Lady Cavs speak out about new coach

Early indications indicate Benjamin Conrad is the perfect fit to lead the Lady Cavs.

Sophomore Amanda Dittmer said she thinks he will be a welcome addition to the club.

"He has been great so far about getting in contact with each of the girls and he has met with some of our parents," she said. "He seems really excited for this upcoming year to work with us girls and start somewhere new. I am very excited about the upcoming year."

Fellow sophomore Ivy Morrison said she hasn't met Conrad yet.

"But he should be coming up here sometime very soon," she said. "I will get a chance to be introduced to, and to speak with him."

Incoming freshman Megan Cook said she is excited about the new coach.

"He seems like a young guy that really wants to be here and feels very strongly about his new position," she said.

Cook said she's under the impression that Conrad wants to be here.

"This is where he wants to be and feels privlidged to be here. He seems very passionated and intense about the game," she said. "He is going to push the team very hard and it is my assumption that we will be very successful under his coaching."

Conrad began his career in 1996 as a coaches assistant at University of Northern Iowa. After three seasons at UNI he spent one year as a graduate assistant at Iowa State in 2000-01. That year the Cyclones advanced all the way to the Sweet 16.

After receiving his Bachelors in Political Science from UNI (1999) and his Master's in Exercise Science from Iowa State (2001) he spent one season as an assistant coach at Graceland University (2001-02). In 2002 he accepted his first head coaching job at Des Moines Area Community College . Conrad spent three seasons (2002-05) at Des Moines going 71-27.

In 2005, Conrad accepted the head coaching position at Upper Iowa University, an NCAA Division II school. Upper Iowa's won-lost record in Conrad's first season (2005-06) is unavailable. In 2006-07 they joined the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference and went 9-19 (5-13 in conference). Last season Upper Iowa went 7-23 (3-15).

New coaches introduced at Trustees meeting

Story by Corey Thibodeaux, reporter The Campus Ledger

The head Track and Field, Women’s Basketball and Women’s Volleyball coaches left some big voids to fill in the off-season.

The Johnson County Community College Board of Trustees announced on June 19 the replacement for three of the college’s Head Coaches.

Mike Bloemker will inherit the title of Head Track and Field Coach. He served as the Women and Men’s Assistant Track Coach and the Head Cross Country Coach for the past ten years.

The new women’s hoops coach will be Benjamin Conrad, the only newcomer to the college. He coached women’s basketball as a head coach since 2002 at Des Moines Arena Community College then Upper Iowa University.

Assistant Volleyball Coach Jenny Ei will be promoted to Head Coach. Ei has history of coaching club and high school Volleyball, she has not head coached at the college level.

The new coaches’ one-year contracts become effective July 1, 2008.

Ricks selected as NABC/State Farm All-American

Story by Tyler Cundith

Pulled from www.jccc.edu

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. -- Johnson County Community College freshmen guard Nafis Ricks of Philadelphia, Pa., has been named to the 2008 State Farm Coaches’ All-American Team as selected by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC). He is the first player in team history to earn this honor.

Earlier this year, Ricks became the 11th player in JCCC history to earn All-America accolades, and the second to earn first-team honors. He joins Chris Lollar as the only two first-team All-Americans in Cavalier basketball history.

Ricks also earned second-team East Jayhawk Conference honors, was voted the East Jayhawk Conference Freshman of the Year and selected as a first-team All-Region VI performer. He is the first player in team history to earn Freshman of the Year.

Ricks helped JCCC to a 21-12 record, a No. 14 ranking in the final NJCAA Division II poll, a Region VI title and a runner-up finish in the District 10 Championship. The team’s 21 victories are the most since 2001-02, and tie the second-best season total in the 17-year tenure of head coach Mike Jeffers.

Ricks led the team in scoring (15.4), rebounding (7.4) and steals (87). His 87 steals tie the fifth-best season in school history. Ricks led JCCC in scoring in 16 games, was the top rebounder 18 times and game leader in assists six times.

He scored in double figures in 27 games, and had six double doubles of points and rebounds. Twice Ricks was selected the NJCAA D-II Player of the Week. His first honor came the week of Nov. 28.

The freshman guard led JCCC to a pair of victories over Cloud County Community College and Hutchinson Community College at the Hutchinson Thanksgiving Classic last weekend.

Ricks scored 12 points and grabbed seven rebounds with three assists and two steals in a 60-54 win over Cloud County. He then netted 14 points with eight rebounds and five assists in a 80-68 win over Hutchinson. Ricks’ second honor came the week of Feb. 6 when he averaged 28.5 points and 10.5 rebounds in JCCC two games that week.

