OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – The defending NJCAA Division II Softball Plains District Tournament Champions, Johnson County Community College will open the 2026 season as the No. 8-ranked team in the country and as the favorite to win the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference Division II title.
In a vote of the league coaches as part of the annual preseason order of finish poll, the Cavaliers earned 127 points and eight of the possible first-place votes. Johnson County was picked to finish either first or second in 10 of the 11 ballots submitted by coached, 11 points ahead of defending KJCCC D-II regular season champion Cowley College (116 points). Kansas City Kansas Community College was picked third (113 points) followed by Neosho County Community College (102 points), Labette Community College (80 points), Allen Community College (78 points), Cloud County Community College (55 points), Coffeyville Community College (53 points), Highland Community College (49 points), Independence Community College (41 points) and Fort Scott Community College (31 points).
Nationally under the direction of head coach Aubree Brattin-Volkens, the Cavaliers have been ranked in 13-of-15 NJCAA D-II preseason polls and ranked among the top-10 seven times. Overall, her teams have been a nationally ranked program in 108-of-132 polls (82%).
Johnson County is coming of a 2025 season that saw them finished 17-5 in the conference play to tie for third before going on to win the Plains District title and finish 3-2 and place fifth at the 2025 NJCAA Division II Softball World Series to finish the season with a 37-17 overall record.
Head coach Aubree Brattin-Volkens has six players back from that squad, highlighted by the return of infielder/outfielder Katie Kolarik, catcher/infielder Reagan Neitzel and pitcher/first baseman Elsa Carrillo, who were All-Region 6/Plains District and All-KJCCC D-II selections last year.
A first-team selection, Kolarik batted .430 (61-for-142) with 19 doubles, 11 home runs, 31 walks, 41 runs scored and 51 runs driven in. The produced 15 multiple-hit games and led the team with 16 multiple-RBI games, which tied for the third-most in a season in team history. She also ranks tied for fifth in walks, tied for 13th in extra base hits (30) and tied for 17th in home runs. In the conference, Kolarik tied for seventh in hits, tied for sixth in doubles, tied for eighth in home run and ninth in RBI.
Neitzel hit a .391 clip (63-for-161) with 17 doubles, two triples, 10 home runs, 26 walks, 53 runs and 44 RBI. She produced 15 multiple-hit games and 11 multiple-RBI games. Neitzel led the team in runs scored and was third in home runs and hits and fourth in doubles. Her 10 homers tie for 19th on JCCC's season chart. In the conference she ranked fourth in runs, seventh in hits and 10th in doubles.
Carrillo appeared in 24 games in the circle, starting 12 times. She finished 9-5 with 77 strikeouts over 85 and two-thirds innings with an ERA of 3.43. She completed 12 games and led the pitching staff with four shutouts. She also recorded three saves which led the conference and ranked seventh nationally.
Also back are utilty player Kamden Evans, first baeman/outfidler Jayla Green and infielder/outfielder Makenzie Yoder.
Brattin-Volkens has added 10 new players to the roster, eight freshman and two sophomore transfers, infielder Mariah Herrera who came over from Iowa Western Community College and pitcher Alryce Millard who played at Highland Community College last season.
The eight freshmen are infielder Katie Courter (Eudora, Kan.), outfielder Olivia Ellis (Mulvane, Kan.), outfielder Shalynn Elmore (Osawatomie, Kan.), pitcher/outfielder Kennedy Glassford (Olathe, Kan.), cacther/third baseman Reese Pattison (Eudora, Kan.), outfielder Taylor Rusk (Wellington, Kan.) and pitcher Kyleigh Whitehurst (Garden City, Kan.)
Johnson County opens its 2026 season on Friday, February 13 agaisnt Enterprise State Community College in Gulf Shores, Ala. Their home opener is scheduled for Friday, February 21 against Iowa Central Community College.