Hutchinson CC Sports Information
The Hutchinson Community College women's basketball team opens the season ranked No. 11 in the 2026-27 NJCAA Division I Women's Basketball preseason rankings, which were released on Monday.
Last week, the Blue Dragons were picked to finish second in the 2026-27 Jayhawk Conference title chase in the KJCCC annual Preseason Coaches' Poll.
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The Blue Dragons open the season ranked in the NJCAA preseason rankings for the third-straight season and for the 17th time in the last 18 seasons. The only time that the Blue Dragons did not open the season as a preseason ranked team was the 2023-24 season, which was the year that they went 38-0 and won a national championship.
Hutchinson went 29-7 last season and was an at-large selected to the 2026 NJCAA Tournament. Of the three KJCCC teams to qualify, the Blue Dragons were the last-remaining conference team in the national tournament, advancing to the quarterfinal round. The Blue Dragons tied Dodge City for second with 20-4 league records.
Three players return from last year's team in guard Whitney Brown (5'4, Fayetteville, AR), forward Kaia Smith (6-foot, Hutchinson) and guard Tayla Galucho (5'8, Melbourne, Australia). The Dragons add three transfers and six true freshmen for 2026-27.
Four Jayhawk Conference teams are receiving preseason recognition in the poll – preseason KJCCC pick Dodge City is No. 7, Hutchinson is at No. 11, Coffeyville is at No. 19 and Butler is receiving votes.
Defending national champion Eastern Arizona received all 15 first-place votes and is the preseason No. 1 pick. New Mexico Junior College, the 2026 NJCAA national runner-up is second, Trinity Valley is third, Chipola is fourth and Shelton State is fifth.
The Blue Dragons will have one home preseason scrimmage on Thursday, October 22 at 5:30 p.m. against Sterling College. Hutchinson will then open the new season on Monday, November 2 at 5:30 p.m. against Neosho County before playing South Plains and Connors State in the BSN Sports Tipoff Classic on November 6 and 7 at the Sports Arena.