OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – The Johnson County Community College volleyball team will start the 2021 season in the same spot they finished the season last April - No. 1 in the country.
The Lady Cavaliers, coming off a National Junior College Athletic Association Division II championship, were voted No. in the both the NJCAA and American Volleyball Coaches Association preseason poll, released earlier this week. This marks the first time in team history that Johnson County has opened a season as the top team in the country. They have been No. 1 during the regular six times, five under head coach Jennifer Ei, last year's NJCAA D-II Coach of the Year.
Parkland College, the national runner-up to JCCC last year, is ranked No. 2. Iowa Central Community College, Illinois Central College and Sauk Valley Community College round out the top-five. Kansas Jayhawk D-II Conference foes Neosho County Community College (No. 9) and Highland Community College (No. 19) earned spots in the preseason top-20.
Ei returns four players from that helped the Lady Cavaliers to a national title; setter Ryleigh McBurney, outside hitter Alyssa Smith, libero Maddie Steiner and outside/right-side hitter Lexi Lueger.
McBurney earned honorable mention All-Kansas Jayhawk D-II Conference and second-team All-Region VI/Plains District honors last year after ranking second on the team and ninth in the conference with 634 assists. That total also ranked her 20th in the NJCAA. McBurney registered double figures in assists in 28 of the 29 matches played, and topped 20 or more 14 times.
Smith ranked second on the team with 309 digs and with a digs-per-set average of 3.65. She topped 10-plus digs in 19 matches and had 20-plus digs three times. She also had 120 kills, a 1.41 kills-per-set average and a kill percentage of .198.
Steiner finished third on the team with 258 digs and with a digs-per-set average of 2.41. She had 10-plus digs in 11 matches, including a season high 23 in a 3-1 win over Alllen.
Lueger close her first season with 42 kills, a 1.11 kills-per-set average and a kill percentage of .190. She also 21 digs and 22 blocks.
The No. 1 ranked Lady Cavaliers open the 2021 season this weekend in Rockford, Ill. They open against Harper College on Friday, August 20, followed by showdown against No. 4 Illinois Central. On Saturday they take on No. 11 Grand Rapids Community College and No. 7 McHenry County College. JCCC's first home match is Wednesday, September 1 at 6 pm., against Independence Community College.