Head Coach
JCCC/Emporia State
371-142 (.723) • 13th season at JCCC

Johnson County Community College All-American Aubree Brattin-Volkens is in her 13th season at the helm of the Lady Cavaliers softball program in 2022-23. Brattin returned to her alma mater in fall of 2010 as an assistant and appointed the sixth head coach in Johnson County in October 2011.

In 12 seasons at the helm, Brattin-Volkens stands 371-142 (.723) with four conference championships, four Region/District championships, a third place national finish, two fifth place national finishes and a seventh place national finish. She has also produced seven All-Americans, two NJCAA All-Tournament selections, 76 All-Region VI/District performers, and 64 All-Jayhawk Conference players, including two conference Freshman of the Year recipients and two conference most valuable player selections.

Off the field her student-athletes have consistently been recognized for their academic achievements as 77 percent of her players (184-of-240) achieved a grade point average of 3.0 or better during the fall semester in each of her 13 seasons at the helm. This past fall all 18 members of the team recorded a 3.0 or better with five posting a GPA of 4.0. In the 2021 fall semester 18 of 20 players recorded GPAs above 3.0. She also had 87 percent of her roster top 3.0 in 2015 and 83 percent in both 2016 and 2022. Additionally, 57 of her players have gone on to earn NJCAA Student-Athlete Academic award honors accumulating a grade point above 3.6, highlighted by 13 first-team selection with a 4.0 GPA.  Last year, pitcher Jordan Harrison, infielder Toree Hoobler and catcher Gaige Pinkerton became the first softball players to be selected Academic All-District® by College Sports Communicators, and Harrison was selected as the College Division recipient of the CSC Academic All-America® Team Member of the Year award, the first in program history.

Last season the Lady Cavaliers opened the season unranked but at the end of the season they found themselves ranked among the top-20 programs in the country at No. 13. JCCC finished the season with a record of 33-9 and were co-champions of the Kansas Jayhawk D-II Conference. Individually 10 players were selected all-conference/all-district, with Harrison landing the Most Valuable Player award, proving to be one of the best arms in the conference punctuated by her selection as Pitcher of the Week five times during the season. She also was tabbed third-team All-American. 

In 2022, Johnson County opened the season ranked 12th and finished the campaign No.19 NJCAA D-II with an overall mark of 28-18. The Lady Cavaliers would finish 22-10 in the KJCCC D-II, Division A conference to edge Kansas City Kansas and Labette by one game to capture the conference regular season title. Individually, Brattin-Volkens coached seven All-Region VI/Plains District and eight All-Kansas Jayhawk Conference performers. 

In 2021, Bratttin-Volkens' team opened the season ranked seventh, marking the eighth time in 10 years that her team was ranked to open a season, and it was the fourth time in the top-10. Johnson County would go on to finish 27-15 overall, runner-up in the D-II Division A Kansas Jayhawk Conference and ranked 12th in the final NJCAA D-II rankings. Individually, Brattin-Volkens had seven players selected All-Region 6/District A and All-Kansas Jayhawk Conference. Additionally, Kaylin Watkins was selected NJCAA and NFCA second-team All-American, and Aubree Griffith joined as a second-team NFCA All-American.

In 2020, Johnson County opened the campaign ranked eighth in NJCAA Division II. It was the seventh time in nine years under Brattin-Volkens that her team opened the year ranked nationally, and the third time in the top-10. However, the Lady Cavaliers played only six games, going 4-2, when the season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the team’s first week of play, freshman pitcher Kyla Etter was named the Kansas Jayhawk D-II Conference Pitcher of the Week. The following week, sophomore Kyliegh Lay and freshman Aubrey Griffith were selected the Conference Pitcher and Player of the Week.

In 2019, Brattin-Volkens finished in a three-way tie for the conference title, and earned her third straight trip to the NJCAA D-II National Tournament, and fourth overall, going 3-0 at the Region VI/District D Tournament. The Lady Cavaliers went on to tie for fifth at nationals and completed the season with a 27-14 record.  Individually, seven players were selected All-Region VI/District D,  and nine garnered All-Kansas Jayhawk Division II honors, tying the second most honored in a season in team history. In addition, pitcher Kerrigan Dixon earned NJCAA second-team All-American.

