Hutchinson CC Sports Information

For the first time since the Covid-shortened 2020-21 season, the Hutchinson Community College Women's Basketball team is the preseason choice to win the Jayhawk Conference, according to the league's annual Coaches' Poll released on Friday.

Head coach John Ontjes begins his 16th season with the Blue Dragons. Only once since 2010 have the Blue Dragons not been picked either first or second in the KJCCC preseason rankings. That was a third-place pick in 2013. The Blue Dragons have never been picked lower than fourth in a preseason poll under Ontjes.

The 2022-23 Blue Dragons will be going after a fourth-straight Jayhawk Conference championship. Last season, Hutchinson shared the title with Independence.

In addition to the conference championship, the Blue Dragons won the Region VI championship and advanced to the second round of the NJCAA Tournament, finishing the season with a 29-6 record.

The Blue Dragons return two starters and six overall letter winners from last season.

First-Team All-American and KJCCC Player of the Year Mya Williams is back this season.

Williams led the KJCCC in scoring last season, averaging 18.6 points per game. Williams shot 41.9 percent overall this past season, shooting 37.8 percent from 3-point range and 81.7 percent from the free-throw line. Williams' team-high 83 3-point goals were the fourth most by a freshman and ninth most in Blue Dragon history. Her 148 made free throws were second most in freshman history and fifth most in single-season history.

Williams became the Blue Dragons' all-time freshman leader and was No. 2 all-time in Blue Dragon scoring with 651 total points.

Natalie Payne is a returning starting forward Payne averaged 4.5 points and 3.7 rebounds.

Kali Howard and Ziya Simms came off the bench last season for Hutchinson. Howard averaged 4.5 points and 3.4 rebounds per game. Simms averaged 1.8 points and 2.3 rebounds.

Two players lost to injury last season are also back in the mix.

Guard Ishante Suttington was injured in the season opener last season. In 2020-21, Suttington averaged 5.9 points and 3.5 rebounds.

Yana Grassity also returns from injury. Two seasons ago, she averaged 6.3 points and 3.6 rebounds in 14 games played.

The Blue Dragons open the 2022-23 season on Tuesday, November 1 against the Bethany JV at 5:30 p.m. Hutchinson will then play host to Mineral Area and NEO in the BSN Tip-Off Classic on Nov, 4 and 5.

The Blue Dragons will have two home scrimmages on October 20 against Tabor College and October 27 against Sterling College. Both scrimmages tip off at 6 p.m.