Athletics Directors never know for sure just how good a pool of candidates is going to be for a job opening. Barton Athletic Director Trevor Rolfs definitely had a good pool for the softball job at the school.
Joel Prickett was selected to take over the softball program at Barton following the resignation of Marc Benjamin at the conclusion of the 2017 season.
Prickett brings a strong resume to Barton, spending 12 season at Odessa College, where the Wranglers made the NJCAA National Tournament six times.
“You never know what the pool is going to be like,” Rolfs said. “Depending on the position, the time of year and everything, you just never know. We had very good pool to pick from and Joel stood out.”
Prickett compiled a 513-262 record at Odessa finishing as high as third in the nation in 2005. He resigned this past fall to focus on his company Quest Hitting in Odessa but is now ready to step back in the dugout and take over the Cougars.
Perhaps the reason for the quality pool is the success of the team in recent years.
Prickett takes over a Barton team that finished last season with a 30-16 record, losing in the loser’s bracket semifinal of the Region VI Tournament. It was the third straight year the Cougars won at least 30 games.
Barton won a school record 51 game the previous season, losing out to eventual National Champion Butler in the Region VI championships game.
In 2015 won the Region VI Championship, advancing to a best 2-of-3 series with Western Nebraska for the right to earn a spot in the NJCAA National Tournament.
Prickett guided the Wranglers to the NJCAA Tournament in 2005 and again in 2006. The school returned in 2009 and 2010 then in 2013 and 2014.
The 2005 team won a school record 52 games on the way to the third place finish nationally.
“We were fortunate to get a candidate of his caliber,” Rolfs said. “I really think as strong as he was on paper, he was even better in the interview process. He is really impressive. I look for good things from our softball program going forward.”