OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – Two weeks after helping lead the Johnson County Community College volleyball to national championship, sophomore hitters Mikayla Powell and Gracie LaForge were named to the 12-player NJCAA Division II All-America first-team. The last time JCCC had two players selected as first-team All-Americans in the same season was in 2005 when the Lady Cavaliers won the first national title in program history. They are the 25^th and 26^th JCCC players to be selected All-American. 

Powell was named the MVP of the national tournament after tallying 57 kills while hitting .339 over the four matches. She had 19 kills in the championship match against Parkland. Her 19^th kill sealed the title for the Lady Cavaliers.  Powell also earned first-team All-Kansas Jayhawk D-II Conference and first-team All-Region VI/Plains District A honors. She ranked third in KJCCC D-II and fourth in the NJCAA with 363 kills, and her kills-per-set average of 3.59 was fifth and 20^th respectively. She led the conference and ranked 15^th in the NJCAA in kill percentage at .361.  Powell topped double figures in kills in 24 of the 27 matches in 2021. She hit over .400 in 15 matches, including a season-best .700 in the Region VI/Plains District championship match. A two-time KJCCC D-II Offensive Player of the Week, she closed out her career with 711 digs, which ranks her fifth all-time at Johnson County. 

"Mikayla is a very skilled and powerful player who took big swings to earn points in crunch time," said JCCC head coach Jennifer Ei. "She was a huge threat at the net that each opponent had to respect. She set a goal to become the best she could be this season, and is so deserving first-team All-American, MVP of the National Tournament and National Champion. 

LaForge was a first-team All-Kansas Jayhawk D-II Conference and first-team All-Region VI/Plains District selection. She was a second-team all-conference pick last year.  In 2021, LaForge ranked second in the conference and 17^th in the NJCAA with a kill percentage of .359, and she ranked seventh and 18^th respectively with 280 kills. She registered double figures kills in 11 matches and hit .400 or better 11 times, with a season-best of .70 in a win over Cloud County. In the national tournament, LaForge tallied 37 kills. In the championship match she had nine kills and team-high seven blocks. 

"Gracie has given this team strong leadership from the beginning with the help of our other captain, Makenzie Griffel," said Ei. "Gracie is one-of-kind special player, person and student-athlete. She makes a lifelong impact on every one she comes in contact with. She has worked so hard to earn this honor, along with being a national champion. I cannot be more proud of these strong and intelligent women."