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
Story by Tyler Cundith
12/12/2006
JCCC athletes earn All-American honors
OVERLAND PARK, KS -- The Johnson County Community College fall sports teams recently completed their 2006 seasons, adding another successful chapter to the rich history of JCCC athletics. Along with their team’s successes, several individuals were recognized for their outstanding effort by earning All-American honors.
On the volleyball team, sophomore Katie Latenser again proved herself as 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 also became 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. The team reached qualified for the national tournament and finished ninth overall in the NJCAA.
In women’s soccer, JCCC produced the top two scorers in the NJCAA this season. Freshman Rachelle Luster led the nation with 103 points on 34 goals and 35 assists. A close second with 102 points was freshman Danielle Blevins, who produced 39 goals and 24 assists. Both were named as NJCAA and NSCA All-Americans. Luster was a second-team selection on both teams, while Blevins was an honorable mention NJCAA All-America selection, and earned second-team NSCA honors. The team was ranked in the top 10 nationally all season, and finished with an 18-1-2 record and runner-up in the District.
Luster, who was also selected as both the KJCCC freshman of the Year and KJCCC most valuable player, became the first player in JCCC soccer history to score 100 points in a single season. The previous high was 72. Luster had 11 multiple-goal games this season, including a three-goal, four-goal and six-goal performance. She also had 12 multiple-assist matches, including two matches with three, and two with four assists. Her 35 assists on the season are a new team record. Luster was the NJCAA offensive player of the week for the week of Oct. 25 after scoring seven goals and six assists in wins over Hutchinson and Allen County.
Blevins is also had a record-setting season. Her 39 goals are a new season record, and she had nine multiple-goal and eight multiple-assist matches this season. She began her collegiate career with a five-goal, two-assist effort in a win over Florissant Valley. Her five goals tied a team record at the time. She also had four-goal efforts against Dodge City and Allen County, but her breakout game came in the first round of the Region VI Playoffs. Blevins tied a national record with eight goals in a 19-0 win over Cloud County. She also had four assists giving her 20 points, also a new team record. Blevins added five more goals and an assist in the following three games in the playoffs, bringing her postseason totals to 13 goals, five assists and 31 points. Her 31 points and 13 goals shattered the previous JCCC records in postseason play. Blevins earned the final NJCAA Player of the Week honor this season, after her record setting effort in the Region VI playoffs.
The JCCC women’s cross country team ran to a second-place finish at the 2006 NJCAA Cross Country Championships, Nov. 4, in El Paso, Texas. The team’s runner-up finish was the highest in team history at the Division I level. They followed that performance by capturing its third NJCAA National Championship, finishing first in the field of seven teams at the 2006 NJCAA Half Marathon Championships in Wichita, Kan.
Leading the Lady Cavaliers was freshman Christa Heideman. She finished the 5k course at the national cross country championship in eighth-place with a time of 19:09, which earned her NJCAA and Coaches All-American honors. Her effort ranks as the eighth-best time by a JCCC runner in a national championship, and her finish ranks tied for ninth all-time, but fourth in a D-I competition. At the half marathon championships, Heideman placed fourth overall with a time of 1:27:59, which is the third-best time recorded by a JCCC runner in this championship. Her finish earned her first-team All-American.
Also earning first-team All-American honors at the half marathon championship was sophomore Jackie Jamison, who placed fifth in 1:28:51, the fifth-best time in school history. Jamison also posted a 24th-place effort at the cross country championship, crossing in the finish line in 19:59. Her finish earned her a Coaches All-American honor, and her 24th-place finish ties the 16th-best finish by a JCCC runner in a D-I competition.
The final All-American honor awarded to a JCCC athlete this fall went to JCCC freshman James Tong, a member of the men’s cross country team. Tong led the men’s half marathon team to a runner-up finish in the 16-team field. He finished third overall in a time of 1:10.52, which earned him first-team All-American honors. His time of 1:10:52 set a new school record, breaking the old time of 1:12:43 set by Brian Batliner in the 2004 championship.
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