WHERE THERE'S A WILL THERE'S A VICTORY

MARCH 16, 2020

The Lakers were seeded No. 4 when NJCAA canceled the national tournament due to the pandemic.

MARCH 24, 2020

Mikayla (Kayla) Sirjord posts to Instagram “be right back – imma go see what it feels like to be a national champion real quick.”

Lake Land College Women’s Basketball Team seeded No. 2 in the NJCAA National Tournament.

Sirjord

JANUARY 23, 2021

First game of the 2020-21 Women’s Basketball Team season.

April 12, 2021

Lake Land College Women’s Basketball Team seeded No. 2 in the NJCAA National Tournament.

Lakers seeded No. 2 at NJCAA National Tournament

April 20, 2021

Lakers win first round of Four. the tournament against the No. 15 seeded Lackawanna Falcons 75 - 53, advancing to the NJCAA DII Women’s

Basketball Elite Eight.

APRIL 21, 2021

Lakers take down No. 10 seeded USC Salkehatchie Indians 61 - 55 to earn a place in the NJCAA DII Women’s Basketball Final Four.

Lakers move to NJCAA DII Women’s Basketball Final Four

APRIL 23, 2021

Lakers defeat No. 6 seeded Parkland Cobras 68 - 47 and advance to the NJCAA DII Women’s Basketball National Championship game.

April 24, 2021

Lakers win against the Johnson County Cavaliers with a score of 53-49, earning Lake Land College’s first-ever National Championship victory.

2021 NCJAA National Champions

ON APRIL 24, THE LAKE LAND COLLEGE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL TEAM CELEBRATED

the first National Championship victory in Lake Land history.

The Lakers headed into the 2021 NJCAA Division II National Tournament seeded No. 2 and battled to the end, defeating the Johnson County Cavaliers with a score of 53-49 in Hickory, North Carolina.

With 10 sophomores on the team, Head Coach Dave Johnson said missing out on last year’s tournament only fueled the team’s motivation to win this year.

“They just kind of willed their way to win. We were down five in the fourth quarter. We called time out. Everyone was calm and they just went out and did it.” Finishing the season with a 25-2 overall record, the Lakers achieved a 16-game winning streak to close out the season including the national championship game. “We knew this could be the year we would bring home a Laker championship,” Lake Land College President Josh Bullock said. “As a college community, we are so proud of our Women’s Basketball Team for working so long and so hard to make this victory possible.” At a formal event recognizing the team’s achievement, the college revealed a new permanent national championship banner honoring the team in the Field House.

Harley Barry, Shiloh, was voted Most Valuable Player, and Kamaria Gant, Bloomington, earned 2nd Team All-American at the tournament. Johnson also earned the Coach of the Tournament Award at the national championship game, and was THE MEMBERS OF THE LAKE LAND COLLEGE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL TEAM SOPHOMORES Harley Barry, Shiloh, IL Kamaria Gant, Bloomington, IL Joanna Schultz, Altamont, IL Tresoir Newson, Normal West, IL Abigayle Weis, Effingham, IL Jaelynn Riggleman, Casey-Westfield, IL Shania Schoonover, Pana, IL Josie Orris, Sullivan, IL Elizabeth Buescher, Charleston, IL Mikayla Sirjord, Ulen-Hitterdal, MN

THE MEMBERS OF THE LAKE LAND COLLEGE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL TEAM SOPHOMORES

SOPHOMORES

Harley Barry, Shiloh, IL

Kamaria Gant, Bloomington, IL

Joanna Schultz, Altamont, IL

Tresoir Newson, Normal West, IL

Abigayle Weis, Effingham, IL

Jaelynn Riggleman, Casey-Westfield, IL

Shania Schoonover, Pana, IL

Josie Orris, Sullivan, IL

Elizabeth Buescher, Charleston, IL

Mikayla Sirjord, Ulen-Hitterdal, MN

FRESHMEN

Karrington Krabel, Paris, IL

Olivia Niemerg, Teutopolis, IL

Avery Still, Sullivan, IL

COACHES

Dave Johnson, Mattoon, IL

JR Hodges, Lerna, IL

Tom Titus, Janesville, IL