Preview Of All 24 Teams In “The Tournament”
March 17, 2023 (Middle America) – The Championship kicks-off on Monday, March 20 at 10:00 CDT with the traditional #16 vs #17 match-up. Monroe College (NY) was issued the 16 seed, the Mustangs will take on 17 seed South Georgia State with the winner advancing to the sweet sixteen and a date with the #1 seed John A. Logan College (IL) Volunteers, Tuesday at 2:00.
This year’s tournament field brings plenty of history to the Sports Arena. Ten of the teams have been crowned National Champions on what is known as Sam Butterfield Court. That means fourteen teams will be looking for their school’s first Natty.
Twelve of the teams have been runners-up, including 7 of the 10 who have claimed championships.
There are ten teams who participated last year who have made the tournament again in 2023.
Many in the field have made runs to the elite eight and final four as well. It’s a fairly balanced field regarding history and name recognition, although some obviously more recognizable than others. And…for the first time since the 2018 tourney, there are NO first-timers!
Of the 51 members of the 2021-22 NJCAA All-American Teams, there appears to be only one from that group who will be bringing their game to this year’s tournament.
Melvin Council, Jr. was Honorable Mention last season for the Monroe College (NY). Council, is the school’s all-time leading scorer with 1,358 and counting. In 2021-22, he led the Mustangs with 24.8 ppg, 7.5 rpg and 3 apg, and will be bringing his18.6 ppg/5.6 rpg/4.1 apg to the Sports Arena, plus a talented cast of teammates with him, many who are returners.
Here is a brief summary of all 24 teams who will be participating in this year’s edition of “The Tournament,” played in the historic Sports Arena in Hutchinson, KS:
AUTOMATIC QUALIFIERS:
Butler CC (25-8) – Plains District – El Dorado, KS – The Grizzlies – No. 10 seed – Region 6 – NR (not ranked) NJCAA poll/RV (receiving votes) Media poll – Beat #20/#18 Barton CC 73-69 in District Championship – 7th appearance in Hutch – Last trip 2015 – National runners-up 1992 & 1993 – Won 4 straight
Head Coach: Kyle Fisher (BA-Washburn University/MA- University of Central Missouri) – 4th season (91-30).
Cape Fear CC (15-13) – Atlantic District Champion – Wilmington, NC – The Sea Devils – No. 24 seed – Region 10 – NR in final polls – Beat Brunswick CC 85-65 in District final – 7th trip to Hutch (5 in last 10 yrs) – Last trip 2019 – 8th place finish in 2011 – won 4 straight
Head Coach – Mark Lane (Assoc. Dakota College – Bottineau; BA-University of Windsor) – 4th year (56-38)
John A. Logan College (29-2) – Central District – Carterville, IL – The Volunteers – No. 1 seed – Region 24 – Ranked 2nd NP/3rd MP – Beat Vincennes 73-67 in District final – 6th time at nationals – 4th straight appearance – won 27 in a row
Head Coach: Tyler Smithpeters (SIU) – 1st year at JALC and overall (29-2)
Meridian CC (20-8) – Gulf District – Meridian, MS – The Eagles – No. 20 seed – Region 23 – NR in final polls – Beat Jones College in District final 70-57 – 2nd appearance at Hutch – Last trip 1999 – 4 straight wins
Head Coach: James Green (Mississippi) – 7th year (75-83) – 27th yr. overall
Midland College (27-6) – Southwest District – Midland, TX – The Chaparrals – No. 8 seed – Region 5 – NR NP/#20 MP – Beat Ranger #21/#25 in District final 68-55 – 11th visit to the Sports Arena – Last trip 2011 – National Champs in 1982 & 2007 – 3 time runners-up – won five in a row
Head Coach: Tra Arnold (AA-College of Southern Idaho; BA-Biola University) – 1st year (27-6)
Moberly Area CC (30-3) – Midwest District – Moberly, MO – The Greyhounds – No. 4 seed – Region 16 – Ranked #4 NP/#2 MP – Beat Highland CC (IL) 66-52 in District final – 31st appearance in National Tournament (2nd behind Vincennes) – 2nd year in row, 4 of last 5 years, 6 of 9 – 4 time Champs (1954, 1955, 1966, 1967) – 3 time runners-up – winners of 20 straight
