Hutchinson Community College freshman guard Darius Johnson-Odom capped his one year in the Jayhawk in high fashion today, grabbing first-team NJCAA All-American honors, the second year in a row that a Blue Dragon guard has been named a first teamer after Bobby Maze (now running point for Tennessee and Bruce Pearl) was a first-teamer last year. I threw a little baby DJO highlight (from his junior year of h.s.) up top, you know, for nostalgia. He’ll be in the Marquette back court next year.

Cowley’s Jack Crowder, another Sunflower Slate fave, was an honorable mention pick. It goes without saying … but Wichita Southeast Carl Taylor has put out a pretty steady stream of college talent the last five years (Dupree Lucas, Jordan Cyphers, Crowder, Adonis Gantt … Joe Mitchell soon enough). That’s a nice pump for the 316 when these kids go out and tear it up. Jayhawk West player of the year Nyika Williams — a 6-8 power forward headed to Pacific — was a third-teamer. Region VI MVP Thomas Manzano out of Garden City was an HM pick. He’s headed to Wyoming. No WSU offer for him, either.

QUICK SOAPBOX: DJO WAS DEFINITELY OUT OF WSU’S LEAGUE. MANZANO WAS NOT. WILLIAMS WAS NOT. THEY NEVER EVEN GOT RECRUITED BY THE SHOX. SO … YOU’RE TELLING ME THAT REGGIE CHAMBERLIN WAS GOOD ENOUGH TO PLAY AT WSU BUT THESE TWO WEREN’T? PLEASE SIGN JAWANZA POLAND AND MAKE THIS ALL GO AWAY. THE JAYHAWK IS THERE TO HELP YOU, WSU HONKS.

My evil twin had to get on for a second. On the women’s side, Hutchinson guard Heather Robben was an HM All-American after a freshman campaign that saw her help lead the Blue Dragons to their frist Region VI title since the late 70s. That’s 1970s. Cowley sophomore Elena Yankova was also an HM pick. I put the complete list of selections below. OUT.

2009 NJCAA All-America Teams

First Team

Casey Mitchell G 6-5 205 So. Chipola College

DeAndre Brown G 5-11 160 So. Navarro College

Darius Johnson-Odom G 6-2 190 Fr. Hutchinson

Dwight Buycks G 6-3 185 So. Indian Hills

Ridge McKeither F 6-5 245 So. ND State Coll. of Science

Chris Hines F 6-8 220 So. SW Illinois College

Jarrid Famous C 7-0 235 So. Westchester C.C.

