By John Mesh
The Hutchinson Community College women’s basketball team will get an opportunity to defend its 2024 NJCAA Division I championship on the same Ford Wyoming Center court in Casper, Wyo., where the Blue Dragons won the 2024 title.
The Blue Dragons (28-4), who lost to Coffeyville in the Region VI semifinals, are the No. 11 seed in the 24-team 2025 NJCAA Division I women’s tournament.
The brackets for the NJCAA Division I women’s and men’s tournaments were announced on Sunday by the NJCAA.
Hutchinson (28-4) will face No. 22 seed South Georgia Technical College (25-6) in the first round at 5:45 p.m. Central time/4:45 Mountain time Wednesday, March 26.
The Blue Dragon women earned their 13th all-time appearance in the NJCAA Division I National Tournament.
The Blue Dragons captured their first NJCAA national championship by defeating Northwest Florida State 88-80 in overtime to complete a 37-0 season.
South Georgia Tech enters the tournament on a 13-game winning streak after cruising through the Region 17 Tournament semifinals and championship game.
The Hutchinson-South Georgia Tech winner will advance to play No. 6 seed Three Rivers in the second round of the NJCAA Tournament. That game would be played at 5:45 p.m. on Friday, March 28.
The Dodge City Community College women’s basketball team (29-4), which won the Region VI Tournament title with a 55-35 win over No. 20 Coffeyville Saturday, drew the No. 4 seed at the NJCAA Division I basketball tournament.
The Conquistadors, who won their first-ever Region VI title Saturday at Fort Hays State University’s Gross Memorial Coliseum, received a first-round bye at the NJCAA DI National Tournament.
The Conqs will play a second-round game at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, March 27, against the winner of No. 13-seed Arizona Western and No. 20-seed State Fair, Sedalia, Mo.
Defending men’s champion Barton CC will return to NJCAA Division I Tournament
The 14th-ranked Barton Community College men’s basketball team received an at-large bid and the 9th seed for the 2025 NJCAA Division I National Tournament as announced Sunday evening on the NJCAA’s Selection Show.
The defending national champion Cougars will take a 25-8 record into the tournament’s second day of action.
The Cougars open play at noon Sunday against Atlantic District Champion and No. 24-seed Brunswick Community College (28-4).
A victory would send the Cougars to Tuesday’s noon matchup against fellow at-large bid recipient and No. 8-seed Daytona State College (27-5).
Barton made its third straight appearance in the Region 6/Plains District Championship game. The Cougars lost to came up short to No. 5-ranked Cowley College 72-62 in the championship game Saturday.
Cowley College Tiger men nab No. 2-seed at national tourney
The Cowley College men’s basketball team are the No. 2-seed at the 24-team NJCAA Men’s Division I National Tournament Saturday-Saturday, March 22-29, at the Hutchinson Sports Arena.
The Tigers claimed just the fifth Region VI title in the history of the Cowley College men’s basketball program.
Cowley College (formerly Cowley County Community College and Arkansas City Junior College) defeated defending national champion Barton Community College (formerly Barton County Community College) 72-62 on Saturday at Fort Hays State University’s Gross Memorial Coliseum.
The Tigers will open play at the national tournament at 2:30 p.m. Monday when they face the winner of the game between No. 15-seed Triton College (28-5) and No. 18-seed Columbia State (27-4).
Triton College lost to Barton CC in the national championship game in 2024.
“I think earning the two-seed is a sign of respect for winning our Region tournament and conference from the committee,” said Cowley College men’s basketball coach Donnie Jackson in an interview with Cowley College sports information.
“Everyone is good at nationals. You have to expect everyone to give their best, no matter who we match up with. Both teams we could face are exceptionally strong.”
Cowley will play at 2:30 p.m. Monday against the winner of the Triton College-Columbia State Community College first-round game.
Eagle Radio to broadcast all 23 games of NJCAA DI Men’s Basketball Championship
All 23 games of the 32-team 2025 NJCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship tournament at the Hutchinson Sports Arena will be broadcast by Eagle Radio stations.
The tournament runs Saturday-Saturday, March 22-29.
The action tips off at noon on March 22 with No. 17 Connors State (Okla.) facing No. 16 John A. Logan (Ill.). The championship game will tipoff at noon on March 29.
All 23 games will be broadcast on KWBW-AM/FM (1450/98.5) and KHUT-FM (102.9).
The day games will be on KWBW and the evening games will be broadcast on KWBW-AM/FM and KHUT-FM.
The first 22 games will be streamed on ESPN+ with a paid subscription, and the national championship game will be live on ESPNU.
Automatic Qualifiers: Columbia State (Tenn.), Brunswick (NC), Columbia State (Tenn.), Connors State (Okla.), Cowley College, Indian Hills (Iowa), John A. Logan (Ill.), Jones (Miss.), Monroe University (N.Y.), Panola (Texas), Pensacola State (Fla.), Snow (Utah), South Georgia State, South Plains (Texas), Three Rivers (Mo.), Trinidad State (Colo.), Wallace State-Hanceville (Ala.).
At-Large Selections: Angelina (Texas), defending champion Barton Community College, Chipola (Fla.), Daytona State (Fla.), Frank Phillips (Texas), Trinity Valley (Texas), defending NJCAA runner-up Triton (Ill.) and Vincennes (Ind.).
2025 NJCAA Division I Men’s Tournament Pairings
Saturday-Saturday, March 22-29
Hutchinson (Kan.) Sports Arena
First Round (Saturday-Sunday)
Saturday
No. 16 John A. Logan vs. No. 17 Connors State, noon.
No. 15 Triton vs. No. 18 Columbia State, 2:30 p.m.
No. 20 Monroe vs. No. 12 Angelina, 5:30 p.m.
No. 14 Vincennes vs. No. 19 Three Rivers, 8 p.m.
Sunday
No. 24 Brunswick vs. No. 13 Chipola, noon.
No. 10 Pensacola State vs. No. 23 Trinidad State, 2:30 p.m.
No. 21 South Georgia State vs. No. 9 Barton, 5:30 p.m.
No. 11 Frank Phillips vs. No. 22 Wallace State, 8 p.m.
Second Round (Monday-Tuesday)
Monday
No. 1 Snow vs. John A. Logan/Connors State winner, noon.
No. 2 Cowley vs. Triton/Columbia State winner, 2:30 p.m.
No. 4 South Plains vs. Chipola/Monroe winner, 5:30 p.m.
No. 3 Indian Hills vs. Vincennes/Three Rivers winner, 8 p.m.
Tuesday
No. 8 Daytona State vs. Barton/Brunswick winner, noon.
No. 7 Trinity Valley vs. Pensacola State/Trinidad State winner, 2:30 p.m.
No. 5 Jones vs. Angelina/South Georgia State winner, 5:30 p.m.
No. 6 Panola vs. Frank Phillips/Wallace State winner, 8 p.m.
Quarterfinals (Wednesday)
Game 17, noon.
Game 18, 2:30 p.m.
Game 19, 5:30 p.m.
Game 20, 8 p.m.
Semifinals (Friday)
Game 21, 5:30 p.m.
Game 22, 8:30 p.m.
Championship (Saturday)
NJCAA Championship Game, noon.