Head Coach: Patrick Smith (Bluefield College, VA) 38th year overall (839-419) – 10th all time career wins (#3 for active coaches) – 14th season at Moberly 2002-04 & 2012-23 (344-113) – 2019 NJCAA BCA Hall of Fame inductee
Monroe College (28-4) – East District – New Rochelle, NY – The Mustangs – No. 16 seed – Region 15 – Ranked #19 NP/RV MP – Beat Allegany College of Maryland 102-82 in District Final – 9th appearance in Hutch – Last qualified in 2020 – final four 2011 – 4 game win streak
Head Coach: Jeff Brustad (BA-State University of New York at Oneonta; MS-Lehman College) – 21st season (552-148)
Northwest Florida State (26-7) – South Atlantic District – Niceville, FL – The Raiders – No 7 seed – Region 8 – Ranked #16 NP/#7 MP – Beat #7/#9 Tallahassee CC 89-85 in District final – 13th showing in Hutch, 10 in last 14 seasons – 2nd in a row – 3 national championships (1995, 2015, 2022) – preseason ranked #1 – six victories in a row
Head Coach: Steven DeMeo (BA-State University of New York at Buffalo) – 7th season at NW overall (2013-19 & current year) 206-34 and 13th overall as HC (291-104)
Roane State CC (23-8) – Appalachian District – Harriman, TN – The Raiders – No. 23 seed – Region 7 – NR in final polls – Beat Dyersburg State CC 72-71 in District final – 2nd trip to Hutch – 2nd in succession – 3 game win streak
Head Coach: Alan Holt (Bryan College TN) 2nd year at RSCC (41-18)
Salt Lake CC (29-4) – West District – Taylorsville, UT – The Bruins – No. 5 seed – Region 18 – #9 both NJCAA & Media polls – Beat Arizona Western College 80-67 in District final – 11th appearance at Hutch – 4th in a row – Two time champs (2009 & 2016) – 2 time runners-up – on a 3 game win streak
Head Coach: Kyle Taylor (BA-UCLA, MS-Northwest Missouri State) – 4th year (113-15)
Seminole State College (25-7) – South Central District – Seminole, OK – The Trojans – No. 22 seed – Region 2 – NR in final polls – Beat Western Oklahoma State 102-82 in District final – 5th time at Hutch – Last trip 2007 – Runner-up 1983 – won 6 in a row
Head Coach: Don Tuley (AA-Murray State; BA-East Central University; MA-University of Central Oklahoma) – 9th season at SSC (183-111), 43 yrs overall (733-311)
Snead State CC (25-8) – South District – Boaz, AL – The Parsons – No. 19 seed – Region 22 – NR in final polls – Beat Coastal Alabama-South (Bay Minette) 83-80 in OT in District final – 5th appearance in Hutch – Last trip 2018 – won 7 consecutive games
Head Coach: Jeremiah Patterson (AA-Snead State; BA-Jacksonville State University) – 7th year (145-69)
South Georgia State (26-7) – Southeast District – Waycross, GA – The Hawks – No 17 seed – Region 17 – NR in final polls – Beat Georgia Highlands 76-72 in District final – 3rd trip to Hutch – Last appearance in 2021 – won 6 straight games
Head Coach: Cory Baldwin (BA-Clayton State; MA-Central Michigan) – 14th year (304-133)
Southeastern CC (25-8) – North Central District – W. Burlington, IA – The Blackhawks – No. 14 seed – Region 11 – RV in both polls – Beat RV NP/NR MP North Dakota SCS 75-73 in OT in District final – 19th time to Hutch – Last trip in 2011 – 3 time Champions (2000, 2003, 2004) – 1 time runner-up – six game win streak
Head Coach: Lorenzo Watkins (AA-Indian Hills CC; BA-Idaho State) – 7th season (took over Jan 2017) 142-54, 11th overall (4 yrs at Indian Hills) 236-80
Trinidad State College (23-7) – North Plains District – Trinidad, CO – The Trojans – No. 21 seed – Region 9 – RV in both polls – Beat Casper College 79-78 in District final – 4th appearance at Hutch – back to back trips – have won 19 straight
Head Coach: Mike Folda (AA-Northeastern JC; BA-CSU-Pueblo; MA-East Central University OK) – 13th season (192-175)
