OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – Head coach Ben Conrad opens his 15th season at Johnson County Community College tonight with expectations of adding another chapter to his already Hall of Fame career. Ranked fourth in the NJCAA D-II preseason poll, his Cavaliers host Missouri Valley College JV at 5:30 p.m. The game can be seen live on JCCC's YouTube channel.
Conrad returns six players highlighted by 2021 NJCAA and World Exposure Report All-American LaJahda Boyland, 2022 All-Kansas Kansas Jayhawk Conference and Plains District guards Nariyah Simmons and Makenzie Hart.
Overall the roster has 15 names, and all are looking to help make an impact this year and help Johnson County return the NJCAA D-II National Tournament for the third straight year and 14th time in program history.
Boyland averaged 9.8 points and 7.8 rebounds during the 2020-21 season while helping to lead JCCC to a national runner-up finish. Her play garnered her both NJCAA and World Exposure Report All-American, along with All-KJCCC and Plains District honors. Boland sat last year recovering from an injury suffered during the 2021-22 preseason.
Simmons and Hart were key members of the team last year that finished 34-2 and finished fifth at the NJCAA D-II Tournament. In addition to earn all-conference and all-district, Simmons was also named both the freshman of the Year and defensive player of the year in the conference. She averaged 9.8 points, 3.2 points, 1.7 assists and 1.4 steals per game.
Hart averaged 6.1 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.8 assists serving as the team's starting point guard. She led the conference and ranked seventh in the NJCAA in total assists with 168, and that total ranks eighth on JCCC's season chart.