In 2018, Brattin-Volkens had her team qualify for the NJCAA D-II National Tournament for the third time in her tenure at the college. The Lady Cavaliers finished 2-2 in the tournament, good for a tie for seventh place. JCCC posted a perfect 5-0 record in the Region VI/District D tournament to punch their ticket to Clinton, Miss. The team finished 31-16 overall on the season, and 20-5 in conference play and in second-place. Individually, outfielder Sammi Bates was named to the NJCAA All-America first team for the second year in a row, joining third baseman Kristen Doffing as the only two-time first-team All-Americans in team history. Brattin-Volkens also had nine players named as Region VI/District D performers, second only the 10 picked in 2017. Additionally, three of those players were selected as All-Jayhawk D-II Conference performers.

In 2017, Brattin-Volkens had her team ranked among the top teams all season long. Her Lady Cavaliers  finished 25-7 overall after capturing the NJCAA Region VI/District D championship, and finishing fifth at the NJCAAA national tournament. Individually, she coached two NJCAA All-Americans, a record 10 players were selected as All-Region VI/District D performers, including seven first-team picks. Additionally, seven of those players were selected as Kansas Jayhawk Conference performers. Among them were MVP Megan Deiter and freshman of year Sammi Bates.

In 2016, the Lady Cavaliers finished 38-14, posted a runner-up finish in the Jayhawk Conference, and reached the championship game of the Region VI/District D Tournament. Brattin-Volkens also coached three All-Region VI and four All-Jayhawk Conference performers. Additionally, additionally, Dakota Sanders became the third player in JCCC history to be selected the Freshman of the Year for the conference.

In 2015, Brattin-Volkens’ led her team to a 37-15 mark and its first national tournament berth under her watch, winning the Region VI/District N title in three straight games. Seeded 11th in the 16-team tournament field, Brattin’s Lady Cavaliers relished the role as underdog, and placed third overall. The team’s third place showing is second only to the program’s runner-up finish in 2007. Brattin-Volkens also coached six All-Region VI/District N picks, five all-conference selections and two NJCAA All-Tournament performers, including a Most Outstanding Offensive Player award given to Taylor Brunson, a first in program history.

In 2014, Brattin-Volkens guided the Lady Cavaliers to a 33-8 record and were ranked as high as No. 3 on April 9, 2014, and finished the year ranked seventh in the final poll. The Lady Cavaliers also captured the 15th conference title in team history, but the first since 2010. The season also saw Zoe Price become the 40th All-American in the program’s history, but just the second pitcher to be named to the first-team, joining Hall of Fame hurler Kelly Becher (1992). Brattin also produced five All-Region/District performers and three All-Jayhawk Conference picks and was selected the 2014 Kansas Jayhawk Conference Coach of the Year.

In year two, Brattin-Volkens guided JCCC to a 35-15 mark and a tie for third place in the Jayhawk Conference. She also coached five All-Region/District performers and four All-Jayhawk Conference players.

In her first season leading the Lady Cavaliers, Brattin-Volkens yielded a 14-win improvement over the previous season while coaching one NFCA All-American, six All-District and three All-East Jayhawk Conference performers.  The Lady Cavaliers were powered by the best hitting team in Johnson County history, ripping opposing pitchers at a .398 clip, third best in the NJCAA, breaking a 20-year old record by four points. Brattin had six players hitting over .400, and another three hitting over .370. The team also collected 639 hits, third most all-time and, 101 doubles, tied for fifth. Behind those strong offense numbers and solid pitching staff, Brattin-Volkens and the Lady Cavaliers posted a 43-10 record, reached the championship game in the NJCAA District E Tournament, were ranked as high seventh in the country and finished 20th in the final poll.

In addition, her players combined to set two school records and crack the JCCC all-time list in 38 statistical categories.

Prior to taking over the program, Brattin-Volkens served the 2011 season as an assistant to Kelly Latedresse. Brattin helped guide the Lady Cavaliers to a 29-27 record and a runner-up finish in the Region VI/District D Tournament. She also mentored six All-Jayhawk Conference and five All-Region VI/District D performers.