Trinity Valley CC (14-18)* – Mid-South District – Athens, TX – The Cardinals – No. 18 seed – Region 14 – NR in either poll – Beat #10/#15 Panola College 76-74 in OT in District final – 10th time in Hutch – 7 in last 10 years – Last trip 2021 – six consecutive wins
Head Coach: Mark Leslie (AA-McCook CC; BA-University of Idaho) – 3rd season at TVCC (58-30)
*NJCAA assessed forfeiture of 8 games for administrative oversight, TVCC had won all 8 of those games on the court and are reflected as such in coach’s record
AT-LARGE SELECTIONS:
Chipola College (28-4) – South Atlantic District – Marianna, FL – The Indians – No. 9 seed – Region 8 – Ranked 6th in both polls – Lost to #16/#7 Northwest Florida State 61-55 in District semifinal – 18th appearance at Hutch – 3rd consecutive year – final four last 2 years
Head Coach: Donnie Tyndall (BA-Morehead State; MS-LSU) 3rd season at Chipola (81-15) – 26 years coaching overall
College of Southern Idaho (29-1) – West District – Twin Falls, ID – The Golden Eagles – No. 2 seed – Region 18 – Ranked #1 in both polls – Lost to Snow College in Region Semifinal 84-75 – 28th national tournament appearance – 3rd in a row – 3 time Champions (1976, 1987, 2011) – four time runners-up – ranked #1 final 6 weeks of season
Head Coach: Jeff Reinert (BA-Gonzaga) – 4th season at CSI (90-29) – 12th year overall HC Juco (Utah Valley) 269-106 – 36 years of coaching at all levels
Dodge City CC (23-9) – Plains District – Dodge City, KS – The Conquistadors – No. 13 seed – Region 6 – Ranked #13 NP/#12 MP – Lost to Butler CC 80-77 in Plains District semifinal – 11th time at Hutch – 2nd in a row – National Champs 1964
Head Coach: Brad Witherspoon (BA-Kansas; MA-Emporia State) – 1st year at DCCC (23-9) – 2nd year overall (NOC-Tonkawa) 44-17
Indian Hills CC (27-4) – North Central District – Ottumwa, IA – The Warriors – No. 6 seed – Region 11 – Ranked #6 NP/#5 MP – Lost to Southeastern CC 63-60 in Region 11 final – Trip #18 to Hutch – 2nd in a row – 10th time in 12 years – 3 time National Champions (1997, 1998, 1999) – 1 time runner-up
Head Coach: Hank Plona (BA/MA-Providence College) – 8th year (223-34)
Odessa College (29-3) – Southwest District – Odessa, TX – The Wranglers – No. 3 seed – Region 5 – Ranked #3 NP/#4 MP – Lost to Midland College 67-66 in District semifinal – 18th appearance in Hutch – 3rd time in a row – 7 of past 8 years
Head Coach: Kris Baumann (BA-University of Idaho: MA-Columbia Southern) – 5th year at OC (119-36) – 17th season (399-182)
Ranger College (26-7) – Southwest District – Ranger, TX – The Rangers – No. 11 seed – Region 5 – Ranked #21 NP/#25 MP – Lost to Midland College 68-55 in District final – 6th trip to Hutch – 5 of last 8 years – 2 time runners-up
Head Coach: Tra Arnold (AA-CSI; BA-Biola University) 1st year at Ranger (26-7) – 7th year overall (Odessa) 185-39
Tallahassee CC (28-5) – South Atlantic District – Tallahassee, FL – The Eagles – No. 12 seed – Region 8 – Ranked #7 NP/#9 MP – Lost to #16 NP/#7 MP Northwest Florida 89-85 in District final – 5th time in Hutch – Last qualifying in 2020 – Last time playing 2011 at Hutch
Head Coach: Rick Cabrera (AA-Vincennes; BA & MA-Tennessee Tech) – 2nd year at Tally (49-15) – 6th overall (Lackawanna) 149-44 – 19th year coaching altogether
Vincennes University (28-5) – Central District – Vincennes, IN – The TrailBlazers (Blazers) – No. 15 seed – Region 24 – Ranked #14 NP/#17 MP – Lost to #2/#2 John A. Logan 73-67 in District semifinal – 37th appearance in Hutch (most all-time) – Last trip 2021- 10 times in last 11 yrs – 4 National Championships (1965, 1970, 1972, 2019) – 1 time runner-up
Head Coach: Todd Franklin (BA-Western Kentucky; MA-Austin Peay) – 13th year at VU (357-77) – 26 years overall (687-174) – 2019 National Champion – NJCAA BCA Hall of Fame (2018)
