Who’s Who Of The 2025 NJCAA Men’s D1 National Tournament

Automatic Qualifiers:

Brunswick CC (28-4) – Supply, NC – Atlantic District Champion – Supply, NC – The Dolphins – No. 24 Seed – Region 10 – Not Ranked – Beat Cape Fear 102-86 in District Championship – 3rd appearance at Hutch – Last time 2021 – will play #9 seed Barton CC (KS) in first round on Sunday at Noon – have a 16 game win streak going

Head Coach: Walter Shaw (Bachelors-UNC-Wilmington; Masters-UNC-Pembroke) – Was 23 when hired as BCC Head Coach – 25th year at Brunswick (468-276)

Columbia State CC (27-4) – Appalachian District Champion – Columbia, TN – The Chargers – No. 18 Seed – Region 7 – Ranked #23 – Beat Pellissippi State College 72-50 in District Final – 8th appearance in the Big Dance – Last time in 2021 – 2nd trip in 6 seasons – Will play #15 Seed Triton College (IL) in first round Saturday, March 22 at 2:30 – 5 consecutive victories

Head Coach: Winston Neal (BA-Georgia Tech; MBA-Loyola-Marymount Univeristy) – 9th season at Columbia State – (173-63)

Connors State College (28-3) – Warner, OK – South Central District Champion – Region 2 – The Cowboys – No. 17 seed – Region 2 – Not ranked – Beat Northeastern Oklahoma A&M 75-59 in District Final – 17th trip to Hutch – Last time in 2024 – 3rd appearance in last 4 years – 1990 National Champs – 4 times making Final Four (2024, 2009, 1996, 1994) – plays #16 John A. Logan College in first game of tournament, Saturday, March 22 at Noon – 10 game winning streak

Head Coach: Bill Muse, Sr. (BA-Mississippi, MA-South Alabama) – 32 seasons in charge at CSC (796-263) – 44 years coaching overall – Son Bill Muse, Jr., current Assistant Coach, also played for Sr. at CSC

Cowley College (29-4) – Arkansas City, KS – Plains District Champion – Region 6 – The Tigers – No. 2 Seed – Ranked #5 – Beat #14 Barton CC (KS) 72-62 in District Final – 8 time qualifier – Back to back appearances as District Champs – 2 time runners-up (1953 & 2021) – first round bye – first game Monday, March 24 at 2:30 vs #15 Triton/#18 Columbia State winner – winners of 3 straight games

Head Coach: Donnie Jackson (Ba-Sterling College, GD-Fort Hays State) – 4th season at Cowley (59-36) – 12 years overall – (242-105) – 8 years at Northern Oklahoma-Tonkawa

Indian Hills CC (27-5) – Ottumwa, IA – North Central District Champions – Region 11 Champion – The Warriors – No. 3 seed – Ranked #3 – Beat #22 Dawson CC (MT) the Region 13 Champions in District Final 70-66 – Trip #20 to Nationals – 4th straight appearance – twelfth time in 14 seasons – Three time National Champions back to back to back (1997,1998, 1999) – Runners-up in 2014 – first round bye – first game Monday, March 24 at 8:00 vs #14 Vincennes University/#19 Three Rivers College winner – winners of 6 consecutive

Head Coach: Cole Dewey – First year as HC at IHCC – Overall record as HC (45-17) – 2 years at Otero College (CO) – AC at Indian Hills 2015-2018

Jones College (30-3) – Ellisville, MS – Gulf District Champion – Region 23 – The Bobcats – No. 5 seed – Ranked #4 – Beat Pearl River CC 74-61 in District Final – 4th overall appearance in Hutch – Back to back trips – 2014 National Champs – first round bye – first game Tuesday March 25 at 5:30 vs #12 Angelina College/#21 South Georgia State winner – Winners of 16 in a row

Head Coach: Newton Mealer ((BA-Southern Miss) – 4th season at Jones (88-32) – 22nd year of coaching

John A. Logan College: (23-9) – Carterville, IL – Central District Champion – Region 24 – The Volunteers – No. 16 seed – Not ranked – Beat Kaskaskia 84-46 in District Final – 7 time tournament participants – Last trip in 2023 – 2023 National Champions – First #1 seed to win the Championship – 5th appearance in last 6 years – play #17 seed Connors State in very first game of the tournament, Saturday, March 22 at Noon – winners of 10 straight

Head Coach: Tyler Smithpeters (SIU-Carbondale) – third season at JAL and overall (67-27) – served 4 seasons as Assistant to brother Kyle before taking over as Head Coach at Logan

Monroe University (25-7) – New Rochelle, NY (formerly Monroe College) – East District Champion – Region 15 – The Mustangs – No. 20 seed – Ranked #25 – Beat Harcum College (Region 19) 77-70 in District Final – Making 10th appearance at Hutch – Last trip in 2023 – play No 13 Chipola College on Saturday, March 22 at 5:30 – on an 8 game win streak

Head Coach: Jeff Jeff Brustad (BA-State University of New York at Oneonta; MS-Lehman College) – 22nd season (551-150)

