OVERAND PARK, Kan. – The National Junior College Athletic Association and United Soccer Coaches released their Division II preseason picks for the 2023 season, and the Johnson County Community men's soccer team earned a Top 20 spot in both polls. The NJCAA pegged the Cavaliers at the No. 15 team, while the United Soccer Coaches put JCCC in at No. 16. This season JCCC moves to D-II status after competing at the D-I level since the program's inception in 1977.
This is the second time Johnson County head coach Jeff Cole's four-year tenure his team will open the season as a top ranked team. His program currently has been ranked in eight straight polls dating back to September 19, 2022.
Additionally, the JCCC men's soccer team was picked as the favorite to win the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference Division II championship this season. Neosho County, another team that made the switch to D-II this year, was picked second behind the Cavaliers, followed by Allen, Pratt and Hesston.
The Cavaliers will be tested right out of the gate in 2023, when they travel to Arizona to face No. 4 Phoenix College on August 18. The Bears have qualified for the NJCAA D-II National Tournament three straight years. They were ranked No. 1 in the in the final D-II Poll and ended the year fourth at the national tournament with a 15-1-3 mark.
They return home to host Indian Hills, the No. 17 ranked team in NJCAA D-I, and then open conference play on September 6 against No. 19 Neosho County.
Last season the JCCC men went from being picked to finish last in the preseason to winning the conference title and advancing to the District Championship Game where they fell in overtime. The Cavaliers finished 14-7-0 overall, 5-4-0 against ranked teams and were ranked 13th in the country in the final NJCAA Poll. Seven players were named all-conference with goalkeeper Cole Stewart being named Defensive Player of the Year and Cole was selected Coach of Year.
Cole returns eight players from last year's conference championship team, highlighted by all-conference forward Jacksyn McIntrye and all-conference midfielders Homer Skidmore and Andy Sloss. Also back are midfielders Ryan Masterson, Rajae Lawrence and Nate Getahun and defenders Quentin Gee and Alaa Alamood.
Cole has added 19 newcomers to the roster in 2023 who will be relied upon to fill voids from graduation to help the Cavaliers 'make that next step' and contend for a national championship.