News Photo by James Andersen
Recent Alpena High School graduate Jade Schultz, seated, recently signed a letter of intent to join the women’s basketball and softball programs at Alpena Community College and will suit up for the Lumberjacks during their respective 2021 seasons.

Throughout her athletic career, Jade Schultz has always been a natural leader. 

Those leadership skills helped Schultz tremendously during a standout career as a basketball and softball star at Alpena High School and now she’ll get a chance to showcase her leadership abilities at the next level. Schultz was one of several local athletes who recently signed a letter of intent with Alpena Community College and will play softball and basketball for the Lumberjacks. 

Alpena’s coaches have long applauded Schultz’s leadership abilities, but Schultz said she’s ready to do whatever is asked of her, especially as an incoming freshman. 

“I think it’ll be good for me. I don’t know how to explain it, but I think it’ll be good for me to have a different role than I’ve always had,” Schultz said. “It’ll be a big change.” 

Schultz, who plans to study respiratory therapy, should be a important part of both the basketball and softball programs after distinguishing herself in both sports for the Wildcats. 

On the diamond, Schultz dazzled with her ability to confound hitters in the circle and became an important offensive contributor too. She got thrust into a leadership role as a freshman, becoming an important part of the lineup, but seemed to get better with each season. 

“I’ve always kind of been a leader, so it wasn’t anything new to me,” Schultz said. “I just naturally do it, so it wasn’t that difficult or challenging.” 

As a junior, Schultz was a Division 1 all-state honorable mention and first-team all-Big North Conference pick. At the plate, Schultz batted .440 with 12 home runs, 55 hits, 12 doubles, one triple and 39 RBI. On defense, she had a fielding percentage of .940 with 53 assists. 

As a sophomore, Schultz earned lots of big game experience, pitching for Alpena in a run to the Division 1 quarterfinals.

ACC softball coach Christin Sobeck has actively recruited Northeast Michigan since taking over the program in 2019 and looks forward to bringing together athletes from different local schools, especially those who have played against each other in high school or together on summer travel teams. 

Schultz will join a softball team that includes several of her former Alpena High School teammates including Dayna LaBell and Aubree Sheldon, as well as players from Rogers City and Onaway among other schools. 

“It is kind of fun to see all the athletes and how they used to compete each other in their conferences and the rivalries and bringing them all together,” Sobeck said. 

On the basketball court, Schultz was just as much a force. Called up to varsity as a sophomore under then-rookie head coach Erin Andrews, Schultz became a mainstay in Alpena’s lineup, providing a much-needed presence in the paint. 

In her senior season, Schultz earned first-team all-Big North honors after averaging 14 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. She also recorded a pair of 20-point games, including a season-best 21 early in the year against Gaylord. 

Though she didn’t get to play her senior softball season with the Wildcats, Schultz has been staying active over the last few months to prepare herself for a busy schedule ahead, including playing travel ball with the Alpena Mystics travel softball team. 

To deter the spread of COVID-19, ACC’s basketball teams will begin play in January and the softball team should begin play in March or early April.