OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – The Johnson County Community College volleyball team has been consistently one of the best in the country under 14-year veteran head coach Jennifer Ei, and because of her track record, the Lady Cavaliers have been predicted to finish second in 2022 Kansas Jayhawk D-II Conference championship race behind Cowley College.
Johnson County will also start the 2022 campaign as the No. 3 team in country. The National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) released its Division II preseason poll with week. This is the 13th time in 14 years under Ei's leadership that her program has opened the season ranked.
Defending national champion Parkland is the No. 1 ranked team in the preseason poll, followed by Cowley. Iowa Central and Sauk Valley round out the top five. The 2022 JCCC schedule featured nine teams that have been preseason ranked by the NJCAA, including D-I No. 1 Iowa Western (Oct. 7 & 21) and D-II No. 1 Parkland (Aug. 20). The other seven D-II ranked teams are at No. 2 Cowley (Sept. 3), No. 4 Iowa Central (Aug. 31), No. 7 Heartland (Sept. 10), No. 8 Kirkwood (Sept. 10), No. 10 McHenry County (Aug. 20), No. 11 Grand Rapids (Aug. 19) and receiving votes Kansas City Kansas (Aug. 31).
Under Ei's watch JCCC has won three conference titles and finished runner-up four times. On the national scene the Lady Cavaliers have made 10 triples to the NJCAA D-II National Tournament which has included a national championship in 2020, runner-up finishes in 2008 and 2010 and three third place finishes.
Last season, Johnson County was third in the final conference standing but closed out the year by winning the Region 6/Plains District Championship and placing third at the NJCAA D-II National Tournament.
Ei returns five players from that squad led by 6-0 outside hitter Jadyn Troutman. She was earned first-team All-KJCCC D-II and second-team All-Region 6/Plains District B honors after finishing second on the team and ninth in the conference with 313 kills. She also ranked second on the team and 12th in the KJCCC with a kills-per-set average of 2.77. Her attack percentage of .258 was eighth in the conference. At nationals, Troutman tallied 30 kills over the four matches, highlighted by a 14-kill effort in a 3-2 victory over No. 2 Iowa Central in the third-place match. She was selected to the NJCAA D-II All-Tournament team. Troutman is also an outstanding student earning NJCAA All-Academic first-team with a GPA of 4.0.
Also returning are defensive specialist/libero Addyson Mock, outside hitter Kylie Gregory, setter Lauren McClure and right-side hitter Paige Huhman.
Mock ranked fourth on the team with 235 digs and was third with a digs-per-set average of 2.46. She topped double figures in digs in eight matches. She also earned NJCAA All-Academic first-team with a 4.0 GPA.
Gregory was third on the team with 259 digs and was fourth in a digs-per-set average of 2.35. She also had 141 kills and a hitting percentage of .169. Gregory reached double figures in digs in 13 matches and had four matches with 10-plus kills. Off the court she earned NJCAA All-Academic first-team with a grade point of 4.0.
McClure was second on the squad with 562 assists and an assist-per-set average of 5.51. Her 562 assists ranked eighth in the conference and her 5.51 set average was seventh-best. She reached double figures in 26 matches, topped 20-plus in 11, 30-plus in five and had three matches of 40 or more. She also had 149 digs. McClure was honored a third-team NJCAA All-Academic performer with a GPA between 3.60-3.79
Huhman played in 18 matches last season finishing with 16 kills and a hitting percentage of .250, along with six digs and six blocks.
Ei has also added one sophomore transfer, outside hitter Taylor McCarthy (Regis University) and eight freshmen; outside/middle hitter Sophia Ewy (Eudora, Kan.), middle/right-side hitter Isabella Flaska (St. Joseph, Mo.), setter/defensive specialist Sydney Fiatte (Shawnee, Kan.), right-side hitter Kylee Harris (Raymore, Mo.), middle/outside hitter Camilla Ossola (Gavirate, Verese, Italy), defensive specialist/libero Emily Silvers (Lawrence, Kan.), setter Marti Strickert (Blue Springs, Mo.) and outside/middle hitter Sarina Ulberg (Independence, Mo.).
Johnson County opens its 2022 campaign August 19-20 in Rockford, Ill, against Waubonsee, Grand Rapids, McHenry County and Parkland. Their first home matches are Thursday, August 25 against Baker JV and McPherson JV at 5 and 7 p.m.