Complete list of the 2022-23 Awards Selections
The regular season Jayhawk Conference champions, Dodge City, and the Region VI champions, Barton highlighted the postseason awards claiming four of the five main awards among them.
Coach of the Year: Landon Steele, Dodge City
Coach Landon Steele in just his second season guiding the Dodge City Conquistadors earned KJCCC Coach of the Year after leading the ladies to the KJCCC title and NJCAA Division I National Tournament appearance. The Conquistadors finished the regular season 23-1 in KJCCC action dominating the competition to claim their first league title since 1987-88 and earned an at-large bid into the National Tournament marking the first time in school history the team has made Nationals. The Conquistadors also have set new school records for single-season wins and single-season conference wins with their performance this year.
Player of the Year: Jenny Nkem Womsi, Barton
Jenny Nkem Womsi earns Player of the Year honors after she was a double-double machine for the Barton Cougars throughout the season helping them claim the Region VI championship and a berth in the NJCAA Division I National Tournament, while also finishing second in the KJCCC. She recorded 24 double-doubles during the season and ultimately averaged a double-double on the year with 14.8 points per game and 13.2 rebounds per game, which led the conference. The sophomore was efficient from the floor shooting 56.1% and added 1.2 assists per game to her stat line.
Freshman of the Year: Freddie Wallace, Butler
Freddie Wallace burst onto the scene in the Jayhawk Conference in a big way for the Butler Grizzlies becoming an instant impact player helping guide the Grizzlies to the helping them finish third in the conference and make the Region VI Semifinals and earning her Freshman of the Year honors. Wallace led the team in scoring averaging 17.1 points per game on 47.2% shooting while the freshman filled the rest of the stat sheet out nicely averaging 6.8 rebounds, 1.2 assists, and 1.6 steals per game. She would drop 20+ points ten times during the season including a 31-point performance in a win over Coffeyville.
Newcomer of the Year: Leah Mafua, Dodge City
Leah Mafua would put her fingerprints all over the success of the season for Dodge City as the transfer averaged 12.5 points per game on 40.4% shooting while adding 5.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 2.2 steals per game earning her Newcomer of the Year. Mafua would play and start in all 32 games for the Conquistadors helping them win the KJCCC title for the first time since 1987-88 and earn their first-ever trip to the National Tournament. She recorded double figures in 20 games this season with a season-high 25 points coming against Coffeyville early in the season.
Defensive Player of the Year: Brennan Kirchhoff, Barton
Brennan Kirchhoff earned Defensive Player of the Year after helping the Barton Cougars be the best defensive team in the Jayhawk Conference surrendering only 54.5 points per game on 33.2% shooting. Not only did those numbers lead the KJCCC but they ranked the Cougars very high nationally as they checked at 16th in opponent points per game and ninth in opponent field goal percentage in the nation. Kirchhoff would pull down 4.5 rebounds per game and swipe 1.3 steals per game for the Cougars to help lead the Barton defense.
Defensive Team of the Year:
Brennan Kirchhoff (Barton)
Maycee James (Butler)
Valentina Ojeda (Independence)
Princess Anderson (Pratt)
Te'Araroa Sopoaga (Cloud County)
Jordynn Conners (Coffeyville)
Bree Stephens (Dodge City)
Sokhna Toure (Northwest Kansas Tech)