Joe, Phillips participate in softball World Series

Two local softball college athletes thrived on the national stage recently. 

Mayia Joe plays infield for the Mississippi University for Women Owls, and Leia Phillips, plays outfield for the National Champion Copiah Lincoln Wolves. Both student athletes are members of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, both dominate as superior softball players, and both share time with each other during breaks and holidays. 

Mayia and Leia are cousins and grew up like sisters. Playing for Choctaw Central High School, Mayia earned a scholarship at Meridian Community College from which she graduated. Afterward accepting a place on the Owls Team Mayia has proven to be a fabulous asset, on the team’s position as Runner Up in the United States Collegiate Athletic Association Softball Small College World Series. 

This past year Mayia maintained an amazing .309 batting average with 17 RBIs and 1 home run. It took a Penn State team in De Bois, Pennsylvania, to stop this powerhouse Owl Team 10 runs to 9. One week later, further down the east coast in Spartanburg, South Carolina, Leia was generating wins to bring Copiah-Lincoln its first National Championship as the 2023 NJCAA Division II Softball World Series Champions. 

As a first-year student from Choctaw Central High School Leia started as a left fielder and batted a consistent .298 with 9 RBIs and no field errors. Success is common with these two shining student athletes as high grades and high run averages have been the product of hard work and family.