Category: KCKCC

KCKCC softball players excel on field and in classroom

by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC

Members of the Kansas City Kansas Community College softball team excelled not only on the playing field but in the classroom.

On the field, six Blue Devils were named to the NJCAA Region VI All-District D team for 2019.

Academically, the team had a combined 3.59 grade point average as six players had perfect 4.0 GPAs, sophomores Kaylee Arnzen, Britney Beck, Gracie Gentry and Britney Smith and freshmen Hannah Redick and Shay Grosstephan.

Arnzen. Redick and Grosstephan were joined by Devin Purcell on the All-District team; Smith and Mackenzie Pinkerton were selected on the second team.

Equaling the second most wins in KCKCC history, the Blue Devils (38-10) defeated tri-champion Hesston twice in the District D playoffs before losing to nationally ranked Johnson County 4-2 in the champion ship game.

A first baseman from Pampa, Texas, Arnzen led the Blue Devils in most offensive categories including hitting (.379), slugging (667), home runs (10), runs-batted-in (51) and extra base hits (23).

Redick, a graduate of Shawnee Mission North, played every game at shortstop. Hitting from the leadoff position, Redick led the Blue Devils in hits with 75 while batting .368 with 37 RBI and a team high 17 doubles.

A centerfielder from Eudora, Purcell led the Blue Devils in stolen bases with 14.and committed only one error in 77 chances in the outfield. Hitting second in the batting order, she hit .354 with 12 doubles and 18 RBI.

A righthander pitcher from Girard, Kansas, Grosstephan also served as the designated hitter when not on the mound, hitting .337 with 30 RBI. On the mound, she compiled a 15-6 record with a 4.10 ERA, striking out 73 and walking 54 in 145 innings.

A second baseman from Basehor-Linwood, Smith hit .307 with 33 RBI. She also stole eight bases and had just four errors in 195 fielding chances.

Pinkerton was the Blue Devils winningest pitcher with a 16-12 record. A righthander from Channhassen, Minnesota, she also had four saves while striking out 134 and walking 91 for a 4.65 ERA. As the designated hitter, Pinkerton batted 256 with 10 doubles and 26 RBI.

Johnson County, which won the District D championship and earned a berth in the national tournament, landed three players on the first team while co-champion Hesston dominated the first team with six selections.

Ross super-excited about Blue Devil softball recruiting

Head coach Lana Ross, left, and assistant Jenn Strohman have been busy since the end of the KCKCC softball season, signing 10 outstanding high school prospects for next season. (KCKCC photo by Alan Hoskins)

by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC

Lana Ross has gone near and far as she continues to build the softball program at Kansas City Kansas Community College, landing what has the makings of an outstanding freshmen class.

Limited in recruiting in her first season as head coach because of her late hiring last July, Ross’ first team nevertheless won 38 games and reached the Region VI championship game. This fall, she’ll have 10 promising newcomers to blend in with seven returning starters from this year’s 38-20 squad,

“I’m super excited for next year; it’s a team I think can make strides in the conference and put us back on the map in the Jayhawk,” Ross said. “We have a lot of freshmen who have played a lot of good softball and will make an impact not only athletically but in leadership roles as well. And all 10 have outstanding records in the classroom.”

Six of the newcomers come from Kansas and Missouri including five from the immediate Kansas City area. They’ll be joined by two pair of teammates, one duo from Oklahoma, the other from New Zealand.

Heading the list is a pair of Lansing High School standouts, right-handed pitcher Bradi Basler and infielder Haley Masisak.

“We are counting on Bradi making an immediate impact,” Ross said. “She throws hard, moves the ball around real well with good spin. An all-around athlete, she’s a good hitter and can also play first base. Masisak is a right-hand power hitter who plays on the KC Lightning Strike club team.”

They’ll be joined by two members of the PSA Messer club team, shortstop Madison Pope of McLouth and first baseman Madison Prough of Olathe South.

“Pope is a very good defensive shortstop while Prough is a left-handed power hitter,” Ross said.

Taylor Farr, an outfielder from Platte County High School, has the quickness and experience to be a defensive force in the outfield while Abby Henson of Pleasant Hope, Missouri, will provide right-hand power at third base. Henson plays on the Prospects Elite club team.

The Oklahoma prospects are catcher Alexandra Schafer of Purcell High in Lexington and first baseman Alexandra Martin of Norman North High School.

“Shafer is a good hitter, knows the game, is very vocal behind the plate and can be counted on as a leader from day one,” Ross said. “Martin was the defensive player of the two years in a row at Norman North and was 6A All-District honorable mention.”

