Category: KCKCC

KCKCC student athletes recognized for academic success

Student-athletes filled the floor of the Kansas City Kansas Community College Field House for the annual Academic Achievement Night ceremonies. (KCKCC photo by Alan Hoskins)

by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC

More than 100 Kansas City Kansas Community College student-athletes were recognized for the success in the classroom Wednesday night.

A total of 104 student-athletes in eight sports were honored at the annual Academic Achievement Night activities held between the women’s and men’s basketball games in the KCKCC Field House. The student-athletes were honored for attaining grade point averages of 3.0 or higher.

Dr. Greg Mosier, KCKCC president; Dr. Beth Krueger, KCKCC vice president of academic affairs; and Athletic Director Tony Tompkins were joined by Board of Trustees Chairman Ray Daniels, Don Ash, Rosalyn Brown and Linda H. Sutton in recognizing the athletes. The student-athletes honored:

Volleyball – Nicole Alemestica, Michelle Dvorak, Gracie Golay, McKenna Johnson, Julianie Laboy-Rivera, Tara Mattingly, Allayah Stillwell, Natalia Vega-Apointe, Adriana Velez.

Women’s soccer – Madison Broeker, Hailey Coates, Makenzie Denham, Karleigh Enyart, Lillian Kremer, Paige Liston, Bryanna Najera, Ruth Nunez, Hannah Nystrom, Kayley Pedersen, Arlene Ruiz, Caroline Rutledge, Katrina Sargent, Alex Schemmel, Melissa Siegel, Jaidyn Yingling.

Men’s soccer – Luis Alavrado, Fernando Barbosa-Torrado, Elijah Bathily, Sebastian Bolanos- Pazmino, Leonardo Bonelli, Nico Bosemediano, Richard Bowman, Cody Burleson, Marcos Cabral, Samba Gnokane,Felipe Kerr-Lourenco, Vitor Lo, Alejandro Maillet-Tapias, Miguel Merida-Castro, Jorge Monferrer-Vicente, Jonathan Moon, Guilherme Moreno, Leonardo Notarnicola, Abdulrahmen Rabi-Khalid, Ronin Richardson, Corey Ridley, Carlos Rodriguez, Lucas Santos, Ignacio Sarasol, Jessy Zietta-Motando.

Softball – Bradi Basler, Nerida Elson, Georgia Faunt, Shaylun Grosstephan, Abby Henson, Alaina Howe, Anika Jobe, Alexandra Martin, Haley Masisak, MacKenzie Pinkerton, Madison Pope, Madison Prough, Devin Purcell, Hannah Redick, Alyssa Seichepine, Leah Seichepine.

Baseball – Eduardo Acosta, Caleb Adams, Logan Barnard, Lester Biggs, Hunter Cashero, Kade Chastain, Josiah Crowley, Michael Edgar, Griffin Everitt, Austin Fisher, Tyler Henry, Trey Hoover, Palmer Hutchison, Samuel Juarez, Seth Kenagy, Osvaldo Mendez, Steven Santiago, Jake Shafer, William Simmons, Cole Slibowski, Jose Sosa.

Women’s basketball – Brodi Byrd, Carson Chandler, Shanea Dinwiddie, Kamryn Estell, Caroline Hoppock. Aliyah Myers, Diamond Williams, Destiny Zamudio.

Men’s basketball – Timothy Barbieri, Cody Dortch, Robert Rhodes.

Golf – Kellen Welsh, Keegan Ellington, Dylan Freund, Cameron Riley, Mark Towey, Jacob Hall.

No. 8 JCCC pulls away late for 71-60 win over Lady Blue Devils

Despite being double-teamed most of the night, KCKCC freshman Kamryn Estell still managed to pull down 13 rebounds and score 20 points – both game highs – in the Blue Devils’ 71-60 loss to Johnson County Wednesday. (KCKCC photo by Alan Hoskins)

by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC

For the last six seasons, winning the Jayhawk Conference has been a ticket to a berth in the semifinals of the NJCAA Division II national women’s tournament.

Otherwise, it’s a steady diet of playing nationally ranked teams as Kansas City Kansas Community College’s defending national champions dropped a hard-fought 71-60 decision to Johnson County Wednesday night.

