KJCCC Conference Athletes of the Week, Week 3, 2021
(KJCCC) February 9, 2021 – Strong performances by conference athletes are recognized in Week 3 of the KJCCC Athletes of the Week voting.
Division II Women's Basketball Athlete of the Week
Hesston College sophomore guard Destiny Kessay averaged 16.0 PPG, 6.0 RPG, and 6.0 SPG this week in two victories. Destiny shot 38.2% from the field on 13-34 shooting. She led the Larks in scoring during both of their wins this week.
Division II Men's Basketball Athlete of the Week
Hesston RS freshman Guard Elijah Smith averaged a double-double with 16.5 PPG and 15.0 RPG, he also averaged 6.0 APG in two games this week. He averaged 42.8% from three-point range, and 43.3% from the field. Elijah set a career high in rebounds with 21 in Hesston's win over McPherson JV.
Division I Women's Basketball Athlete of the Week
Sophomore forward Lojong Gore had her first Blue Dragon double-double and had a career-high scoring night in a 1-1 week for the Hutchinson Community College women's basketball team last week. Gore averaged a double-double with 15.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per game. She shot 48.0 percent from the field and was 7 of 12 from the free-throw line. Gore had her first double-double of the season with 14 points and a career-high 12 rebounds in a 56-50 loss at No. 25 Butler. She flirted with a second-straight double-double with a career-high 17 points and nine rebounds in a 76-44 win over Cloud County at the Sports Arena.
Division I Men's Basketball Athlete of the Week
Dodge City Conquistador sophomore guard Walyn Napper is the KJCCC Division I Men's Basketball Player of the Week for the second week in a row. Napper picked up where he left off last week as the Conquistadors picked up two crucial conference victories. Playing in all 80 minutes between the two games, Napper shot an efficient 52 percent on his way to a 29-point-per-game average. Napper continues to show his all-around game as he averaged 7.0 assists, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.0 steals for the week as well. Napper's efforts have the Conquistadors ranked nationally and atop the Jayhawk West standings.
Women's Track Athlete of the Week
Lubna Suied - Cowley – Suied ran a 5:22 Mile – narrowly missed NJCAA qualifying mark. She has the fourth best time in the country so far this year.
Women's Field Athlete of the Week
Princess Browne of Colby CC hit a Triple Jump of 11.65m (38' 2.75") at the Tom Bond Invite on Feb 6, 2021. This stands as the number seven mark in the NJCAA.
Men's Track Athlete of the Week
Zach McPhee of Pratt ran a 15:14 5,000m. McPhee's First Place finish mark made him an NJCAA Qualifier with the fifth best time in the NJCAA.
Men's Field Athlete of the Week
Shot Putter Alan De Falchi of Highland set two school records in the weight throw and in the shot, where he had a personal best of 16.53m.
Division I Volleyball Athletes of the Week
Offensive Player: Gabriela Badilla (Seward County) Gabriela Badilla is a freshman outside hitter from San Felipe, Chile and has been the main source of offense for the Lady Saints this season. Last week Badilla had 93 total kills, 53 digs, 9 assists, and 3 service aces to help Seward county to a 5-0 week that included three wins against teams ranked in the top 12 in the nation. With four kills per set Badilla kept the Lady Saints undefeated in conference play and improved to an overall record of 8-3 on the season.
Setter: Remi Vargas (Garden City) The freshman was sensational in five matches last week, posting a season-best 56 assists in a five-set loss to No. 12 Eastern Wyoming. She added 42 against fifth-ranked Western Nebraska.
Defensive Player: Victoria Gehret (Garden City )In the middle of everything so far this season has been freshman liber, Victoria Gehret. She posted 22 digs in a three-set victory over Lamar; then added 30 in a five-set loss to No. 12 Eastern Wyoming. Currently, She's currently second in the nation with 228 kills.
Division II Volleyball Athletes of the Week
KJCCC Division II Volleyball Offensive Player of the Week - McKinley Pruitt Neosho County Community College - Freshman Middle Blocker Maize, KS - McKinley Pruitt played a huge part in Neosho County taking down three ranked opponents this past week as the Lady Panthers stayed undefeated in conference play. Pruitt helped not only with her offense, but her serving and blocking as she finished with 26 kills, 20 digs, nine blocks, and four aces.
KJCCC Division II Volleyball Setter of the Week - Rylee Moseman - Neosho County Community College Freshman Setter Republic, MO - Rylee Moseman did a stellar job of running the Neosho offense this week and helped the team defeat three ranked opponents. Moseman has improved her assists per set from the first week of the season. She averaged 8.6 assists per set and also made an impact at the net with her blocking. She finished with 112 assists and nine blocks in the three wins.
KJCCC Division II Volleyball Defensive Player of the Week -Makenize Griffel - Johnson County Community College Sophomore Libero Blue Springs, Mo - Sophomore libero Makenzie Griffel came up big for Johnson County in the team's three wins on the week. Griffel finished with 62 kills and no serve receive errors in 73 attempts.
Division I Softball Athletes of the Week
Player: Madison Grimes (Hutch) Hutchinson Community College freshman third baseman Madison Grimes has a memorable collegiate debut as any Blue Dragon in team history on Friday against Fort Scott. Grimes went a combined 6 for 8 with two home runs and five RBIs in a doubleheader week over Fort Scott. Grimes was a single 2 for 3 in Game 1, a 3-0 Hutchinson victory. She was spotless on five defensive chances. Grimes exploded in the second game, going 4 for 5. She hit two home runs and drove in five, scoring five runs.
Pitcher: Sadie Loney (Hutch)Hutchinson Community College starting pitcher Sadie Loney threw six shutout innings to leading the Blue Dragons to a season-opening 3-0 victory over Fort Scott last Friday at Fun Valley. Loney struck out a career-high nine over her six innings.
Division II Softball Athletes of the Week
There were no nominations this week.
Baseball Athlete of the Week
Sophomore KP Werner led the Saints at the plate with 8 hots, two RBI's and two doubles during the opening weekend in Weatherford, Texas. Werner a third-year sophomore is the leader for Seward and added on 10 putouts from center field. Werner will usually hit third in the rotation and has been consistent from the plate every year for the Saints and looks to do the same this year.