OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – The Johnson County Community College women's basketball team will open the 2023-24 season at No. 2 in the preseason National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division II women's basketball poll, announced by the national committee Monday afternoon. The Lady Cavaliers received 216 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.
Defending national champion Kirkwood Community College earned the top spot after receiving all 11 first place votes and 225 points. JCCC's only loss last year came to the Eagles in the national championship game.
Mesa Community College came in third, followed by CCBC Essex, Union College, Rock Valley College, Lake Land Community College, Pima Community College and North Iowa Area Community College round out the Top 10.
KJCCC D-II opponents Kansas City Kansas Community College and Allen Community College were selected in the second 10 of the poll, with the Blue Devils coming in at No. 13 and the Red Devils at No. 19. Highland Community College also earned mention receiving votes.
Under the direction of three-time National Coach of the Year Ben Conrad, the Lady Cavaliers have appeared in the NJCAA Preseason Poll in all his 17 seasons and have been a top-5 ranked team 14 times. Conrad has compiled a 474-62 (.884) record, nine NJCAA Tournament appearances, including a national title in 2015 and three runner-up finishes. His tenure boasts 11 30-win seasons, eight consecutively, a first in NJCAA women's basketball history.
Conrad's teams have also amassed a conference record of 169-31 (.845) during the last 16 years, which includes nine KJCCC D-II titles.
Conrad returns four players from a 2023-24 team that finished 34-1, won conference and region titles, finished No. 4 in the NJCAA's final season poll and runner-up at the NJCAA D-II National Tournament.
Headlining this group are starting guard Taliyah Scott and Maizen Williams. Scott was selected All-Region 6/Plains District and All-KJCCC second-team last season. She was the team's third leading scorer at 10.6 per game and she led the conference and ranked seventh in the NJCAA with 176 assists, an average of 5.0 per game.
Williams really came on midway into the season solidifying a spot in the starting lineup. She averaged 8.1 points, 2.7 rebounds, was second on the team in blocked shots with 18 and made 44 percent of her field goal attempts. She upped those numbers in conference play to 12.9 points, 4.1 rebounds and 45.6 percent shooting.
His other two returning players are 6-0 forwards Yar Manyiel and Aa'Mya Stacker. Manyiel played in 29 games and averaged 3.1 points and 1.9 rebounds. Stacker logged 24 games and averaged 2.8 points and 1.5 rebounds while connecting on 61.7 percent of her shot attempts.
Conrad has 10 newcomers to the roster, nine are true freshman and one sophomore transfer.
"Our expectations don't really change much year-to-year," Conrad said. "We've had a pretty high standard, and we hope reach it. I do feel like we have two very experienced guards returning which is a great place to start. We've also got a couple of returnees who could be on the verge of breakout years in Yar and Stack. I also like the athleticism of and depth of our freshman class. We have a pretty good collection of shot makers on the perimeter."
Johnson County will open the season on the road playing two neutral site contests at the Highland Classic, facing St. Louis Community College on November 1 and Central Community College-Columbus November 2. They return home Tuesday, November 5 to host Bethany College JV in their home opener with an opening tip scheduled for 5:30 p.m.
The Lady Cavaliers will be tested early in their campaign when they host Palm Beach State College and Rock Valley College November 15 and 16. Palm Beach State is preseason ranked No. 15 and Rock Valley is ranked sixth and qualified for the NJCAA D-II Tournament last year.
Other preseason ranked teams on their schedule include No. 12 North Central Missouri College (Jan. 8), No. 13 Kansas City Kansas Community College (Jan. 15 at KCKCC, Feb. 8), No. 19 Allen Community College (Jan. 22 at Iola, Feb. 15) and receiving votes Highland Community College (Jan. 18/Feb. 12 at Highland).