OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – The 2024 NJCAA Division 2 women's basketball National Runner-up Johnson County Community College has been unanimously selected to win their fifth consecutive Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference Division 2 Women's Basketball regular season title in a vote by league coaches. 2024-25 Preseason Poll.
This is the fourth consecutive season the Lady Cavaliers have been the preseason pick to win the title, and the 10th time in the Ben Conrad era, now entering his 17th campaign.
With seven of eight league coaches participating in the preseason poll, the Lady Cavaliers received a perfect 56-point total with all seven first-place votes to easily outpace second-place team Kansas City Kansas Community College who earned 45 total points and was picked second in three of the seven ballots. Allen Community College was picked third followed by Highland Community College, Neosho County Community College, Hesston College, Labette Community College and Fort Scott Community College.
Under the direction three-time National Coach of the Year Ben Conrad, Johnson County has compiled a 474-62 (.884) record in 16 seasons, nine NJCAA D-2 Tournament appearances, including a national title in 2015, and three runner-up finishes. His tenure boasts 11 30-win seasons, eight consecutively.
Conrad's teams have amassed a conference record of 169-31 (.845) over his tenure, which includes nine KJCCC D-2 titles and nine NJCAA Region 6 championships.
Conrad returns four players from a team that finished 34-1 with their only loss coming in the NJCAA D-2 Championship to Kirkwood.
Taliyah Scott (Independence, Mo.) headlines the returnees. The 5-6 guard out of Truman High School was selected All-Region 6/Plains District and All-KJCCC D-2 second-team after finishing as the team's third leading scorer in 2023-24 with an average of 10.6 per game. She also led the conference and ranked seventh nationally with 176 total assists. Scott scored in double figures in 21 games and had three games of 10+ rebounds and two double-digit assist games.
Also back is guard Maizen Williams (Kansas City, Mo.) who became a staple in the starting lineup in mid-January last season. She averaged 8.1 points, 2.7 rebounds and was second on the team with 18 blocked shots. She upped those numbers in conference play to 12. 9 points and 4.1 rebounds.
The other two returnees are forwards Yar Manyiel (North Kansas City, Mo.) and Aa'Maya Stacker (Independence, Mo.). Manyiel played in 21 games and averaged 3.1 points and 1.9 rebounds. Stacker hit the floor 24 times and posted averages of 2.8 points and 1.5 rebounds.
Conrad welcomes 10 newcomers to his team this year, nine true freshman and one sophomore transfer.
The Lady Cavaliers are set to open the season Friday, Nov. 1 against St. Louis Community College at the Highland Classic in Highland, Kan., followed by a Saturday matchup with Central Community College. JCCC returns home to host Bethan College JV on Tuesday, November 5 at 5:30 p.m.