Ross has yet to see the two prospects from New Zealand, lefthanded pitcher Nerida Elson and catcher Georgia Faunt. Both played on the same club team in New Zealand and were highly recommended by one of Ross’ former players.

Ross said as many as two more players may be signed by her and assistant Jenn Strohman. Returning sophomores will include pitchers Shay Grosstephan and Mackenzie Pinkerton, catcher Jennica Messer, shortstop Hannah Redick, third baseman Alaina Howe and outfielders Devin Purcell and Alexis Rymer.

Summer, fall scholarship recipients announced at KCKCC

by Kelly Rogge, KCKCC

The Kansas City Kansas Community College Foundation has announced the recipients of its Summer 2019 and Fall 2019 Scholarships.

Summer 2019 and Fall 2019 KCKCC Foundation Scholarship recipients:

Nabila Abdul Rahman – Asian American Chamber of Commerce Scholarship
Jessica Akin – Frank and Doris Schlagle Scholarship
Kevin Allen – KCKCC Foundation Scholarship
Chanel Ashley – KCKCC Foundation Scholarship
Amber Bailey – Frank and Doris Schlagle Scholarship
Jeffrey Barnes Jr. – KCKCC Foundation Scholarship
Mana Botu – KCKCC Foundation Scholarship
Leona Bradley – Etta Blanche Smith Dahlgren Scholarship
Corinne Brewer – Frank and Doris Schlagle Scholarship
Barry Browne – R. A. Long Foundation Scholarship
Barry Browne – Frank and Doris Schlagle Scholarship
Lauren Brownlow – Frank and Doris Schlagle Scholarship
Kaitlin Burgess – Heart of America Patriot Foundation Scholarship
Marcos Cabral – Frank and Doris Schlagle Scholarship
Cassie Callaway – KCKCC Foundation Scholarship
Perla Canul – Frank and Doris Schlagle Scholarship
Brooke Clayton – Frank and Doris Schlagle Scholarship
Cindy Contreras – Etta Blanche Smith Dahlgren Scholarship
Emma Cook – KCKCC Foundation Scholarship
Adrian Daniels – KCKCC Foundation Scholarship
Adrian Daniels – KCKCC Foundation Scholarship
Sapphire Deed – KCKCC Foundation Scholarship
Michael Dowse – Frank and Doris Schlagle Scholarship
Iviany Echevarria – Frank and Doris Schlagle Scholarship
Daniela Enriquez – Frank and Doris Schlagle Scholarship
Javier Escobar – Frank and Doris Schlagle Scholarship
Darren Evans – KCKCC Foundation Scholarship
Crystal Fernandez – Frank and Doris Schlagle Scholarship
Amanda Fletcher – Frank and Doris Schlagle Scholarship
Paola Flores – Frank and Doris Schlagle Scholarship
Austen Fuller – KCKCC Foundation Scholarship
Amanda Garcia – KCKCC Foundation Scholarship
Jessie Garcia – Dr. Karin Ogden Roberts Nursing Scholarship
Mia Garcia – Frank and Doris Schlagle Scholarship
Clarissa Gomez Santana – Etta Blanche Smith Dahlgren Scholarship
Charles Graham – George Powell Applied Technology Scholarship
Rachel Greene – Philip W. Miller Memorial Scholarship
Erika Gudino – KCKCC Foundation Scholarship
Ethan Hacker – Frank and Doris Schlagle Scholarship
Raniya Handy-El – KCKCC Foundation Scholarship
Susana Hanses – Etta Blanche Smith Dahlgren Scholarship
Kaleb Harrison – Frank and Doris Schlagle Scholarship
Kathleen Hattaway – KCKCC Foundation Scholarship
Tayla Hawkins – Dr. Karin Ogden Roberts Nursing Scholarship
Courtney Henry – Etta Blanche Smith Dahlgren Scholarship
Ricardo Herron – R. A. Long Foundation Scholarship
Micki Hill – Heart of America Patriot Foundation Scholarship
Shaneishia Hinson – KCKCC Foundation Scholarship
Anna Jackson – Frank and Doris Schlagle Scholarship
Jenna Kanoy – Dr. Lelia H. Alexander Memorial Scholarship
Marisa Kearns – Frank and Doris Schlagle Scholarship
Kaely Kirwan – J. Paul and Fern Watkins Jewell Scholarship
Kenny Laboy – KCKCC Foundation Scholarship
Kyleen Leiker – Frank and Doris Schlagle Scholarship
Van Lian – Etta Blanche Smith Dahlgren Scholarship
