Ottumwa, IA – Former Indian Hills Softball player Alex Beard (Albia, IA/Albia) will continue her academic and athletic career at Truman State University.

A two-year member of the Warrior program, Beard helped guide Indian Hills to back-to-back National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) DI Softball Region XI Championships. The former state champion and five-time all-state selection at Albia High School, Beard competed in 63 career games at Indian Hills.

"I decided to choose Truman State because I had an instant connection with coach (Amanda) Bradberry," stated Beard. "When I went on my visit, Truman felt like home. The facilities are amazing and the campus is beautiful. The team culture is also exactly what I was looking for. They focus on the mental game and since attending Indian Hills, focusing on the mental game is extremely important to me and has truly made me a a better athlete, student, and person."

Beard, who earned NJCAA All-Region XI Second-Team honors in 2022, posted a career .395 batting average at Indian Hills, including a .400 clip as a sophomore in 2022, going 48-120 at the plate. Beard connected on five home runs this past season and drove in 31 runs.

"Alex Beard is a kid I wish I had recorded from her first day on campus so I had something to compare the growth she had during her two years here at Indian Hills," stated Indian Hills head coach Lindsay Diehl. "Alex is a worker and wanted to get better every day and was a phenomenal teammate and person. I know pitchers loved to throw to Alex and I think that will follow her to Truman State. I also love the growth I watched Alex had off the softball field, she was one of the most coachable kids I've had the chance to work with."

Beard will join a program that has been led by head coach Amanda Bradberry since 2019. Bradberry has ties to Iowa after competing at Iowa State University and previously coaching at Upper Iowa University.

"I am beyond grateful for my time at Indian Hills," Beard added. "I'm sad it's over, but I'm excited for my new chapter of life and I feel prepared to move on to the next level because of my time at Indian Hills and the people I met along the way that pushed and encouraged me to be who I am today."

Beard, who graduated from Indian Hills this past spring and was an NJCAA All-Academic Third-Team and two-time ICCAC All-Academic First-Team selection, will study Communication Disorders at Truman State.