With the start of the NJCAA basketball season just weeks away, there's already a bit of hype forming around both Coffeyville's men's and women's teams.
According to the KJCCC Preseason Coaches Poll, the CCC men's team is projected to finish first in the East Division of the Jayhawk Conference, while CCC's women are projected to finish third.
The men, led by longtime head coach Jay Herkelman, are coming off of a successful 2020 campaign that included a 26-8 regular season record and a Region VI Championship.
Meanwhile, the women helped new head coach Tony Turner to a great first season, starting 11-0 and eventually finishing the regular season out at 25-7. Unfortunately, the women would see their season end in a Region VI quarterfinals loss to Barton.
Montgomery County rival Independence Community College saw its two teams projected to finish in the middle of the pack, with the men at fourth and the women at fifth. Finally, in Division II, Labette County's women were picked as the team to beat, while the men ranked fourth out of six.
CCC's men will tip-off their season January 20th with a non-conference matchup against Missouri State-West Plains. The women will start their season a week later, hitting the road to face off against West Division favorite Hutchinson.
