COLBY, Kan. – Following a run to the 2023 NJCAA Division 1 Women’s Soccer National Semifinals last year, Cowley College has been picked to win the 2024 Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference Division 1 Women’s Soccer preseason order of finish as voted on by the league coaches on Wednesday, August 14th.

Tallying 76 total points and seven of nine first-place votes, the Tigers top the poll following last year’s record of 13-5-4 which included a 9-3-4 mark in the KJCCC to finish third in the regular season before earning wins over Dodge City, Garden City, and Barton to claim the 2024 NJCAA Plains District Title to qualify for the national tournament. At the national tournament, Cowley defeated number two seed Seminole State College 4-1 before falling to seven-seed Salt Lake Community College 1-0 which allowed the Tigers to come out of pool B as the only team with a positive goal differential to go on to the National Semifinals. Taking on number one-seed Iowa Western, Cowley fell by a score of 1-0 to the eventual National Champion who did not allow a single goal the entire national tournament.

Perennial KJCCC contender Butler was picked second with 66 total points and one of the remaining two first-place votes after finishing fifth last season with a 10-6-5 overall record after qualifying for the NJCAA Division 1 Women’s Soccer National Tournament each of the prior two years. Picked to finish third with the lone remaining first-place vote was Hutchinson with 64 total points as the Blue Dragons are coming off a 12-5-3 campaign while outscoring opponents 56-19 along with seven shutouts before dropping each of their final four games of the season last year.

Defending KJCCC Division 1 women’s soccer regular-season champion and NJCAA Division 1 women’s soccer national tournament qualifier Barton Community College is picked fourth with 56 total points and will enter a new era after seeing former coach Ousmane Camara move on following eight years with the program as Cougar head men’s soccer coach Rafael Simmons will also lead the women’s program in 2024. Barton went 14-3-4 overall last year and 12-1-3 in the KJCCC to win the regular season title and make the national tournament for the second time in program history.

Rounding out the nine-team poll was KCKCC (50 points), Coffeyville (30 points), Garden City (27 points), Dodge City (24 points), and Seward County (12 points).

Action around the conference will begin on Thursday, August 22nd with six of nine programs in action to begin the regular season as the remaining three teams will begin the season over the following nine days. Conference play will begin on Wednesday, August 28th with four matches taking place including KCKCC at Seward, Garden City at Hutchinson, Barton at Dodge City, and Butler at Coffeyville.