OVERLAND PARK, Kan. -  The National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) announced today that Johnson County sophomore right-side hitter Mikayla Powell has been named the 2020-21 NJCAA Division II Volleyball Player of the Year, presented by the Marines.  

Powell helped lead the Lady Cavaliers to its first national championship in 16 years. She 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 NJCAA D-II All-American, 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. 

"I am so proud of her hard work on and off the court to achieve this incredible award," Ei said in a release posted by the NJCAA. "She was a leaders on the court. She performed in big matches and in crunch time when the team needed her most If you asked Mikayla, she would say how much her teammates helped contribute to her success. That's what is so special about our group."