COURTESY OF NJCAA (4/10/25)

NJCAA Release

CHARLOTTE, NC – Johnson County Community College (KS) Head Coach, Ben Conrad, was selected as the 2024-25 NJCAA DII Women's Basketball Coach of the Year. Conrad led the Cavaliers to the third national title in program history and first since 2015.

"Coach Ben Conrad doesn't just build great teams—he inspires growth in every individual," Johnson County Athletic Director, Tony Tompkins, commented. "His dedication, hard work, and constant pursuit of excellence make him a true leader. This award honors his commitment to developing his players both on the court and in life."

Fourth-seeded Johnson County defeated (6) Pima in the championship game, 75-67, after handing (1) Kirkwood their first loss of the season in the semifinals. The Cavaliers finished the season 34-1 overall, tying the program record for most wins in a single season. Johnson County posted its second consecutive 30-0 regular season record along with the fifth-straight Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference (KJCCC) regular season title. This was the 10th season winning the regular season KJCCC title under Conrad.

After earning a runner-up finish in 2024, the Cavaliers won it all in 2025 as Conrad was named the Coach of the Tournament. In his 17 seasons at Johnson County, Conrad has accumulated a record of 508-63 and has received numerous accolades. He has coached 21 NJCAA All-Americans, 16 WBCA All-Americans, 10 World Exposure Report All-Americans, 12 National All-Tournament selections including one MVP, 57 All-Region VI performers, 53 All-Jayhawk Conference picks, six conference MVP selections, three conference Defensive Players of the Year, and three conference Freshmen of the Year selections.

Prior to his time at Johnson County, Conrad was the Head Coach at Upper Iowa University in the program's first three seasons at the NJCAA Division II level. He also spent three seasons at Des Moines Area Community College.