Johnson County Community College
Press Release

College Information and Publications
913-469-8500
Julie Haas, Director, ext. 3120
Peggy Graham, Writer, ext. 3425
Tyler Cundith, Sports Information Director, ext. 3122

12/06/2006
Story by Tyler Cundith

Cavaliers finish ninth in volleyball championship

OVERLAND PARK, KS -- The Johnson County Community College volleyball team recently completed its 2006 season, placing ninth at the NJCAA Volleyball Championship in Scottsdale, Ariz.  While JCCC was not able repeat as the country’s top team, they put together another spectacular season which will go down among the best in team history.  JCCC completed its season with a record of 27-12.

The Cavaliers entered the campaign as a main target on every opponents schedule.  As defending national champions that comes with the territory.  JCCC opened strong, winning seven of its first nine matches, only falling to a nationally ranked Iowa Western squad.  JCCC struggled in the middle portion of its schedule, particularly in conference play when they dropped four straight conference matches.  However, the Cavaliers rebounded down the stretch, winning 12 of its final 14 matches, including a 3-1 mark in the national tournament.

JCCC opened the national tournament with a tough 3-1 loss to Illinois Central.  The Cougars won the first game 31-29, but the Cavaliers rebounded with a 30-22 win.  It was all Illinois Central after that, handing JCCC 30-16 and 30-23 losses to close out the match, and send JCCC to the loser’s side of the bracket.  Falling to the loser’s side meant the best JCCC could finish was ninth.  

Many teams could have packed it in after losing out on their dream of winning another national title, but JCCC proved why they are one of the top volleyball programs in the NJCAA.  JCCC stormed back with a 3-0 victory over Williston College, winning 30-19, 30-23 and 30-16.  They followed with a 3-1 win over Iowa Central.  After dropping the first game 30-25, they won the next three 30-18, 30-20 and 30-23.  JCCC secured ninth place with a hard-fought 3-2 win over Des Moines Area, avenging a loss the Bears earlier in the season.

Six sophomore saw their careers come to a close after that match. Heading that group was Katie Latenser, one of the country’s top liberos. A preseason All-American, Latenser earned second-team NJCAA All-American, first-team All-Region VI/District N and first-team All-East Jayhawk Conference accolades.   She is the only player in team history to be named All-American as a freshman and sophomore.    

Additionally, she broke her own season record for digs finishing with 807, 223 more than her record-setting effort as a freshman.  She also shattered the career mark, finishing with 1391 digs over her two seasons, 648 greater than the previous mark.  She ended the season ranked eighth nationally in digs per game with an average of 6.4 per game.

Sophomore Amanda Hester, a middle hitter, put together a tremendous sophomore season.  She was selected first-team All-Region VI/District N and was named as a second-team East Jayhawk Conference performer. Hester recorded 319 kills, 123 blocks, 85 digs and 32 aces.  She ranked second on the team in blocks and third in kills and aces.  She led the squad with a serving percentage of .978 and an attack percentage of .308.

Sophomore setter Whitney Segrist developed into one of the top setters to come through the program.  She recorded 922 assists on the season, the fifth-best season total in team history.  She averaged 7.5 assists per game which ranked her 48th in the nation. Segrist recorded double figure assists in every match this season, including a career-best 58 assists in JCCC’s win over Des Moines Area at nationals.  She accumulated 1,156 assists in her career, becoming just the 11h player to surpass 1,000 assists in a career.  She ranks ninth all-time.  

Sophomores Chelsea Davison and Emily Goodlin round the five sophomores who returned from last year’s Championship team. Davison registered 186 kills, fourth highest on the team.  She also had 38 blocks and 102 digs.  Goodlin recorded career highs in kills with 87 and blocks with 25.  She also had 142 digs and her serving percentage of .956 was second-best on the team.

The sixth sophomore on the roster was Stephanie Bergman, a transfer from Mid America Nazarene.  Bergman gave JCCC experience and power to the right-side of JCCC’s attack.  She recorded 87 kills, which tied for sixth on the team with Goodlin. She also had 37 blocks, third highest, and 42 digs.  

JCCC also had the services of five talented freshmen.  Leading that group were middle hitter Jackie Swab and outside hitter Jacqui Belozer. Swab had a tremendous freshman campaign, earning All-Region VI/District N and All-East Jayhawk Conference second-team accolades. She led the team in blocks with 180, an average of 1.4 per game which ranked her 37th in the NJCAA. She also recorded 347 kills on the season, second-best on the team.

Belozer led the team in kills with 389 and aces with 63.  Her 389 kills rank sixth on JCCC’s season chart and her 63 aces are the 10-best season effort.  Belozer also finished second to Latenser in digs, recording 405,  the ninth highest season total at JCCC.

Two other key performers this season were Lauren Russell and Ann LeBlanc.  Russell ranked third on the team in digs with 391, an average of 3.3 per game.  That total ties the 13th-best season effort in team history.  She also ranked third on the team in service aces with 33.  

LeBlanc ranked fourth on the team in digs with 261, an average of 2.6 per game.  She also ranked third in blocks with 45, fifth in kills with 117 and sixth in aces with 21.

Rounding out the freshman class are Beth Schneweis and Emily Schukman.  Both players performed well when called into action. Schneweis played behind Segrist at setter.  She recorded 408 assists on the season, average of 5.1 per game.  She also had 102 digs, 16 blocks and 22 kills.  Schukman saw action in 23 games and finished with 20 kills and 10 digs.