Ricardo Ratliffe F 6-8 236 Fr. Central Florida

Renado Parker F 6-6 245 Fr. North Idaho College

D.J. Wright F 6-7 235 Fr. Salt Lake

Second Team

Myron Strong G 6-2 185 So. Southwest Tennessee

Adam Brown G 6-3 180 So. Collin County

Andre Almeida C 6-10 340 Fr. Arizona Western

Justin Ray G 5-8 165 So. Mississippi Gulf Coast

Eugene Bain F 6-5 210 So. North Platte

Wayne Runnels F 6-6 205 So. N. Oklahoma-Enid

Marquise Carter G 6-4 185 Fr. Three Rivers

Brandon Williams G 6-2 185 So. Shelton State

Jae Crowder G 6-5 207 Fr. South Georgia College

Jeff Early G 6-1 190 Fr. Allegany College of Maryland

Third Team

Antonio Bumpus G 6-4 190 Fr. Harcum College

Eric Frederick F 6-7 230 Fr. Highland

Kahlil McDonald G 6-4 190 Fr. Blinn College

David Tairu G 6-3 175 So. South Plains College

Nyika Williams F 6-8 210 So. Barton

Lance James G 5-11 205 So. Aiken Technical College

Dwight Hardy G 6-2 180 So. Indian Hills

Stephon Weaver G 6-2 190 So. Connors State College

Trevor Mbakwa F 6-8 240 So. Miami Dade College

Honorable Mention

James Livingston G 6-3 175 So. ND State Coll. of Science

Kwan Waller G 6-0 175 So. Sauk Valley

Darryl Ashford F 6-5 190 So. Jacksonville College

Maurice McNeil F 6-9 210 So. San Jacinto College

Thomas Manzano G 6-4 205 Fr. Garden City

Kavon Lytch F 6-7 241 So. Midland College

Lance Jeter G 6-3 235 Soo. Polk

Moustapha Diarra F/C 6-10 230 So. Sheridan College

Marquis Gilstrap G 6-7 206 So. Gulf Coast

Marcus Williams G 5-10 165 Fr. Cochise College

Jeremy Marrs C 6-10 200 So. Three Rivers

Jamail Turner G 6-4 205 So. Georgia Perimeter College

Jared Rehmel G 5-11 150 So. Olney Central College

Daequon Montreal F 6-8 220 So. Coll. of Southern Idaho

Kyle Wright G 6-5 215 So. Monroe College

Kenny Leverette G 6-1 195 Fr. Southwestern Illinois

Jack Crowder F 6-4 205 So. Cowley College

Terrance Mitchell G 6-3 200 So. Faulkner State

Trent Hutchin G 6-0 174 So. Copiah-Lincoln

Tim Williams G 6-4 206 So. Motlow State

2009 NJCAA Women’s All-America Teams

First Team

Danielle Adams F 6-2 So. Jefferson College

Hope Elam F 6-1 So. Vincennes University

Lakrystle Gross G 5-7 Fr. Walters State

Taisja Jones F 6-0 So. Grayson County

Chimere Jordan G 5-8 So. Gulf Coast

Yohanna Morton G 5-8 So. Arizona Western

Jasmine Nelson C 6-3 So. Trinity Valley

Precious Robinson F 6-1 So. Central Arizona

Tahnee Robinson G 5-11 So. Sheridan College

Second Team

Latoya Williams C 6-3 So. Chipola College

Lyrell Barfield G 5-8 So. Midland College

Mystee Dale G 5-9 So. East Central Mississippi

Layka Garrison G 5-5 So. Carl Albert State

Krystal Parnell G 5-6 Fr. Monroe College

Shaunice Samms C 6-0 Fr. College of Southern Idaho

Leondra Doomes-Stephens G 5-9 So. Fort Scott

Deeva Vaughn F 6-0 Fr. Northern Oklahoma-Enid

Tenaya Watson G 5-8 So. Central Arizona

Whitney Williams G 5-9 So. Kaskaskia College

Third Team

Carolyn Blair-Moody G 5-10 Fr. Cloud County

Angelique Burtts F 5-11 So. East Mississippi

Florencia Fernandez F 6-2 Fr. Midland College

Latoya King G 5-6 So. Seminole C.C.

Marquisha Loper G 5-5 So. Shelton State

Jasmine Lovejoy G 5-8 So. Northeast Nebraska

Soana Lucet F 6-1 So. College of Southern Idaho

Whitley Mayberry G 5-8 So. Northwest-Shoals

Rhon-Neisha Taylor G 5-8 So. Walters State

Monshay Thomas G 5-9 Fr. Darton College

Honorable Mention

Amber Adams F 5-10 So. Williston State College

Deshawna Banks G 5-8 So. Trinity Valley

Jessica Bennett F 5-11 So. Sauk Valley

Ty’Ronda Benning G 5-6 So. Lincoln Trail College

Morgan Boyd G 5-10 So. University of Ark.-Fort Smith

Nicole Brady C 6-1 So. Salt Lake

Ashley Buis G 5-11 Fr. Vincennes University

Bianca Cheever G 5-8 So. North Idaho College

Shaquilah Davis G 5-7 So. Western Nebraska

Sabelle Diata F 6-1 Fr. Northeastern Junior College

Deree Fooks F 6-1 Fr. Monroe College

Breanna Fort F 5-11 So. Central Florida

Megan Fraley G 5-7 So. Northeastern Oklahoma A&M

Shaniqua Gray G 5-5 Fr. Volunteer State

Heather Robben F 5-9 Fr. Hutchinson

Denetra Kellum G 5-8 So. Kilgore College

Kristen D. Thomas F 5-11 So. Hillsborough

Rachel Vigers F 5-9 So. Copiah-Lincoln

Kristen Williams F 5-9 So. Moberly

Elena Yankova G 6-1 So. Cowley College