New GCC athletic director looks for Samsons to be successful

By JASON JUNO

sports@yourdailyglobe.com

Ironwood - With a new athletic director in place, Gogebic Community College is continuing to get coaches in place for its existing programs while planning to add to its offering of sports.

Jennifer Sabourin has been the college's vice president of student services and athletics for a couple of months. Since then, Gogebic has hired a women's basketball coach, Cole Schreiner, and it is looking for a new coach for the softball program and another for the volleyball program it plans to bring back in 2023.

She's looking for success on the court and in the classroom from the Samsons.

"My goal for our teams are to be competitive," Sabourin said. "With continued efforts both academically and athletically, through strategic recruitment, time in the weight room, committed student-athletes who believe in the goals and philosophies of our coaches, I believe we can grow as an athletics program.

"I want our teams to achieve success in the classroom, and in turn, become Academic All-American teams year after year. These successes will help our student-athletes achieve their next-level goals."

She said they are planning to reinstate volleyball in time for the 2023 season. They last fielded a volleyball team in 2018.

"We are currently working to find the right coach to lead our program," Sabourin said. "We want to continue to strengthen and support the programs that we have so we can continue to build a strong reputation across our region and beyond. We are currently analyzing new athletic programs to add in the future."

Mike Boerman resigned as athletic director in August 2020. Men's basketball coach Dennis Mackey filled in as AD until Sabourin was hired.

Mackey will soon enter his 35th year coaching at GCC and his 15th leading the men's hoops team. He gives the athletic department some much-needed stability.

"Coach Dennis Mackey is a leader and valuable asset to our department, institution and community," Sabourin said. "Coach Mackey has the desire to see the youth in our area grow in their love for basketball. This is demonstrated through various summer youth camps. Coach Mackey's strong recruiting background and reputation brings student-athletes from across the country, which benefits not only those on the team and our student population, but our community as well."

Schreiner has started off strong in his recruiting for the women's basketball team since being hired this spring, she said.

They are looking for a softball coach, she said.

The college's esports program has a new coach in place, Adam Little.

"The college is a leader in esports around the country and has hosted the NJCAAE National Championships," Sabourin said. "Our successes thus far have led to greater opportunities for both players and coach to advance in their careers. ... Coach Little is building his roster for the upcoming year, which includes the returning Call of Duty National Champions. Esports allows for students at the Copper Country Center in Houghton and in Ironwood to represent esports."

While there's plenty on her plate, Sabourin is used to being busy. She was a four-sport athlete in high school before leading Indian Hills, a community college in Iowa, to the NJCAA national softball tournament in both of her seasons there. Sabourin, who was a third baseman, catcher and designated hitter. They went a combined 129-12 and she was an All-Region 11 selection both seasons and an All-American as a sophomore.

"The success of our team and dedication in the weight room led to an opportunity to play at Union University in Jackson, Tennessee," Sabourin said.

They won conference and regional titles and they finished third in the NAIA national tournament. They won the National Christian Conference Athletic Association national championship in 2001, when she was selected as an NAIA and NCCAA All-American.

Sabourin went on to coach softball and volleyball. She was an assistant in both for Union for three years. They were the NCCAA national champions in volleyball and softball in 2003-04.

She assisted in both sports at Indian Hills. In 2004, the volleyball team placed third at the NJCAA national tournament.

"During my time as an assistant coach, I helped recruit and train several All-Americans and two Olympians," she said.

In 2007, she was the head coach of the softball team, which finished 42-15.

Also in 2007, she was inducted into the Indian Hills Hall of Fame. She stopped coaching 2010 to focus on being a college administrator.