Outlook

Makenzie Griffel earned playing time her freshman year that turned into her playing all-around for JCCC because she was such a strong asset to the team .. .Looks to be a strong leader this year and has been selected as one of the team’s captains … Brings excellent ball control , has good court sense and brings confidence in her all-around game … A smart player with a strong work ethic who is competitive and is quick to the ball … Brings energy and strategy to the court, and is a great defender and passer … Possesses an aggressive serve that can score points … Also an excellent student … Looks to move on and play at a higher level.

Career

Closed out her career with 805 digs and a digs-per-set average of 3.52 … Her 805 career digs rank 11^th all-time at JCCC … Also finished with 115 assists and 90 service aces, which also rank her 11^th all-time.

Sophomore Year 2020-21

Earned second-team All-Kansas Jayhawk D-II Conference and first-team All-Region VI/Plains District A honors … Played in 29 matches and 108 sets … Ranked 2^nd in KJCCC D-II and 3rd in the NJCAA with 521 digs … Her digs-per-set of 4.82 is 4^th in the conference … Led the conference and ranked 6^th in the NJCAA with 45 service aces … Registered double figures digs in 28 of the 29 matches played this season, including 13 with 20 or more … Was selected as the KJCCC D-II Defensive Player of the Week three times … Earned her first honor in week 3 after finishing with 62 and no reception errors in three wins … Was the week 10 winner after recording 42 digs with zero serve receptions errors in three victories … A week later nabbed defensive honors after tallying 45 digs in three wins … Began the year with 23 digs in a 3-2 win over No. 12 Highland (1-28-21) … Followed with 22 digs in a 3-1 win over Metropolitan (1-28-21) and 25 in a 3-1 win over KCKCC (2-1-21) … Set a new career high with 28 digs in a in 3-1 win over Neosho County (2-27-21) … Had a career high five aces in a 3-0 win at Coffeyville (3-24-21) … Tallied 88 digs at the NJCAA D-II National Tournament … Opened with 34 digs in a 3-2 win over Pima (4-13-21), and followed 31 in a 3-2 win over Kirkwood in the national quarterfinals (4-13-21)  … Earned NJCAA All-Academic first-team with a grade point average of 4.0.

Freshman Year 2019 

Played in 35 matches and 121 sets .. Finished third on the team with 284 digs and a 2.34 digs-per-set average … Also finished second with 45 service aces, which tied for 12^th in the Kansas Jayhawk Conference … Tallied 72 kills and an attack percentage of .134 … Topped double figures in digs nine times … Got 10 digs and a season-high four aces in a 3-0 win over Saint Mary JV in the second match of the season (8-23-19) … Had 12 digs in a 3-1 win over Lincoln Land (9-6-19) … Established season highs for digs with 17 and kills with five in a 3-2 win at Palm Beach State (10-12-19) … Followed with 13 digs in a 3-1 win later in the day over Pasco-Hernando State (10-12-19) … Tallied 15 digs in a 3-1 win over No. 19-ranked Kirkwood (10-26-19) … Had 15 digs and three aces in a 3-0 win over No. 7 ranked Cowley in the semifinals of the District A Tournament semifinals (11-9-19) ... Earned JCCC student-athlete academic honors in the fall 2019 semester with a 4.0 GPA ... Earned NJCAA All-Academic first-team with a grade point aveage of 4.0.

High School 

Was a two-year starter for coaches Dave MacLean and Mallori Perry … Graduated 2019 … As a senior earned honorable mention All-Suburban Kansas City Gold Conference and Examiner All-Area … Also selected honorable All-District … Tallied 185 digs and a school record 38 aces her senior year … Averaged 2.4 digs per set … Also set a new school record for serving percentage … Helped the Jaguars a 29-7 record, a district championship and a Missouri Class 4 state quarterfinals appearance as a senior, and to a 23-8 record and a conference title her junior year … Played club volleyball for Summit coached by Erin Wilson for three years, Invasion coached by Tara Dye and Diana Blackburn for three years and Extreme Mavs coached by Blackburn for two years …  National Honor Society member and earned Academic All-State in 2017.

Personal 

Born Makenzie Jordan Griffel on April 18, 2001, in Independence, Mo. … Nickname is Kenzie … Daughter of Kevin and Angie Griffel … Has two brothers, Ryan and Will … Majoring in business … Also recruited by Avila University and Graceland University … Favorite foods are macaroni and cheese, grilled cheese and chicken salads … Favorite fast food restaurant is Sonic … Favorite restaurant is Applebee’s … Favorite TV shows are Grey’s Anatomy, New Girl and The Office … Favorite movies are Bird Box and The Longest Ride … Favorite sports movie is The Blind Side … Favorite book is The Fault of Our Stars … Favorite music entertainer is Sam Hunt … Favorite athletes are Kerri Walsh Jennings, Patrick Mahomes and Michael Jordan … Favorite sports teams are the Kansas City Chiefs, Kansas City Royals and Oklahoma Sooners … Best player she has played against is Ray-Pec standout Janae Thurston … Her best athletic moment was earning the starting Libero position … A famous alumnus from her school is 2008 American Idol winner David Cook.