A third-team NJCAA All-American as a freshman, Cowley College sophomore Dalen Ridgnal has a chance to be a little higher in 2021 after the Tiger forward was named the Jayhawk East Most Valuable Player on Thursday as the KJCCC announced its 2021 All-League teams.

Coffeyville's Blaise Keita was named the Jayhawk East's Freshman of the Year.

Cloud County's David Acosta was named the Jayhawk East Defensive Player of the Year.
Coffeyville head coach Jay Herkelman was tapped as the East's Coach of the Year.

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MOST VALUABLE PLAYER – DALEN RIDGNAL, COWLEY
On a team full of 3-point snipers, Dalen Ridgnal is a true inside threat who can bomb away from distance as well.

This season, Ridgnal, a 6-foot-6, 205-point sophomore forward from Kansas City, Missouri, became of the most-sought junior college players after averaging 20.7 points and 12.9 rebounds per game. He is both the leading scorer and rebounder in the Jayhawk Conference in 2021.

Ridgnal shoots 47.8 percent overall and 86.0 percent from the free-throw line, which is third-best in the KJCCC. Ridgnal can also hold his own from the 3-point line, shooting 37.6 percent, going 47 of 125 from distance.

Ridgnal also led the KJCCC in blocks with 53 and steals with 59. His 518 total points scored were a KJCCC high. His 323 total rebounds lead the nation.

The Cowley sophomore had a pair of 32-point games against Colby and Independence. He posted 20 double-doubles. He had a career-high 20 rebounds against Dodge City.

Ridgnal helped the Tigers tie Coffeyville for the 2021 Jayhawk East title and help Cowley win its first Region VI Tournament championship and claim a berth in the NJCAA Tournament for the first time since 1957.

FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR – BLAISE KEITA, COFFEYVILLE
A 6-foot-10, 235-pound forward from Mali, Africa, Keita started all 25 games for the National Tournament-bound Red Ravens this season.

He averaged 9.6 points and 7.8 rebounds per game. Keith was fifth in the Jayhawk Conference this season with 40 blocked shots.

Keita shot 49 percent overall and 71.6 percent from the free-throw line.

Keita had two double-doubles this season.

He scored a season-high 20 points in a win over Seward County and had 10 games scoring in double figures. He had a season-high 12 rebounds twice – Dodge City and Cowley – and swatted a season-high four blocked shots against Dodge City.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR – DAVID ACOSTA, CLOUD COUNTY
Cloud County's David Acosta was one of the top shot blockers in the Jayhawk Conference this season.

The 6-foot-10, 245-pound sophomore from Santiago, Dominican Republic, was third in the KJCCC with 4.3 blocked shots per game. His 52 total blocks are tied for 15th in the NJCAA this season.

Acosta had a season high four blocked shots six different times this season.

COACH OF THE YEAR – JAY HERKELMAN, COFFEYVILLE
The NJCAA Coaches Association Hall of Fame head coach, who is in 26th season, was named the league's Coach of the Year for the 15th time.

The winningest head coach in Coffeyville, Jayhawk Conference and Region VI history, Herkelman had the Red Ravens ranked as high as No. 2 in the NJCAA national polls, coming to a rest at No. 5 at the end of the season.

The Red Ravens tied with Cowley College at 18-2 atop the Jayhawk East standings. The teams split two regular season meetings. The Ravens are 22-3 overall, reaching the Region VI Tournament semifinals. The Ravens will play Southwest Tennessee in the opening round of the NJCAA Tournament on Monday in Hutchinson.

The 2021 at-large bid will be the 11th for the Red Ravens under Herkelman.