BLACK MOUNTAIN, N.C. — According to an announcement from the Montreat College athletics department earlier this week, the Cavaliers have tabbed Mocksville, N.C. native Jessica Beck as their new head softball coach. Already with strong ties across the state at the NCAA and NJCAA levels, Beck immediately begins her duties leading the Cavs' NAIA program.
 
"I'm thrilled that Jessica Beck has agreed to become the next leader of our softball program," said Garrett Jones, Director of Athletics at Montreat College. "Coach Beck has been an integral part of a highly successful junior college program over the past five seasons, and the experience she has gained during that time has prepared her well for this opportunity."
 
Prior to arriving at Montreat, Beck spent the previous five academic years serving Gaston College and its softball team in several roles. Along with her duties as the Rhinos' assistant softball coach, Beck also acted as a strength and conditioning coordinator and a student success coach.
 
Beck aided the Gaston softball program to unprecedented success across the 2022-26 seasons. In addition to an impressive 217-28 record, Beck assisted the Rhinos to four regular season titles, three NJCAA Region 10 championships, three NJCAA Mid-Atlantic District crowns and three NJCAA Division I World Series appearances. Among those three World Series trips, Gaston concluded fourth in 2025 and 12^th in 2026.
 
"As I take on this opportunity, my vision is to build a program founded on accountability, discipline, faith and an unwavering pursuit of excellence," Beck shared. "I want to create an environment where every student-athlete is challenged to grow not only as a player, but also as a teammate, leader and person. Leading a program is about so much more than wins and losses. It's about building a culture players are proud to be a part of—one built on trust, hard work, accountability and a commitment to one another. I want Montreat Softball to become a destination where student-athletes develop into confident young women, compete with passion and represent Christ and Montreat with pride every single day."
 
Before starting her coaching career, Beck spent four years playing at the NCAA Division III level with Guilford College. Primarily an outfielder on the diamond, Beck also took care of business in the classroom, picking up Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) All-Academic Team nods and spots on Guilford's Student-Athlete Honor Roll. Beck ultimately graduated from Guilford in 2021 with a bachelor's degree in health science and exercise sports science.
 
"Most importantly, Coach Beck is a tremendous fit for Montreat College and our athletics department," Jones noted. "She is deeply committed to developing the whole person, and I'm excited to see our softball program continue to pursue excellence in all the right areas under her leadership."
 
Previously a Gastonia, N.C. resident, Beck lives in the area while she leads the Montreat College softball team.
 
"My goal is to build a championship-caliber program while placing equal importance on academic success, servant leadership and personal growth," Beck said. "Through player development, meaningful relationships and a shared commitment to excellence, I believe we can establish a foundation that will sustain success for years to come. I am incredibly grateful for this opportunity and can't wait to begin building something special with our student-athletes, alumni and the entire Montreat community."