OVERLAND PARK, Kan. The Johnson County Community College men's basketball team will open the season at No. 15 in the preseason National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division II men's basketball poll, announced by the national committee yesterday. The Cavaliers received 87 points in the preseason poll. Last week, JCCC was picked as the preseason favorite to win the Kansas Jayhawk Conference Division II title this year. 

Davidson-Davie Community College, who placed third in the 2024 NJCAA D-II National Tournament, earned the top spot ahead of last year's national runner-up South Suburban College. Following those two are Des Moines Area Community College, Macomb Community College, North Central Missouri College. The Cavaliers were the only KJCCC program to earn a spot in the top 20. Cross-town rival Kansas City Kansas Community College cracked the top 25 coming at No. 24.

Defending national champion National Park College surprisingly came in at No. 16 in the poll 

Under the direction of head coach Rand Chappell, the Cavaliers have appeared in the NJCAA Preseason Poll in each of his first five seasons. His teams have been ranked nationally in 47-of-58 polls (81%) including a span of 32 straight from January 19, 2021 to November 28, 2022. His teams have also been ranked in the top 10 in 30-of-58 polls (52%) and in the top 5 in 17-of-58 polls (29%).  

Chappell has amassed 101 wins in his first four seasons, the most of any of the previous five coaches in program history. He stands 101-25 good for an .802 winning percentage. For his career he has amassed a 157-62 (.717) record over seven seasons coaching at the NJCAA level and is 459-228 (.668) over his 22-year college coaching career. 

Chappell's tenure at JCCC boasts four straight winnings seasons and three consecutive 20-win campaigns, three NJCAA D-II Tournament appearances (2021, 2023, 2024), three Region VI/Plains District titles (2021, 2023, 2024) and two KJCCC D-II tiles, one outright (2021, 2023). 

In four seasons at JCCC, Chappell has coached four NJCAA All-Americans, 12 All-Region VI performers, 12 All-Jayhawk Conference picks, one MVP selection, two conference Defensive Players of the Year, one conference Newcomer of the Year and one Freshmen of the Year selection. In addition, he has one player who scored over 1,000 points over his career.  Off the court, Chappell has had four student-athletes earn NJCAA All-Academic honors.

The Cavaliers are coming off a season that saw them finish 28-7 as Chappell guided his team to a Region 6/Plains District championship and a berth in the NJCAA D-II National Tournament. 

Chappell returns three players who saw action last season, 6-5 forward Brandon Mann (Tulsa, Okla.), 6-4 guard Mauryon Turner (Milwaukee, Wis.) and 6-8 forward Traeger Rader (Eudora, Kan.). Man was a key starter for last year's team averaging 13. 3 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists. Those numbers earned him All-Region 6/Plains District and All-Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference Division II third-team.  Turner saw action in 28 games and averaged 3.4 points, 1.3 rebounds and 1.0 assist., and Rader averaged 3.2 points and 2.2 rebounds over 29 games played. 

Chappell has added 12 newcomers to his 2024-25 roster, however, five are sophomore transfers who have experience playing at the collegiate level. 

Chappell also has a new face sitting next him on the sidelines this season. Taylor Jones was added to his staff in July. He brings extensive experience coaching and playing college basketball. 

The Cavaliers will open the 2024-25 campaign on Friday, November 1, when they host Baker University JV at 6 p.m.