It was the fourth loss in 25 games for the No. 10 ranked Lady Blue Devils and all have been to teams ranked in the Top 10 nationally – No. 2 Kirkwood, No. 3 Highland, No. 7 Labette and now No. 8 JCCC.

“Obviously our four losses have been to really, really good teams but it’s so frustrating when you’re beating yourself as much as the other team is beating you,” said KCKCC coach Joe McKinstry, whose Blue Devils play host to Labette (17-4) Saturday at 2 p.m..

Trailing by as many as 15 points in the second quarter, the Blue Devils rallied to tie the game at 45-45 with two minutes left in the third quarter and were just four back (59-55) with four minutes left before the Cavaliers pulled away.

Rebounding proved to be a big factor despite a valiant effort by 6-1 freshman Kamryn Estell, the lone Blue Devil in the starting lineup standing over 5-foot-6. Estell led all scorers and rebounders with a double-double of 20 points and 13 rebounds. Aliyah Myers added 11 points and Tiaira Earnest 10 but no other Blue Devil had more than one field goal.

The Cavaliers’ 42-34 advantage in rebounds included 14 off the offensive boards.

“We forced them into 24 turnovers and held them to 2-of-10 3-pointers the first half but all that was negated by their offensive rebounds,” McKinstry said. “For the third time in three conference losses, we battled, played hard and competed but there’s a lot of things within our control where we’re coming up short. Sometimes its execution or boxing out on rebounds or stepping up and making shots.”

KCKCC trailed 28-13 early in the second quarter before Estell, Myers and Earnest combined to score the last 17 points of the half for the Blue Devils. Estell had 10 points, Myers 7 and Earnest 6 and each had a three as KCKCC closed to 37-36 only to give up three free throws in the final second and trail 40-36 at the half.

“We should have been down by one at the half but we did that to ourselves,” McKinstry said. “It’s a situation we have to do better and learn from it.”

Still, the Blue Devils pulled even 45-45 only to have the Cavaliers counter with three layups in a span of a minute for a 51-45 lead. Closest KCKCC could get in the fourth quarter was 59-55 on an Earnest 3-pointer with 3:47 left but JCCC’s Krystal Rice’s 3-pointer and layup and Dallie Hoskinson’s trey opened the lead to 67-57 with two minutes left.

KCKCC had just six turnovers the first half but finished with 17 and was just 17-of-54 shots for 31.5 percent from the field and .308 from the perimeter.

“We have to be aware and ready to make shots, get in the gym and get the confidence to knock down shots,” McKinstry said.

KCKCC sophomore Caroline Hoppock was thwarted in her attempt at a baseline shot in the Lady Blue Devils’ 71-60 loss to No. 8 ranked Johnson County Wednesday. (KCKCC photo by Alan Hoskins)

30 Miles in 30 Days Challenge returning to KCKCC

by Kelly Rogge, KCKCC

The KCKCC Wellness and Fitness Center is starting the New Year by helping the campus community develop a healthier lifestyle.

The 30 Miles in 30 Days Challenge starts Feb. 10. Its purpose is to encourage students, staff, faculty and community members to complete at least one mile of cardiovascular activity every day for a month. That includes walking, jogging, riding a bike or one mile on an elliptical machine.

“It takes 21 to 30 days to break old habits and create new habits,” said Pam Hall, wellness specialist at the KCKCC Wellness and Fitness Center. “We want to make it personally challenging, have individuals make a real change and re-pattern their fitness routine.”

Upon registering, individuals will receive a Tracking Card, which is what they will turn in at the end of the 30 Miles in 30 Days Challenge to show the activity logged. Participants mark the box for each day they complete a mile. When the challenge ends March 14, individuals will submit their completed cards for a chance at winning a prize. The Tracking Card does not include any Sundays.

The 30 Miles in 30 Days Challenge is also for those that may already be exercising.

“Make this a personal challenge for yourself,” Hall said. “Say you already do two miles of exercise a day. For one mile, make yourself go faster than you normally would.”

For more information or to register for the challenge, contact Pam Hall at [email protected] or at 913-288-7368. Individuals can also register by calling the Wellness & Fitness Center at 913-288-7610 or visiting the front desk.