Tag: KCKCC sports

KCKCC to allow basketball, volleyball spectators on limited basis

by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC sports information

On Saturday, affiliated fans will be allowed to attend Kansas City Kansas Community College home basketball games and volleyball matches on a limited basis.

“The Jayhawk Conference has voted to allow attendance of up to 25 percent of capacity for men’s and women’s basketball and volleyball,” KCKCC Athletic Director Tony Tompkins said.. A policy on KCKCC’s outdoor sports, baseball, softball and soccer, will be forthcoming.

The change goes into effect Saturday when the Lady Blue Devil volleyball team plays host to Neosho County at noon.

Next home basketball action comes Tuesday when KCKCC entertains Metropolitan Community College in a doubleheader at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m.

Spectators will be allowed admission 20 minutes before game time. However, fans from visiting teams will not be admitted.

KCKCC students, faculty and staff must reserve seats by contacting the KCKCC Athletic Department by 2 p.m. for weekday games and before 5 p.m. for weekend contests. There will be 30 seats available for KCKCC students; 20 seats for faculty, staff and Board of Trustee members and IDs will be required.

All students, employees, visitors and vendors will be required to wear a mask or face covering that covers their mouth and nose while in the building. In addition, social distancing will be maintained and enforced. No food or drink will be permitted in any of the KCKCC athletic facilities.

Roblee named KCKCC women’s assistant soccer coach

Jefferson Roblee (KCKCC photo)

by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC

One of Kansas City’s most successful soccer coaches over the last 25 years, Jefferson Roblee is the new assistant women’s coach at Kansas City Kansas Community College.

A former head men’s and women’s head coach at William Jewell College in Liberty, Roblee also boasts a wealth of experience at the club level in the Kansas City area.

“Am very excited to have the knowledge and input Jefferson brings into our program,” KCKCC head coach Shawn Uhlenhake said. “He has a great reputation as a coach and as a person. I’ve had some really good people involved with this program and I think he will continue to help us build and define our culture for the KCKCC soccer program. I’m excited to see what he can add to the program.”

The Blue Devils are coming off their best season in history in 2019, winning a record 13 games and reaching the championship game of the Region VI playoffs.

Roblee succeeds Sara Matthews, who left to become head coach at her alma mater, Baker University. Uhlenhake’s first assistant coach, Katie Kelly, also resigned to become head coach at Avila University.

“I’m excited to join the KCKCC soccer family and assist Shawn in developing college soccer student-athletes to achieve and succeed,” Roblee said.

The associate head coach at William Jewell from 2006-2010. Roblee was the Cardinals’ head men’s coach from 2011-15 and head women’s coach from 2011-2019, earning places in the national rankings with both programs. His men’s team was ranked 21st nationally and earned a berth in the Great Lakes Valley Conference championship in 2012. His nationally ranked women’s team reached the NCAA DII national tournament in 2012 and the 2013 team was ranked No. 12 nationally and qualified for the GLVC tournament.

Both teams achieved academic success as well – the men’s team winning NSCAA Academic Awards in each of his five seasons and the women’s team earned seven straight NSCAA Academic Awards from 2011-18. The women’s team also earned a NSCAA Team Ethics Award in 2012. Individually, Roblee has coached 16 players who have been drafted or signed by teams in the MLS (Major Soccer League) and more than 70 players who have earned All-America honors or played with professional teams.

Roblee began coaching at the club level in 1995, coaching teams that won the Kansas State Cup championship in 2001 and Missouri State Cup championships in 2005 and 2006. The head coach of the Kansas City Brass team that qualified for the U.S. Open Cup in 2007, Roblee has also been involved with the U.S. Youth Soccer’s Olympic Development program and served as an evaluator for Sporting KC and FC Kansas City open tryouts.

Coaching soccer runs in the Roblee family. Jefferson’s twin brother, Lincoln, is the head women’s soccer coach at Benedictine College. A graduate of Winnetonka High School. Roblee played college soccer at the University of Tulsa before finishing his communications degree at Park University.

He has certification and membership in a half-dozen national coaching organizations including the U.S. Soccer Federation and the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.

Stambersky, North, Gaines earn top post-season cage honors

Led by the selection of Valerie Stambersky, right, as Jayhawk East Co-Coach of the Year, Kansas City Kansas Community swept post-season honors as (from left) freshman Cheyenne North was named to both the All-Jayhawk and All-Region VI first teams; Cierra Gaines was named the MVP of Region VI and a second team All-Jayhawk selection; and Cassidy Harbert earned honorable mention after becoming KCKCC’s all-time leader in assists. (KCKCC photo by Alan Hoskins)
Led by the selection of Valerie Stambersky, right, as Jayhawk East Co-Coach of the Year, Kansas City Kansas Community swept post-season honors as, from left, freshman Cheyenne North was named to both the All-Jayhawk and All-Region VI first teams; Cierra Gaines was named the MVP of Region VI and a second team All-Jayhawk selection; and Cassidy Harbert earned honorable mention after becoming KCKCC’s all-time leader in assists. (KCKCC photo by Alan Hoskins)

by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC

The co-coach of the year, the Region VI most valuable player, an All-Jayhawk – All-Region selection and the all-time leader in assists led the way as Kansas City Kansas Community College made a sweep of women’s post-season basketball honors.

Valerie Stambersky is the Jayhawk East Co-Coach of the Year and freshman forward Cheyenne North a first team All-Jayhawk East selection while sophomore guard Cierra Gaines was named the Most Valuable Player on the NJCAA Region VI Division II team.

North and Gaines were both named to the All-Region team while Gaines was named to the second All-Jayhawk team and Cassidy Harbert, KCKCC’s all-time career leader in assists, to the honor roll.

Stambersky, who led KCKCC to a 28-4 record, shared Coach of the Year honors with Emily
Washburn, who led Coffeyville to the Jayhawk East championship at 12-1.

It is the first Coach of the Year honors for Stambersky, whose Lady Blue Devils came within one win of gaining the NJCAA Division II national tournament. The second most wins in a season in KCKCC history, the Blue Devils shared regular season Division II conference honors with national champion Johnson County at 11-1 and finished in a tie for second with JCCC (11-2) in the Jayhawk East behind Coffeyville (12-1).

Gaines, a 5-7 guard from Glen Carbon, Ill., led the Blue Devils in scoring with a 14.1-point average. She also led KCKCC in three-point goals with 51 and was second in assists (2.5).

A freshman from Gallatin, Tenn., the 5-11 North led the Blue Devils in rebounding (7.9) and blocked shots (2.0) and was second in scoring at 11.5 points per game. Shooting 52.5 percent from the field, North was also third in assists (2.2).

Second in assists in a single season with 197 as a freshman, Harbert added 162 more this season and vaulted to No. 1 on the all-time assist list with 359, eclipsing the old record of 352 established by All-American Aneta Kausaite in 1994-1996. A sophomore from Wichita Northwest, Harbert was also second in rebounding (5.2) and fourth in scoring (8.1).

Alan Hoskins is the sports information director for KCKCC.