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History-making Cavaliers power Into JUCO World Series as No. 1 seed

Baseball players in white uniforms pile on top of each other in a celebratory heap on an infield, with one player midair landing on the group. Several water bottles are scattered nearby on the grass and dirt. In the background, a green outfield wall displays advertisements and a “330” distance marker.
The JCCC.baseball team celebrating after winning the Region 6 Championhip.
Posted: May 20, 2026

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – Johnson County Community College, the No. 1-ranked team in NJCAA Division I baseball for seven consecutive weeks, was awarded the No. 1 overall seed in the NJCAA JUCO World Series on Tuesday — the second time in program history.

There wasn't much drama in that decision. The Cavaliers rolled through the regular season riding a 41-game winning streak and enter tournament play with the nation's best record at 63-3.

This marks Johnson County's fourth consecutive appearance in the JUCO World Series and sixth overall. JCCC will face No. 10 seed Harford Community College on Saturday, May 23 at 1 p.m. CST. The Fighting Owls, who are 54-6 and received votes in the final regular-season poll, are making their first trip to Grand Junction.

Johnson County has been an absolute powerhouse this season, driven largely by its offensive production. JCCC hitters have blasted 204 home runs, breaking the NJCAA single-season record and surpassing the all-time collegiate mark of 188 set by LSU in 1997.

The Cavaliers also lead the nation in several major offensive categories, including hits (807), runs (813), RBI (725), extra-base hits (392), slugging percentage (.801), and total bases (1,645). They boast the nation's second-best team batting average (.393), trailing only Harford, which leads the NJCAA at .400.

Headlining the Cavaliers' offensive surge is freshman Ryan Bradford, who set a new NJCAA home run record during JCCC's Region 6/Plains District title run. The TCU commit has launched 41 home runs, making him one of only five players in college baseball history to surpass the 40-homer mark in a single season.

Bradford, the East Kansas Jayhawk Conference Freshman of the Year, is hitting .451 (110-for-244) with 69 extra-base hits, 121 runs scored, 111 RBI, and an eye-popping 1.090 slugging percentage. He has recorded a team-record 10 multi-home run games and earlier this season produced the longest hitting streak in program history at 41 games.

The Cavaliers' lineup features six additional players with double-digit home run totals. Sophomore Colin Coonradt, a West Virginia signee, has 35 home runs, 92 hits, and 102 RBI — the fifth-most in the NJCAA. Sophomore Logan Groh ranks second nationally with 112 hits and fourth in RBI with 109, while adding 24 home runs.

Sophomore Briggs Roe has 26 home runs, 100 hits, and 90 RBI. Freshman Brayden Giesler (19 home runs), sophomore Boston Bruce (17), and sophomore Lukas Wilson (10) round out JCCC's power hitters.

However, Johnson County is far from one-dimensional. The Cavaliers also feature one of the top pitching staffs in junior college baseball. JCCC ranks fifth nationally with a 4.37 ERA and fifth in opponent batting average at .242.

The Cavaliers' four primary starters have yet to take a loss this season. Leading the rotation is left-hander Liam Roche, an Arizona State signee, who is 15-0 and tied for first in the nation with 112 strikeouts.

Freshman Ashton Nance follows at 13-0 with 81 strikeouts, while sophomore Victor Cristal is 10-0 with 86 strikeouts. Sophomore Ronin Vicenti rounds out the group at 9-0 with 69 strikeouts.

From record-breaking home runs to an undefeated rotation, the Cavaliers have authored one of the most remarkable seasons in junior college baseball history. A championship in Grand Junction would only cement what has already been a truly legendary run.