He had 26 points, 10 rebounds, three assists and three steals in leading the Cavaliers to a 75-61 road victory over Highland. He followed with a career-high 31 points, along with 11 rebounds, two assists and two steals in a near upset of Division I nationally ranked Independence.

Located in Kansas City, MO, the NABC was founded in 1927 by Phog Allen, the legendary basketball coach at the University of Kansas. Allen, a student of James Naismith, the inventor of basketball, organized coaches into this collective group to serve as Guardians of the Game. The NABC currently claims nearly 5,000 members consisting primarily of university and college men’s basketball coaches.

All members of the NABC are expected to uphold the core values of being a Guardian of the Game by bringing attention to the positive aspects of the sport of basketball and the role coaches play in the academic and athletic lives of today’s student-athletes.

The four core values of being a Guardian of the Game are advocacy, leadership, service and education. Additional information about the NABC, its programs and membership, can be found at www.nabc.com.

Former JCCC baseball player drafted

Story by Tyler Cundith
Pulled from www.jccc.edu

OVERLAND PARK, KS -- Former Johnson County Community College catcher Ryan Arp of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was recently drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2008 Major League Baseball Draft.

He was selected in the 45th round and was the 1,356th pick overall. He is expected to report to a Dodger rookie league team in in either Florida or Utah.

Arp played for head coach Kent Shelley in the springs of 2005 and 2006. His sophomore season, Arp hit .303 (33-for-109) with nine doubles, two triples and 20 RBI. For his career, he hit .287 (45-for-157) with 12 doubles, three home runs and 33 RBI.

Arp continued his athletic career at Upper Iowa University. He is the first player in the program’s history to be selected in the Major League Draft.

Jackie Hoyt leaving to go to Central Christian College

Jackie Hoyt is leaving Johnson County Community College for Central Christian College in Macpherson, Kansas.

She said she chose to leave the college because she didn't have fun.

"Because it was too big to make a lot of friends," Hoyt said. "I didn't like the season, because I wasn't havin fun. I sat on the bench a lot."

Hoyt said she will have a lot more fun at Central Christian College.

"I chose there because I like the coach," she said. "I liked the christian environment and people and I feel I would get more of a college experience."

Hoyt looks back fondly on her experience at the college.

"I dont regret going to JCCC. I enjyed my time there. It just feels right to go to CCC."

Zach Smith signs with Johnson County Community College

According to Piratesbaseballclub.com Pitcher Zach Smith of Fort Zumwalt South High School in the St. Louis area has signed a letter of intent with Johnson County Community College.

More details to come...

Softball standout Chiles headed to Johnson County

Pulled from lansingcurrent.com

By Chris Wristen
March 13, 2008

One of the most reliable members of the Lansing High softball lineup is taking her game to the next level.

Morgan Chiles, a varsity starter since her freshman year, will join the lineup at Johnson County Community College in the fall.

“I realized that all of my efforts were worth it,” she said with a smile before signing her letter-of-intent.

Chiles’ story began on ball fields throughout Leavenworth County as a five-year-old T-ball player. She began playing softball on a 10-and-under team coached by Rhonda Lang before moving on to the Leavenworth Twisters and Olathe Rockets club teams.

Chiles said she began dreaming of playing college softball around the time she was a freshman.
“I was probably 14 or 15 when I realized that there is college, and there is a possibility of me playing,” she said. “I thought I could really achieve that goal someday.”

She has spent the past few years at LHS working to attain that goal, and the Lions have benefited from her contributions.

In three years, Chiles has helped the Lions post a 41-22 record, win the school’s first Kaw Valley League softball title and advance to state for just the second time in program history.

She has played a variety of positions in the process. She was a utility player as a freshman, helping out in the outfield and at catcher. As a sophomore she transitioned to third base to replace the steady glove of long-time starter Maggie Aus.

Chiles played both third base and shortstop as a junior, and she garnered All-KVL first-team honors while hitting .325.

After shifting throughout the field during her first few seasons at LHS, Chiles likely will stay put on the left side of the infield in 2008 because the Lions return their entire squad from a year ago. The 2007 team had no seniors, and coach Terry Cornett praised Chiles for taking on the role of the team’s vocal leader.

Throughout her high school career Chiles has been a year-round athlete. She was a four-year member of the varsity basketball team, and she spent two seasons playing varsity volleyball — including as a member of the 2007 squad that set the program’s single-season wins total, won an undefeated KVL championship and placed fourth at the Class 5A state tournament.

Through it all, softball has been her first love. Even when she was playing other sports, Chiles always made time for softball. She and LHS teammate Amanda Darrow routinely played Friday night basketball games and then hit the road for weekend indoor softball tournaments.

Indoor tournaments?

