Barton elevated on MGCCC Softball staff

PERKINSTON — When Mississippi Gulf Coast softball coach Eric Neel was looking to hire a new assistant coach, that person was easy to identify and she was just as eager to say yes.

Danielle Barton, a former Harrison Central star with MACJC playing and coaching experience, will be elevated from part-time to full-time status on the staff. She and Neel led the Bulldogs to a 14-0 record and No. 2 national ranking when the 2020 season was shut down by the COVID-19 pandemic.

"It was an easy no-brainer. As soon as he asked me, I jumped on it," she said. "Coach Neel restored my passion this past season, and I'm grateful for that. I am learning so much while working under Coach Neel. I am thankful to have found a home where I can grow and do what I love. I feel like my purpose is to love and serve. With this awesome platform, I am able to do just that. I'm looking forward to this opportunity."

She has already used her experience as a pitcher to mentor the Bulldog pitchers and catchers, who put together a 2.16 ERA. That was fifth-best among NJCAA Division II teams which had played more than 10 games. Kristen Cade was the national ERA leader (0.81) and will return for a third year after the NJCAA gave spring sports participants an extra season of eligibility.

"Danielle's an outstanding pitching coach who elevated our pitchers tremendously in Year 1," Neel said. "We expect her to continue building on that from here on out. She's gonna add some things to the table in recruiting and overall in our program now that's she's here full time. She's good. We're lucky to have her."

Barton was a standout pitcher at Harrison Central alongside future MGCCC and Ole Miss star Kaitlin Lee, and she played in the Mississippi Association of Coaches All-Star Game. 

She pitched one season at Jones County, where she won a state championship and finished second in the country. She transferred to Pearl River for her sophomore season, pitching and playing first base.

Barton graduated from Pearl River with her associate's degree and earned her bachelor's from William Carey. 

She returned to Pearl River to become pitching/catching coach in 2017, and she helped two pitchers and a catcher earn scholarships to play at the next level.

Barton has been a CrossFit instructor and oversaw weight training at Pearl River. She's also the owner and operator of DBT Academy, where she develops athletes of all ages.

She's focusing on Gulf Coast now, and she thinks the future could be even brighter for the Bulldogs. 

"We have a lot of talent, and the talent that we are recruiting is going to make coaching even more fun. It makes me excited because the future for MGCCC is looking unstoppable," Barton said. "I am most excited about the strong arms we currently have and are bringing in. To see the potential that we have in the circle, and how I can play a role in making that potential turn heads at bigger schools at the next level is truly exciting. Coach Neel knows how to get the best out of our athletes as well as our coaching staff. I look forward to seeing what MGCCC softball has in store for us all."

For more information on MGCCC's 10 intercollegiate athletic teams, follow @MGCCCBulldogs on Twitter and MGCCCBulldogs on Facebook, and go to mgcccbulldogs.com.