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JCCC's Eric Horner Named ABCA/ATEC NJCAA D-I Plains Region Coach of the Year for fourth Consecutive Season

JCCC head coach Eric Horner stands in a gymnasium speaking into a handheld microphone while gesturing with one hand. The person wears a navy short-sleeve polo shirt with a small athletic logo and light-colored pants. In front of the speaker are three awards displayed on a table: a tall rectangular trophy with text reading “NJCAA National Champion Baseball Division I 2026,” a shield-shaped plaque labeled “NJCAA District Champion Plains District 2026,” and a round plaque marked “NJCAA Region 6.” Behind the speaker, rows of blue bleachers fill the background, and another individual appears blurred in the distance. The lighting is bright and even, typical of an indoor sports facility.
JCCC head baseball coach Eric Horner speaks to the crowd at the National Championship celebration.
Posted: Jun 23, 2026

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – Johnson County Community College head baseball coach Eric Horner has been named the 2026 NJCAA Division I Plains Region Coach of the Year by the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) and ATEC. This marks the fourth consecutive year Horner has earned the prestigious honor. Last year he became the first coach in Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference (KJCCC) and Region 6 history to three-peat.

The ABCA/ATEC Regional Coaches of the Year are selected by members of the ABCA All-America & Coach of the Year Committees in all nine divisions: NCAA Divisions I, II and III, NAIA, NJCAA Divisions I, II and III, Pacific Association Division and high school.

The 2026 season was an historic and record-breaking year for Horner and the Cavaliers. JCCC won both the KJCCC East Division and Region 6 titles for the fourth straight year.

Johnson County Community College entered the 2026 Alpine Bank JUCO World Series as the No. 1-ranked team in the nation and the tournament's top seed. They left Grand Junction as national champions — and one of the most dominant team's college baseball has ever seen, finishing the season 67-3.

Powered by a relentless offense and backed by elite pitching, the Cavaliers delivered a historic run that will stand among the all-time great seasons at any level of the sport.

JCCC's offensive production redefined power hitting. The Cavaliers launched a staggering 219 home runs this season — the most in college baseball history — including 15 bombs in five games during the World Series. Their total exceeded the next-closest team by more than 50 home runs and surpassed the legendary 1997 LSU squad's previous record by over 30. Even more remarkably, all nine hitters in JCCC's lineup recorded double-digit home runs, making them just the second team in college baseball history, alongside that iconic LSU club, to achieve the feat. 

Leading the charge was Ryan Bradford, whose historic season set the tone for the Cavaliers' offensive explosion. Bradford crushed 42 home runs, shattering both the JCCC single-season record and the NJCAA mark of 38. His total also ranks him among just five players in college baseball history — at any level — to eclipse the 40-home run plateau. Bradford was named the two-year D-I Baseball Player of the Year by the NJCAA, ABCA and Perfect Game.

And Bradford's accomplishments were just one part of a record-breaking campaign. The Cavaliers either broke or tied 16 team records, along with five individual game records, 15 individual season records, eight team JUCO World Series records, and an astonishing 17 individual World Series records. 

On the national stage, JCCC led the country in eight offensive categories while ranking in the top five in three others — a testament to the depth and consistency of its lineup. 

Just as impressive, however, was the Cavaliers' pitching staff. JCCC led all NJCAA programs with 690 strikeouts, outpacing the next-best staff by 77. The pitching unit also ranked among the nation's top five in ERA, shutouts, and opponent batting average, providing the perfect complement to the team's explosive offense.

For a team that entered the season with sky-high expectations, Johnson County didn't simply meet them — it obliterated them.

From unprecedented power numbers to a commanding march through the nation's most competitive tournament, the 2026 Cavaliers didn't just win a championship — they set a new standard for excellence in junior college baseball.

Coach Horner's resume also includes:

  • 317-66 record and .828 winning percentage
  • 4 KJCCC East Division Titles
  • 4 Region 6/Plains District Titles
  • 4 JUCO World Series Appearances
  • 1 JUCO World Series National Championship
  • 4-time KJCCC East Division Coach of the Year
  • 4-time Region 6/Plains District Coach of the Year
  • 4-time ABCA/ATEC Plains District Coach of the Year
  • 1 NJCAA JUCO World Series Coach of the Tournament
  • 74 All-KJCCC-East performers
  • 3 KJCCC-East MVPs
  • 3 KJCCC-East Pitchers of the Year
  • 2 KJCCC-East Freshman of the Year
  • 26 All-Region 6 selections
  • 1 NJCAA, ABCA & Perfect Game Player of the Year
  • 10 NJCAA All-Americans
  • 3 JUCO Baseball Blog All-Americans
  • 8 ABCA/Rawlings All-Americans
  • 1 USA Junior College All-Star
  • 2 Rawlings Gold Glove Award® winners
  • 6 Region 6 Rawlings Gold Glove Award® winners
  • 14 CSC Academic All-District® selections
  • 84 NJCAA All-Academic honorees, including a record 23 in 2024
  • 109 players moved on to four-year programs, with 75 at the NCAA Division I level

Coach Horner's achievements continue to elevate the JCCC baseball program to national prominence.