Vitor Lo – Frank and Doris Schlagle Scholarship
Lucia Lopez – Frank and Doris Schlagle Scholarship
Miguel Lopez – KCKCC Foundation Scholarship
Alyssa Lorenz – Frank and Doris Schlagle Scholarship
Adan Machado – Frank and Doris Schlagle Scholarship
Angelica Maese-Solano – Frank and Doris Schlagle Scholarship
Madison Martin – Frank and Doris Schlagle Scholarship
Faith Matthews – Frank and Doris Schlagle Scholarship
Kaitlyn Megee – Frank and Doris Schlagle Scholarship
Miguel Mérida Castro – Frank and Doris Schlagle Scholarship
Guilherme Moreno – Frank and Doris Schlagle Scholarship
Leslie Moreno-Perez – R. A. Long Foundation Scholarship
Nicolas Morris – Frank and Doris Schlagle Scholarship
Drake Murphy – Etta Blanche Smith Dahlgren Scholarship
Donnell Nunn – R. A. Long Foundation Scholarship
Treza Olima – Frank and Doris Schlagle Scholarship
Alexcia Owens – KCKCC Foundation Scholarship
Joel Peterson – R. A. Long Foundation Scholarship
Joel Peterson – Frank and Doris Schlagle Scholarship
Caleigh Pirnik – Frank and Doris Schlagle Scholarship
Cheyenne Porter – KCKCC Foundation Scholarship
Emma Quinlan – KCKCC Foundation Scholarship
Blanca Ramirez – Frank and Doris Schlagle Scholarship
Julia Ratterman – KCKCC Foundation Scholarship
Thomas Richards – KCKCC Foundation Scholarship
Darian Richter – KCKCC Foundation Scholarship
Darian Richter – KCKCC Foundation Scholarship
Mason Root – Frank and Doris Schlagle Scholarship
Mayra Ruiz – Frank and Doris Schlagle Scholarship
Quinn Sadrakula – Frank and Doris Schlagle Scholarship
Mayra Sanjuan-Herrera – KCKCC Foundation Scholarship
Katrina Sargent – Frank and Doris Schlagle Scholarship
Samantha Scott – Clarence L. Turpin Trust Scholarship
Fnu Shubham – Frank and Doris Schlagle Scholarship
Moe Sin – Etta Blanche Smith Dahlgren Scholarship
Kledian Skendaj – George Powell Applied Technology Scholarship
Justin Smith – KCKCC Foundation Scholarship
Lei’Onna Smith – Juanita Miller Nursing Scholarship
Heather Snook – Frank and Doris Schlagle Scholarship
Talesha Stansberry – Frank and Doris Schlagle Scholarship
Biak Sung – Frank and Doris Schlagle Scholarship
Anicet Takor – KCKCC Foundation Scholarship
Thawng Thang – Frank and Doris Schlagle Scholarship
Ashley Tillmon – Frances Speer Memorial Scholarship
Nicole Tolefree – Clarence L. Turpin Trust Scholarship
Malcom Turner – KCKCC Foundation Scholarship
Nadia Vallecillo – Etta Blanche Smith Dahlgren Scholarship
Ivan Verduzco – KCKCC Foundation Scholarship
Itzel Villarreal – Wyandotte Lions Club/Bill Gregg Honorarium Scholarship
Adam Villegas – Frank and Doris Schlagle Scholarship
Casey West – Frank and Doris Schlagle Scholarship
Stephanie Whisenant – Frank and Doris Schlagle Scholarship
Andrew Witt – KCKCC Foundation Scholarship
Ghao Xiong – Wyandotte Lions Club/Bill Gregg Honorarium Scholarship
Jirias Xiong – Etta Blanche Smith Dahlgren Scholarship
Sarad Yang – Etta Blanche Smith Dahlgren Scholarship
Daniel Zacapa-Morales – Frank and Doris Schlagle Scholarship

The students, donors and KCKCC family will celebrate the scholarship recipients at the KCKCC Foundation Scholarship Award Social June 6 in Upper Jewell on the KCKCC Main Campus, 7250 State Ave.

For more information on becoming a KCKCC Foundation donor, contact Sharon Clay, director of development, at 913-288-7353 or by email at [email protected].

The spring 2020 KCKCC Foundation scholarship application deadline is Oct.1. The Foundation Scholarship Application and Scholarship Criteria are available online at www.kckcc.edu/foundation/scholarships/index.html.

For additional questions, call Debbie Cowick, foundation scholarship coordinator, at 913-288-7369 or by email at [email protected].