by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC
For the first time in history, Kansas City Kansas Community College is the No. 1 ranked team in NJCAA DII women’s basketball.
Receiving all but one first place vote, the defending national champions lead a quartet of Jayhawk Conference teams ranked in the Top 12 in the NJCAA’s preseason poll of Division II teams. Johnson County is ranked 8th, Labette 11th and Highland 12th. .
“Obviously this makes me very happy and proud, especially knowing it’s the first time in history,” said head coach Joe McKinstry, who in just four seasons has taken the Lady Blue Devils to two national championship (2016 and 2019). “I’m also very proud that our program has earned that much respect on the national level and very appreciative of the players we’ve had the past four years. They’ve helped build this program and are the ones who have helped to put it in the position it is now..”
The No. 1 ranking comes despite the fact the Blue Devils return only two players who played the entire 2018-19 season – and one of them will not be available to start the season which begins Friday, Nov. 1.
Caroline Hoppock, a versatile 5-10 guard/forward who played in all 36 games last season, suffered a concussion and will be sidelined indefinitely.
That leaves 5-5 guard Brodi Byrd as the only full-time returnee. Byrd moved into the starting lineup at mid-season and averaged 8.9 points and 3.0 rebounds in 22 starts.
Carson Chandler, a 5-8 guard, is also back after playing only the spring semester. However, she is sidelined with a leg injury.
“As head coach of this team, I look at the ranking from two perspectives,” McKinstry said. “It is not fair to this young group. Being so young (10 freshmen) and inexperienced, it’s a lot to ask them to shoulder.
“At the same time, this kind of respect is the reason they came to this college. Having high expectations is part of the program and responsibilities that go with it. They come here knowing that they will be the target of every team we play. As the leader of this team, it is my job to see that our young ladies accept those responsibilities, staying focused and determined.”
While KCKCC has won two national championships, the Blue Devils were never ranked better than No. 3 in either national championship season although Johnson County and Highland achieved the No. 1 ranking last season. There’s no poll taken after the national tournament.
“Being No. 1 kind of brings closure to last year’s team and its accomplishments,” McKinstry said. “Not only did it win the national championship in impressive fashion but earned the national respect that’s reflected by this year’s preseason rankings.”
The Blue Devils will remain No. 1 throughout the month of November because the next rankings won’t come out until December. However, there are several big hurdles that must be cleared if the Blue Devils are to remain among the nation’s elite.
The Blue Devils play host to Graceland junior varsity in their opener Friday, Nov. 1, and then entertain St. Louis Community College the next night, a St. Louis team that received votes in the preseason poll.
What most likely will be billed as the “Game of the Year,” KCKCC will play No. 2 Kirkwood in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Saturday, Nov. 9. A two-game classic, KCKCC also plays Southeastern Iowa Nov. 8.
