Hutchinson CC Sports Information

For the fourth time in the last five seasons, the Hutchinson Community College women's basketball team is the preseason favorite to win the Jayhawk Conference championship.

The Blue Dragons narrowly edged Seward County for the preseason No. 1 pick. Hutchinson and Seward County tied for the 2017 Jayhawk Conference championship. Both teams advanced to the NJCAA national tournament, but the Blue Dragons defeated the Saints in the Region VI Tournament championship game.

Hutchinson has won at least a share of a conference championship in every season but one since 2011.

After Hutchinson and Seward County, picks three through five are Cowley, Butler and Coffeyville.

Returning experience will be short for 11th-year head coach John Ontjes, whose team went 33-2 last season and advanced to the second round of the NJCAA Women's Division I National Tournament.

Guard Alicia Brown is the only player back who played in all 35 games last season and started in three. Brown averaged 7.1 points and 4.7 rebounds with 46 assists and 39 steals. Brown shot 42.6 percent from the floor.

Also back are guard Brianna Bradshaw and forward Kayla Barber. Bradshaw averaged 9 minutes per game in 27 games last season and averaged 1.7 points per game. Barber averaged 7 minutes per game in 28 games played last year. She averaged 2.8 points and 2.1 rebounds.

The Blue Dragons will scrimmage Emporia State at 6 p.m. on Wednesday in the Sports Arena.

Hutchinson will open the 2017-18 regular season on Wednesday, November 1 against the Bethany College Junior Varsity in a 5:30 p.m. tipoff at the Sports Arena.