Norwalk softball coach Beau Livingston will always hold a special place in his heart for this year’s senior class.

The Warriors finished the 2024 season on Tuesday with a 3-1 consolation win over Dallas Center-Grimes, tying for fifth place in the Class 4A state tournament. Norwalk’s six-player senior class includes Coach Livingston’s daughter, Jada, along with Lauren Black, Jaylynn Brandt, Grace Dehmer, Olivia Dougherty and Addi Downe. All six seniors were major contributors to this year’s team and two – Brandt and Downe – were four-year starters.

Collectively, this year’s senior class helped the Warriors make three consecutive trips to state, including a third-place finish last season. They were part of two Little Hawkeye Conference co-championships and three straight 30-win seasons. Norwalk finished with a combined record of 93-26 the last three years and has won 116 games over a four-year span.

The individual numbers are just as impressive, but Coach Livingston tells KNIA Sports that the collective character of this senior group may stand out more than anything else. “They changed the program, there’s no doubt,” he said, voice cracking. “Just the culture… what they brought. They know all the young players in Norwalk by name. They go watch their games, they go work with them in practice, they give them lessons. They mentor them at school.

“Just the type of people that those six are… and I’ve been fortunate enough to know them for most of their lives with Jada and growing up with Jada. Just a special group of kids who… decided to do something, and I’m just really proud of them.”

Five of the six Norwalk seniors will compete in collegiate athletics. Black, Brandt and Dougherty will each play softball at Iowa Western Community College in Council Bluffs. Downe will play softball at Indian Hills Community College in Ottumwa and Dehmer will play volleyball at Nebraska Wesleyan in Lincoln.