Panola College (27-6) – Carthage, TX – Mid-South District Champion – Region 14 – The Ponies – No. 6 seed – Ranked #9 – Beat Trinity Valley CC 67-59 in District Final – Third time as Hutch qualifier – Back to back appearances – first round bye – first game on Tuesday, March 25 at 8:00 vs #11 Frank Phillips/#22 Wallace State CC winner – won 6 in succession –

Head Coach: Joe Kuligoski (Ba-Eastern Illinois) – 2nd season as PC HC (26-6) – was AC at Panola one season before promotion to HC

Pensacola State College (23-11) – Pensacola, FL – South Atlantic District Champions – Region 8 – The Pirates – No. 10 seed – Not ranked – Beat Gulf Coast State College 54-51 for District Title – 5th trip to Hutch – Last time was 1993 – Won Championship in 1993 – plays in first round vs #23 Trinidad State College Sunday, March 23 at 2:30 – winners of 4 consecutive games

Head Coach: Pete Peña () – 16th year guiding PSC (208-189) – spent 11 years as P-Cola’s volleyball coach before taking over as HC of Pirates Men’s Basketball – the Court in PSC’s Hartsell Arena bears his name

Snow College (32-1) – Ephraim, UT – West District Champion – Region 18 – The Badgers – No. 1 seed – Ranked #1 – Beat Eastern Arizona College (Region 1) 94-85 in District Final – 4th appearance at Hutch – Last trip 2022 – Runners-up in 1954 – first round bye – plays Monday, March 24 at Noon vs #16 John A. Logan/#17 Connors Sate winner – Badgers have won 25 straight

Head Coach: Andrew May (BA & MA from Brigham Young University) – 3rd year at helm of the Badgers (41-19) – served as AC for 11 seasons at Dixie State University and BYU as well as being an assistant for a few seasons at Salt Lake CC

South Georgia State (27-6) – Waycross, GA – Southeast District Champions – Region 17 – The Hawks – No. 21 seed – RV in final NJCAA poll – Beat East Georgia State College 70-67 in District Championship – 4th time as tournament participant – Last trip 2023 – third appearance in last 5 years – plays #12 seed Angelina College at 5:30 Sunday, March 23 – has a four game win streak

Head Coach: Corey Baldwin (BA-Clayton State; MA-Central Michigan) – 16th year (325-144)

South Plains College (27-6) – Levelland, TX – Southwest -District Champions – Region 5 – The Texans – No. 4 seed – Ranked #8 – Beat McLennan College 87-78 in District Final – Tournament appearance #15 for SPC – ninth time in last 12 seasons – back to back trips for the Texans – first round bye – first game Monday, March 24 vs #13 Chipola/#20 Monroe Univ winner at 5:30 – 10 consecutive wins

Head Coach: Hayden Sowers (BA-Ole Miss, GD-William Carey University) – 3nd season with SPC (54-12) – AC for the Texans for one year (2021-22) and with Pearl River CC (MS) for 4 years prior

Three Rivers College (21-12) – Poplar Bluff, MO – Midwest District Champions – Region 16 – The Raiders – No. 19 seed – Not ranked – Beat Triton College (Region 4) 84-72 for District Crown – 18th appearance in the Sports Arena – First time since 2012 – Two time Champions (1979 & 1992) – Twice runners-up (1994 & 2010) – play #14 Vincennes University at 8:00 on Saturday, March 22 – on a three game win streak

Head Coach: Robert Kirby (UT-Pan American (Rio-Grande) 1st season at Three Rivers – first season as HC – long time NCAA D1 assistant coach with stops at Kennesaw State, Ole Miss, Georgtown University, LSU, Memphis, Mississippi State, Houston, SW Louisana and UALR – Played for legendary, multiple HOF Coach Gene Bess at TRC, and was a member of the 1979 Raiders National Championship team

Trinidad State College (18-14) – Trinidad, CO – Northwest Plains District Champion – Region 9 – The Trojans – No. 23 seed – Not ranked – Beat Gillette College 94-92 in District Final – Trip six overall to nationals – back to back to back to back as District Champs – play first round vs #10 Pensacola State at 2:30 on Sunday, March 23 – Five wins in a row

Head Coach: Mike Folda (AA-Northeastern JC; BA-CSU-Pueblo; MA-East Central University OK) – 14th season as HC at Trinidad (217-182)

Wallace State CC (26-5) – Hanceville, AL – South District Champion – Region 22 – The Lions – No. 22 seed – Not ranked – Beat Southern Union State CC 98-90 for District Title – 4 time tourney participants – Last time in 2014 – first round game vs #11 Frank Phillips College on Sunday, March 23 at 8:00 – on an 8 game win streak

Head Coach: Faron Key (BA-Athens State; MA Jacksonville State) – 1st year at Wallace State – previously HC at nearby Hartselle High School – played at Wallace State and Faulkner Univ.

