings of the stadium to the Alabama Community College System (ACCS). The proposed stadium is ‘state-of-the-art’ with lights for nighttime games and artificial turf, according to officials.

The renderings were drawn up by the architectural firm of McKee and Associates. (Photo: Northeast Alabama Community College)

School officials say that the stadium is currently set to be built just south of the college’s walking/nature trail which goes around the four-acre lake on campus. The project is estimated to cost around $5.2 million.

“This is a beautiful part of our campus,” NACC Dean of Instruction Chad Gorham said in a statement. “Many people in the area and our students walk the trail daily,” Gorham added that the addition of the softball stadium would create a beautiful recreational area for the college.

The ACCS approval is just the first step of the process. The plan will then go to the ACCS Board of Trustees to show that the college is fiscally capable of adding the softball program and stadium, according to the news release.

The softball stadium would not just be for the college though. NACC officials plan to welcome area high schools to use the stadium for some games if it fits in the schedule. Gorham added that they also hope to host summer softball camps and involve the community in their activities.

“It is our belief that given the popularity of women’s softball in our area and in the state, and given the quality of players that we have in our area, this would be quite a success,” NACC President Dr. David Campbell said in a statement.

If the program and stadium are officially approved, the college would begin the process of hiring a coach and recruiting/signing players. The college would join other community colleges in the Alabama Community College Athletic Association.

College officials say it is difficult to establish an exact timeframe for the beginning of women’s softball at NACC, citing the approval process and construction times. Campbell continued, “I would love to see this all in place in a couple of years, but we will see!”

The college is located in Jackson County just outside of Rainsville. As of August 2022, the college has two sports teams, men’s and women’s golf.