For Immediate Release
Contact Tyler Cundith
Chair, CoSIDA Publications Committee Sports Information Director
Johnson County Community College
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – Johnson County Community College women's basketball coach Ben Conrad passed former Seward County coach Jim Littell, now at Oklahoma State, to become the first coach in the 91-year history of the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference (KJCCC) to have five consecutive 30-win seasons in basketball. Over those five years, Conrad has guided his teams to a 154-16 record (.906), including a 30-1 record to date this season.
Conrad's Lady Cavaliers got its 30th win Tuesday evening by downing Hesston College, 86-43, in the semifinals of the NJCAA Region VI Division II Tournament. JCCC, ranked No. 2 nationally, will face No. 4 Highland for the title on Saturday afternoon at Koch Arena on the campus of Wichita State University. The winner earns a berth to the NJCAA D-II National Tournament March 18-22, which will be hosted by JCCC.
Johnson County quickly took the lead over the Larks and never looked back, improving to 41-0 in the all-time series with Hesston.
All 11 players scored, led by freshman Nieka Wheeler 18-point, eight-rebound performance. Sophomore Juanita Robinson, the KJCCC D-II MVP, finished with 13 points, five rebounds and five assists, and sophomore Taylor McDowell knocked down three 3-pointers and finished with 11 points.
Sophomore center Kariel Hutt finished with eight points, seven boards and four steals, and sophomore Sameia Kendall chipped in nine points.
Rounding out the rest of JCCC's scoring were Camille Gee (7 points), Timeka O'Neal (6 pints, 5 assists), Kelsey Barrett (6 points, 4 rebounds), Lexus Bradley (4 points), Sandra Douvier (2 points, 5 rebounds) and Allison Wallisch (2 points, 3 rebounds).