Volleyball Selected As League Favorites In KJCCC D1 Volleyball Preseason Poll
The Trojans have been selected to finish first in the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference (KJCCC) Division I regular season, according to the annual preseason poll of league coaches.
COLBY, Kan. — Coming off the most successful season in program history, the Colby Community College volleyball team will open the 2025 campaign with high expectations. The Trojans have been selected to finish first in the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference (KJCCC) Division I regular season, according to the annual preseason poll of league coaches.
Colby earned 61 total points and received five of the eight first-place votes to top the poll. The honor comes on the heels of a remarkable 2024 season that saw the Trojans claim a second-place conference finish, reach the NJCAA Division I Plains District Tournament final, and secure an at-large bid to the NJCAA Division I National Tournament.
Seeded 13th nationally, Colby capitalized on its postseason opportunity, going 3-1 in Clarksville, including a victory over rival Barton in the third-place match. The result marked the Trojans' best finish ever at the national tournament.
The 2025 roster features several key returners from last year's historic run. Leading the way is outside hitter Karlotta Kattai, the reigning Second Team All-American and KJCCC Freshman of the Year from Tartu, Estonia. Kattai topped the conference in kills with 434, averaging 4.02 per set — the fourth-best mark in the nation. At setter, Amanda Caputi earned First Team All-American honors after dishing out 1,325 assists, more than 300 ahead of her nearest KJCCC competitor. Her average of 11.23 assists per set led the nation. In the middle, Chiara Binda of Omegna, Italy, returns after posting 68 total blocks (including eight solo) last season, a performance that earned her KJCCC Honorable Mention recognition.
Head Coach Carey Jones said the preseason recognition is an exciting nod to the program's recent success, but her attention is firmly on what lies ahead. "We've got a lot of new faces this season, so while it's nice to be recognized, our focus is really on the work we're doing in the gym and helping this group keep growing together to reach the goals we've set for the year," she said.
The Trojans will open their 2025 season on Friday (Aug. 22) against Lee College as they look to build on last year's historic momentum. The conference schedule is set to begin Wednesday (Sept. 3) as the Trojans take on the Broncbusters in Colby, Kan.