OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – Five members of the Johnson County Community College volleyball team were recognized today for the outstanding play during the 2018 regular season.  Sophomore setter Jade Askren, sophomore middle hitter Anna Hester and freshman libero Rylie Barnum were named as first-team All-Kansas Jayhawk Community College Eastern Division and Region VI/District M performers.  Freshman outside/right side hitter Kayla Neigenfind was a second-team all-conference selection, and sophomore middle/outside hitter Ciarra Valadez was named to the Region VI/District M second-team. 

Askren has put together a tremendous sophomore season that has etched her name in the all-time records at JCCC. Heading into play at the NJCAA D-II National Tournament in Charleston, West Virginia later this week, she has compiled 1,952 career assists, third most all-time at JCCC, and she ranks 12^th in career aces with 82.  For the 2018 season, Askren ranks fifth in the conference and 14^th in the NJCAA with 1,167 assists. She also ranks seventh in the conference and 17^th in the nation with an assists per set ratio of 9.64.  He 1,167 assists this season rank sixth on JCCC's season chart. She has registered double figures in all 33 matches she has played. She has had 20 or more in 32 matches, 30 or more in 22 matches, 40-plus in 14 matches and she recorded a career high 59 assists in win over nationally ranked North Dakota State College of Science earlier this campaign. She also has 243 digs, 56 blocks and 54 aces, which rank sixth in the conference and ties for 16^th on the JCCC's season chart. Twice during the season Askren was chosen the KJCCC Setter of the Week, earning the honor in week three and six. 

Hester has also posted a tremendous sophomore season and she too has her name sprinkled throughout JCCC's all-time statistical leaders. She currently has 656 career kills which ranks 10^th all-time in program history, and she ranks 13^th with 204 career block assists. For the season Hester ranks eighth in the conference and 29^th in the NJCAA with 412 kills. She also ranks eighth in the conference with a kills per set ratio of 3.32. Her 412 kills this season are the eighth highest season total at Johnson County. She has registered double figures in kills in 24 matches, including a career high 23 in a win over Iowa Central in early October. That effort tied for the fifth-best match total in team history. Hester also leads the team and ranks 13^th in the conference with 92 blocks.  In week three of the season Hester was selected both the KJCCC and NJCAA Offensive Player of the Week. 

Barnum has produced numbers that not only rank her among the leaders in the conference this season, but in JCCC team history as well.  She ranks fourth in the conference and 21^st in the NJCAA with 658 total digs. She also ranks second in the conference with a digs per set average of 5.31. Her 658 digs rank as the third-best season to date and has her 14^th on the career chart. She has produced 29 matches with 10-plus digs recorded, 18 with 20-plus and three of 30 or more. She had 26 digs in her second match of the season, a win over NEO A&M and a few weeks later produced a season-high 38 to power the Cavaliers to a win over No. 8 ranked Highland Community College, which ties the fifth-best match in team history. Two days later she had 36 in a big win over No.2 Parkland College. Those efforts helped her earn the KJCCC week three KJCCC Defensive Player of the Week.  Barnum earned that honor again in week six. 

Neigenfind ranks second on the team with 273 kills and her 2.31 kills per set ratio of 2.31 is third-best. She also has 135 digs and digs per set average of 1.14, along with 42 blocks, 22 assists and nine aces. Neigenfind has reached double digits in kills 12 times, in digs three times,  and once in assists this season. She had her first double digit kill match in win over NEO A&M on the first day of the season. She recorded double-doubles of kills and digs in wins over Neosho County Community College and No. 2 Parkland College, and notched her third double-double with 10 kills and 11 assists in a win over Ellsworth Community College. She posted her season-high of 17 kills in a win over North Dakota State College of Science in early October.

Valadez has produced 259 kills and an attack percentage of .187 this season. She also has 131 digs, 59 blocks and 19 service aces. She has reached double figures in kills 11 times, five better than her freshman season, and twice in digs. Recorded a career high 19 kills in a win over McCook Community College, along with a personal-best attack percentage of .680. She also had 15 kills in wins over Central Community College-Columbus and Des Moines Area Community College. In the Central match, Valadez also registered a career high 12 digs. She was also a key performer in the District M Tournament, posting 13 kills in both the semifinal win over Neosho County Community College and championship win over Kansas City Kansas Community College