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Johnson County women’s basketball set to defend national title

The graphic features a bold, high?energy design celebrating a sports achievement. Left Side: A large, blue ticket?shaped graphic displays the phrase “TICKET PUNCHED” in big white letters. Beneath it, inside a white rectangle on the ticket, are the words: “JOHNSON COUNTY CAVALIERS.” Next to the ticket is the JC athletics logo in blue and gold. Below this section appears the “2024 Division II NJCAA Championship” emblem for Women’s Basketball, presented by the U.S. Air Force. It’s a blue and white badge-style mark with a basketball graphic and text detailing the event. Right Side: A photo shows an individual standing on a ladder inside a gymnasium, holding a cut piece of basketball net. The gym background includes blue roof trusses, lights, and an orange basketball hoop with the remaining net attached. Dark blue geometric shapes frame the right side, giving it a dynamic, layered look.
Posted: Mar 10, 2026

HICKORY, N.C. – The Johnson County Community College women's basketball team will be its quest to repeat as NJCAA Division II National Champions on Tuesday, March 17 at noon. The Cavaliers are the No. 1 seed in the 20-team field and will play the winner of No. 16-seed Moraine Valley Community College (29-4)/No. 17-seed Cleveland State Community College (24-6).

Moraine Valley earned its spot in the tournament with a 72-60 win over Kankakee in the Region 4 Championship, and Cleveland State advanced with a 71-52 victory over Fayetteville Technical in the Region 10 title game. Moraine Valley was ranked 20th in the final season NJCAA D-II Poll, with Cleveland State one spot back at No. 21.

After winning the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference Division II and Region 6 titles, the Cavaliers sit at 32-0 and enter the national tournament as a favorite to capture their second consecutive title and fourth overall.

However, history has shown that nothing is guaranteed in March.

Four times in program history, Johnson County's first loss of the season has come in postseason play.

In 2015-16, as the defending national champions, the 31-0 Cavaliers fell to Kansas City Kansas in the Region 6 championship. In 2020-21, with a 19-0 record, the Blue Devils again upset JCCC to win the regional title. The Cavaliers received an at-large bid to the national tournament that year and finished runner-up.

In 2023-24, Johnson County reached the national championship game with a perfect 34-0 record before Kirkwood ended the Cavaliers' bid for perfection with a 69-58 victory. Last season, after finishing the regular season 30-0, Highland upset the top-ranked Cavaliers in the Region 6 semifinals. JCCC again received an at-large bid and took advantage of the opportunity by winning the national championship.

Johnson County now finds itself in a similar position to the 2023-24 team, entering tournament play undefeated. To this point, the Cavaliers have rarely been seriously tested, winning 30 of their 32 games by double digits, including 24 straight entering the tournament.

All season long, the Cavaliers have proven themselves to be the best team in the country.

"This group has worked extremely hard all season," Conrad said. "Our players have stayed locked in all year, and they understand that this is just the next step. Now are focus shifts to preparing to defend out title."