At-Large Selections:

Angelina College (26-6) – Angelina, TX – Mid-South District At-Large – Region 14 – The Roadrunners – No. 12 seed – ranked #12 – Lost to eventual Champ Panola College 58-48 in District Semifinal – 2nd tournament appearance in program history – 1998 the other trip – first round game vs #21 South Georgia State on Sunday, March 23 at 5:30

Head Coach: JJ Montgomery (Arkansas State) – 3rd season overseeing the Roadrunners program (35-27) – overall record 58-30 (1 year at Lone Star CC) – played at Angelina

Barton CC (25-8) – Great Bend, KS – Plains District At-Large – Region 6 – The Cougars – No. 9 seed – ranked #14 – Lost to Cowley College in District Final 72-62 – 6th time playing in the Sports Arena – back to back trips – defending National Champ – second #1 seed in a row to claim the title – Runner-up in 1999 – play first round game vs #24 Brunswick CC on Sunday at Noon

Head Coach: Jeremy Coombs (Lebette College, Nicholls State, Kansas Wesleyan University) – 4th year at Barton (77-24) – 17th overall (302-228) – spent 14 years at Neosho Co. CC

Chipola College (24-7) – Marianna, FL – South Atlantic District At-Large – Region 8 – The Indians – No. 13 seed – ranked #11 – Lost to Miami-Dade College in District Quarterfinal 73-67 – 19th time to dance on the Sports Arena floor – 5th consecutive year – final four in 2021 & 2022 – National Runners-up in 1974 & 2007 – first round game vs Monroe University at 5:30 on Saturday, March 22

Head Coach: Donnie Tyndall (BA-Morehead State; MS-LSU) 5th season leading Chipola (111-20) – 30-5 at St. Catherine College (1996-97) with an appearance at Hutch – 6 years coaching at Juco level, 6 time participant at Hutch – 28 years coaching overall

Daytona State College (27-5) – Daytona Beach, FL – South Atlantic District At-Large – Region 8 – The Falcons – No. 8 seed – ranked #10 – Lost to Gulf Coast State in District Semifinal 78-64 – Fourth overall appearance in Hutch – back to back trips – first round bye – will play the #9 Barton CC/#24 Brunswick CC winner Tuesday, March 25 at Noon

Head Coach: Joey Cantens (Ba-Eckerd College, Ma-Florida State) – 3rd year at Daytona State (66-27)

Frank Phillips College (24-8) – Borger, TX – Southwest District At-Large – Region 5 – The Plainsmen – No. 11 seed – ranked #15 – Lost to runner-up McLennan College in District Semifinal 87-78 – Programs 2nd appearance in Hutch – First time in 1958 – will play #22 Wallace State CC at 8:00 on Sunday, March 23

Head Coach: Hunter Jenkins (BA-Louisiana Tech; MA-Texas Tech) – 1st season at FPC – has been HC at Clarendon for 4 seasons (68-48) – was Juco AC at Odessa College & Trinity Valley, along with NCAA programs: Georgia, Louisiana Tech, Texas Tech, and Buffalo

Trinity Valley CC (30-3) – Athens, TX – Mid-South District At-Large – Region 14 – The Cardinals – No. 7 seed – ranked #2 – Lost to Panola College in District Championship 67-59 – 12th appearance in Hutch overall – 3rd consecutive trip – 4th in last 5 seasons – 9 times in past 12 years – first round bye – will play #10 Pensacola State/#23 Trinidad State winner Tuesday, March 25 at 2:30

Head Coach: Greg Heiar (BA-Mount St. Clare) – 1st year at TVCC – had HC stints at Chipola 5 years (165-15), Runner-up 2007; Northwest Florida State 1 year (31-5) and won the National Championship, and Mineral Area College last season (29-3) – total Juco record 225-23 – Heiar also served as head coach at New Mexico State University for one season – had AC positions at: Mount St. Clare, Loras College, Chipola, Southern Mississippi, Wichita State University, LSU and East Tennessee State University – a Juco product playing at Kirkwood CC before finishing at Mount St. Clare – 24 years in coaching overall

Triton College (28-5) – River Grove, IL – Midwest District At-Large – Region 4 – The Trojans – No. 15 seed – ranked #7 – Lost at Three Rivers College in District Championship game 84-72 – 3rd time appearing in National Tournament overall – back to back trips – 3rd time in past 4 years – Final Four in 2022 & 2024 – National Runner-up in 2024 – Won D2 National Championship in 2018, then went to D1 in 2019 – first round game will play #18 Columbia State CC on Saturday, March 22 at 2:30.

Head Coach: Brian Burns () – 2nd season with Triton (34-3) –

Vincennes University (26-4) – Vincennes, IN – Central District At-Large – Region 24 – The TrailBlazer (Blazers) – No. 14 seed – ranked #6 – Lost to Kaskaskia College in District Quarterfinals 61-56 – record 39th tournament appearance – back to back to back trips – 12th time in last 13 years (record) – 4 time Champs (1965, 1970, 1972, and 2019) – Runner-up in 1986 – first round game vs #14 Three Rivers College on Saturday, March 22 at 8:00

Head Coach: Todd Franklin (BA-Western Kentucky; MA-Austin Peay) – 14th year at VU (389-81) – 28 years overall (719-179) – won 2019 National Championship – Class of 2018 NJCAA BCA Hall of Fame Inductee