“Basically it’s this gym, and they put a little net so (the ball) can’t hit the ceiling, and you get some corners taken away,” she explained. “If you want to hit a home run, you’ve got to hit it straight.”

Chiles feels like she hit a home run with her college selection of JCCC. The Cavaliers are one of the top junior college softball programs in the nation on a yearly basis. They are a regular participant in the national tournament and have finished the top 10 in the national tournament 10 times. In 2007 they were the National Junior College Athletic Association Division II runner-up and posted a 46-14 record.

Chiles said she was attracted to Johnson County’s record of success.

“I remember in their coaches’ office they have pictures of All-Americans all over,” she said. “That’d be pretty cool if that could be me.”

Chiles also liked the fact that JCCC is only about 30 minutes from home. That will allow her family — always a presence at her sporting events — to catch most of her games.

“They’re a big support,” she said. “They go to almost every game that they can unless they’re sick, and they support me in a lot of decisions I’ve made. Even if I didn’t want to play softball I’m sure they’d be happy for me.”

Although Chiles said she isn’t certain that she will go on and play at a four-year school after two years at Johnson County, she said she wouldn’t rule anything out.

“I don’t think I would be able to turn it down if I got the chance to,” she said.

Travis Blankenship to pitch at Kansas next season

Travis Blankenship, recently named Second Team All-Jayhawk Conference after going 6-2 with a 2.86 Era, signed a letter of intent to play for the Kansas Jayhawks next season.

Megan Cook signs letter of intent with Johnson County Community College

Pulled from www.kapuan.org

April 22, 2008
Wichita, Kansas
Kapaun Mt. Carmel senior Megan Cook signed a National Letter of Intent today to attend Johnson County Community College in Overland Park, Kansas in the fall of 2008 and play basketball for the school.

Cook was a four-year player for Kapaun Mt. Carmel Catholic High School, and played on the varsity squad the last three years.

As a Crusader, Megan helped to lead KMC to a 3rd place finish in the Greater Wichita Athletic League in 2008. In 2007, the Crusaders finished 4th the 5A State Tournament.

In 2008, Cook was named All-City Honorable Mention and received the same honor at the state level.

Megan is the daughter of Mike and Jenny Cook. The Cook family belongs to St. Jude Parish in Wichita.

She plans to major in Dental Hygiene at Johnson County Community College.

From Cats To Cavs Bechard and Nelson sign with JCCC

According to knsafm.com reporter Justin Fluke Holton High School alumnus Melissa Nelson and Crista Bechard signed letters of intent May 1 with Johnson County Community College.

The article says, "Nelson and Bechard helped the Holton girls basketball team to three straight undefeated Big 7 League Championships as well as two Sub State titles and a runner up state finish in 2008."

The article says the Lady Cats, of Holton High School fame went 24-2 last season and the duo combined to go 67 and 6 over three seasons.

The article says, "Nelson led the league averaging better than 14 points per game while also hitting 54 percent from inside the arc.

Nelson was second in the league in steals and free throw percentage at 75 percent.

She was a first team all state selection by the KBCA and Topeka Capital Journal in Class 4A and departs Holton as the fifth leading scorer in school history.

Bechard also earned all league honors for two seasons and was honorable mention all state.

Crista was second in the Big 7 in assists and free throw percentage while also ranking high in steals and field goal percentage while averaging nearly ten points per game."

No information was found on the other recruits outgoing coach Debbie Carrier mentioned. See post titled, "Three coaches resigning at Johnson County Community College"

Ready to change and it Shows

Danielle Shows, sophomore women's basketball player is leaving the hardwood to join the ranks of the military.

Shows said she is doing it to become a better person.

"I don't feel like I am headed in the right direction," she said. "My grades dont look how I want them to and I am irresponsible, unorganized, undisciplined."

Shows said knowing some people who were in the miltary factored in her decision.

Does Shows plan to return to the basketball team?

"Seeing as i am only joining the reserves, I might play next year," she said.

If Shows doesn't return it will be a tough transition year for the Lady Cavs. Minus Shows, the Lady Cavs only return three players in Ivy Morrison, Amanda Dittmer and Katie Buenger. All three were bench players last season, and with the exception of Dittmer saw very little playing time (except at the end of blowouts).

Shows did a good job playing second guard to Brittney Slifer last year and running the point when Slifer rested. Shows experience would certainly be missed.

Search For Coaches Begins

This just in...

Carl Heinrich, Athletic Director said the search committee for a new women's basketball coach has narrowed it down to three candidates.

At this time Heinrich cannot publicly announce who the candidates are.

Heinrich also said the college has found new coaches for volleyball and track but has to wait until the Board of Trustees approves the hirings at their next board meeting, June 19.

More details to come...