ASCENSION SPORTS CLUB EXPANDS PLAYER DEVELOPMENT STAFF

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A standout athlete at Dowling Catholic High School, Blackburn earned First Team All-Conference, First Team All-District honors while also being recognized as the Top Player on the Elite Team Class 4A. She continued her collegiate career at Indian Hills Community College, where she established herself as one of the nation's premier junior college catchers. During her career, she earned NJCAA All-American honors and was recognized as the Diamond Sports Catcher of the Year, one of the highest honors awarded to collegiate catchers.

Blackburn's experience spans multiple positions on the field. She began her softball career as a pitcher before transitioning behind the plate, where she developed a passion for catching and game management. As her collegiate career progressed, she also excelled at first base, giving her a well-rounded understanding of defensive play and player development.

Sam was a standout athlete during his playing career at Roosevelt High School, where he was a three-year varsity letter winner and spent the majority of his time behind the plate as a catcher. During his high school career, Sam helped lead Roosevelt to back-to-back substate final appearances during his junior and senior seasons.

After graduating from Roosevelt, Sam continued his baseball career at Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC), where he earned his associate degree while competing for the varsity baseball program. At DMACC, he continued to develop as a catcher while also contributing in the outfield.

Sam later transferred to Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa, where he was a two-year letter winner for the Knights baseball program. During his time at Wartburg, Sam continued to catch while also seeing significant playing time in the outfield.