Brattin-Volkens began her coaching career in the spring of 2010 as an assistant to Kristi Bredbenner at Emporia State University, following her standout-playing career at Johnson County Community College and Emporia State.

In her first year on staff at ESU, Brattin-Volkens helped the Lady Hornets win the MIAA regular season title, the MIAA postseason Tournament for a seventh straight year and reach the championship game of the NCAA D-II South Central Regional Tournament. Emporia State ended the season ranked 11th nationally and reached 50 wins (50-14) for just the fourth time in team history.

That same year, Brattin-Volkens played professionally in the National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) for the Tennessee Diamonds, based out of Nashville. She was one of only three NCAA Division II players in the NPF, the only D-II catcher.  Brattin-Volkens played in 23 games and was part of a team that reached the semifinals NPL playoffs.

The Diamonds team included many standout Division I players, including former Lady Vols and USA Olympic pitcher Monica Abbott. She also played against several other Olympians, including Jessica Mendoza, Cat Osterman and Jennie Finch.

Raised in Lee’s Summit, Mo., Brattin-Volkens was a mainstay behind the plate during her two seasons at JCCC and ESU. While at JCCC, Brattin-Volkens hit for a career average of .343 (116-for-338) with 19 doubles, two triples, 10 home runs and 58 RBI. Her 19 doubles ranked 19th on Johnson County’s career chart, and currently stand 22nd. With Brattin-Volkens behind the place, the JCCC pitching staff posted an earned run average of 1.83 over her two campaigns. Brattin-Volkens helped JCCC to a record of 89-30 and to conference and district championships and a runner-up finish at the NJCAA D-II Tournament in 2007.

As freshman, Brattin-Volkens earned All-East Jayhawk Conference second team and All-Region VI third team accolades after batting .327 (56-for-171) with 11 doubles, a triple, a home run and 23 RBI. She also had 17 multiple-hit games and five multiple-RBI games.

In her sophomore season at JCCC, Brattin-Volkens posted a batting average of .359 (60-for-167) with eight doubles, a triple, nine home runs and 35 RBI. Her nine homers ranked 21st in the NJCAA and were the ninth highest season total in team history. She also recorded a fielding percentage of .996, committing only one error. She also nailed 50 percent of the runners attempting to steal. Those numbers helped her earn all-conference, all-region and NFCA second-team All-America honors, and finish runner-up in the voting for the Diamond Sports Catcher of the Year award.

Brattin-Volkens continued her career at Emporia State University, where she started every game behind the plate. She was twice selected All-MIAA at catcher, earning honorable mention in 2008 and second-team honors in 2009. As a junior, Brattin-Volkens hit .319 (58-for-182) with four doubles, a triple and 24 driven in while helping the Hornets to a 48-17 record, win the MIAA regular season, win the MIAA postseason tournament, win the NCAA North Central Regional Tournament and finish runner-up at the NCAA D-II World Series. In the tournament, Brattin-Volkens hit .368 and was selected All-Tournament.

In 2009, her senior season, Brattin-Volkens hit .291 (50-for-172) with nine doubles, a triple, four homers and 31 RBI. She also recorded 14 multiple-hit and five multiple-RBI games. Her strong play behind the plate helped the Hornets as she threw out 15 of 19 runners who tried to steal against her and picked off eight. She also helped ESU win a sixth consecutive MIAA postseason crown.

For her career, Brattin-Volkens hit .305 (108-for-354) with 13 doubles, two triples, six homers and 55 driven in. Brattin-Volkens also only allowed 11 out of 44 runners to steal a base in her career.

As a prep player at Lee’s Summit High School, Brattin-Volkens earned Missouri Class 4A first-team All-State accolades in 2004, and was selected first-team All-Big 67, All-District, All-Metro and All-Region. She was a first-team all-conference and All-District selection in 2003, and a second-team All-Region pick. She helped the Tigers win two District Championships and one Regional title.

Brattin-Voken's Record at Johnson County