Kristina (Manser) Welch '07-'09

Kristina (Manser) Welch attended Iowa Lakes Community College from 2007-2009. She is going into the Hall of Fame for Softball. 

Kristina decided to come to Iowa Lakes after meeting Head Coach Mike Bosch. She and her family met Coach Bosch at the ASA Softball tournament in Park City, Utah. Her dad seemed very fond of Coach Bosch, which meant a lot, and although she was coming from a long way away, her Aunt Vicki and Uncle Ron lived close, which was a source of comfort. 

Coach Bosch shared this about Kristina and her time at Iowa Lakes, "Kristina was a vital part of the first Iowa Lakes team to reach the NJCAA World Series. Her passion and love for the game was unrivaled, and her infectious smile picked up teammates daily. She and her teammates made special connections beyond the game of softball. They became sisters who looked out for one another and I truly believe that is the reason they succeeded at such a high level. I can’t think of anyone more deserving as a player, a person and now a mom to be inducted into the Iowa Lakes Hall of Fame. Congratulations Kristina!"

Coach Bosch had a big impact on Kristina during her time at Iowa Lakes. She felt incredibly lucky to have had a coach as competitive as she was who also knew so much about the game.  Athletic Trainer Kyle Norris, and his lesser known alter ego Chuck Norris was also a big influence on Kristina. He would travel with them with his lucky Chuck Norris shirt. He always put a smile on our faces and when emotions were getting the best of us he made sure we continued to play with a clear mind. 

One of Kristina’s fondest memories from her time at Iowa Lakes come from her freshman season. They were playing in the championship game in the conference tournament against top ranked Muscatine. The Lakers won 4-0 to earn a trip to the national tournament. The celebration and feeling after that game are something she will never forget. 

Kristina had so many people in the community that made her time at Iowa Lakes special. The community feeling is really what stands out when she reflects back on her time here. For instance, one day after a double header her sophomore year a gentleman came up to her and shook her hand. He said, “You don’t know me, but I live here and although I don’t know anyone that plays softball I come to the games to watch you play.”  He went on to tell her that he kept up with her softball career through the newspaper in town and wished her luck and thanked her. Kristina wishes she could tell him how his kind words have made her smile to this day. 

During her freshman year, Kristina earned defensive player of the year and 1st team All-Conference awards. In her sophomore season she earned 1st team All-Conference and 1st team All-American honors. 

After Iowa Lakes, Kristina attended Friends University of Central Kansas in Wichita. She earned All-Conference honors her junior and senior seasons and was an Honorable Mention All-American her senior year. 

Kristina is now a stay at home mom with three boys, Phillips, Tripp, and Emmett. They, along with their black lab, Auggie Doggie, travel the states with husband Monty for his work, and are currently living in Beatrice, NE. 

Kristina would like to thank all of the family who took time out of their lives to support her through the years, the traveling to games to cheer her on, and the kind words and encouragement when things got hard; her husband Monty and kids, who traveled with her to support her today; her mom and dad, who spent so much time out of their lives traveling every weekend, hotel fees, tournament fees, and long days from 1 to 5 sometimes 8 games a day! She also enjoyed every minute she had with her teammates. She has made lifetime friendships from her two years at Iowa Lakes. The game wouldn’t have been the same without them.