From August until now, Jones athletics has accomplished and successfully earned many regional, state and national titles. Most of the teams held a steady place in the Top 5 ranking for the NJCAA DII, and some have held the No. 1 rank for multiple weeks in a row.
The men’s soccer team had a strong start to their season this past fall. Jones College competed against Andrew College on Sept. 9, 2021. It was a tied match of 1-1 until the 77th minute, which gave Jones the lead of 2-1. This victory gave Jones their 12th consecutive home win.
As the season progressed, many Bobcat soccer players showed their talent, leading to four Jones College players being selected for the MACCC Men’s Soccer All-Star Game. As for the women’s soccer team, they also had a consistent season. Jones was ranked No. 2 with a 14-game winning streak when they headed to the NJCAA Division II Tournament. Although the Lady Bobcats did not have the outcome they wanted at the national level, they did make history. Jones’ consistent ranking at No. 2 led the Bobcats to have the highest single-season ranking in program history by the NJCAA.
The JC football team also had its fair share of successes this past season. Jones was undefeated for most of the season and held a steady place in the top five rankings. For two consecutive weeks, Jones held the No. 1 spot in the NJCAA football ranking. The Bobcats were ranked No. 3 when they hosted the conference semifinals; however, they fell against No. 5 Northwest Community College.
Jones women’s basketball also made history this past season. After having a solid season, moving up in rank week by week, the Lady Bobcats had a 10-game winning streak in their postseason. After dominating the Elite Eight, the Lady Bobcats traveled to Lubbock, Texas to compete in the NJCAA Final Four. The JC women’s team finished their season off with a conference championship and a sixth consecutive region title.
In addition, the JC tennis team, both men and women, claimed the NJCAA Region 23 Champion Title on their home court when Jones hosted the competition April 21-23. This win for the Lady Bobcats made it their second straight region championship. As for the regular season, the girls had a perfect record of 18-0.
This was the first Region 23 title for men’s tennis since 1985. Since both boys and girls won the state title, they will advance to nationals. The boys will travel to Tyler, Texas, and the girls will compete in Tucson, Arizona.
Jones baseball and softball are in their season full swing. The baseball team claimed their spot as the No. 6 seed in the MACCC. Jones will now compete in the Region 23 playoff series.
After many conference, regional, and even national titles, the Jones’ school year and sports seasons are coming to an end with many firsts for the college’s record books.
by Presley White
