Valerie Stambersky, KCKCC's winningest women’s basketball coach to teach, coach in Warrensburg School District

By ALAN HOSKINS

KANSAS CITY, KAN. ----- Valerie Stambersky, the winningest women’s basketball coach at Kansas City Kansas Community College, is stepping down after giving the Lady Blue Devil basketball program two of its best years in history.

One of only two teams to defeat NJCAA Division II national champion Johnson County and the only team to defeat the Lady Cavaliers on their home floor, the Blue Devils were 28-4 the past season after finishing 24-8 in 2013-2014. The 28 wins matched the KCKCC record for second most wins in a season.

“My family comes first,” said Stambersky, who commuted from Warrensburg, Mo., the past season after her husband, Damian, joined the Central Missouri State University baseball coaching staff as an assistant last summer.

The couple has two children, a son Taylor, 8; and a daughter Tyler, 5. In addition to her coaching duties, Stambersky served the last two years as Assistant Athletic Director where her responsibilities included overseeing the Communications and Web Design for the Athletic Department website.

Stambersky said her decision to resign was anything but easy.

“I got this job right out of college so this has been my home. I’ve truly enjoyed my years at KCKCC and telling my players I was leaving was the most difficult part. But in the long run it’s the best thing for my family. And I won’t miss later drives home in the snow that turns an hour, 15 minute trip into three hours.”

Stambersky won’t get out of the coaching profession. She has accepted a teaching and an assistant coaching position in the Warrensburg School District starting this fall.

KCKCC WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: Stambersky named co-coach of the year, 3 Lady Blue Devils honored

By ALAN HOSKINS

KANSAS CITY, KAN. ----- The co-coach of the year, the Region VI most valuable player, an All-Jayhawk/All-Region selection and the all-time leader in assists led the way as Kansas City Kansas Community College made a sweep of women’s post-season basketball honors.

Valerie Stambersky is the Jayhawk East Co-Coach of the Year and freshman forward Cheyenne North a first team All-Jayhawk East selection while sophomore guard Cierra Gaines was named the Most Valuable Player on the NJCAA Region VI Division II team.

KCKCC women win 20th game of season

By ALAN HOSKINS, KCKCC

KANSAS CITY, KAN. ----- Valerie Stambersky was rewarded with the first 20-win season of her career as women’s coach at Kansas City Kansas Community College Monday night while Kelley Newton came within an eyelash of his first Jayhawk Conference win as men’s coach.

The Blue Devil men committed just four turnovers in the final half but two came in the final minute as Hesston converted the miscues into four free throws to seal a 70-65 win after the Lady Blue Devils had exploded in the second half for a 71-49 win.

Ranked No. 16 in the nation in NJCAA Division, the Lady Blue Devils boosted their record to 20-4 to become the first team since 1997 to win 20 games. Already the winningest women’s coach in KCKCC history, Stambersky’s previous best season came in 2010-11 when the Blue Devils were 19-12.

The Blue Devils can add to that record Wednesday when both teams play at Fort Scott at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m.

The Blue Devil men couldn’t quite get over the hump despite a tremendous effort by Lucas Smith, who scored 23 points on 10 of 16 shooting. Clay Young and Stephen Leimbach each added 12 points and Anthony Ridley 10 and five assists.

KCKCC led 23-15 early only to have Hesston run off the next 10 points and it was nip-and-tuck the rest of the way in a game that had seven ties and seven lead changes.

KCKCC’s biggest lead in the second half was 48-42 with 14 minutes left. Both teams shot well the second half, Hesston hitting 53.5 percent and KCKCC 51.9 percent but the Blue Devils were outrebounded 35-17 by the lankier Larks. KCKCC forced Hesston into 17 turnovers while committing just 10. Unfortunately, two came in the final minute.

Balance was again the key for the KCKCC women. Rashaun Casey led the scoring with 21 points while Cassidy Harbert added 14 as both had three 3-pointers.

Janai Mitchell and Iland Shurn each had 10 rebounds as KCKCC dominated the boards 45-30 and both just missed double doubles, Mitchell with nine points and Shurn with eight while Harbert added a game high seven assists and eight rebounds to her 14 points.

Leading 30-23 at halftime, the Lady Blue Devils were 14 of 28 the second half to offset 13 second half turnovers.

“We still have a lot to work on but they responded well in the second half and did a lot of good things,” said Stambersky. 

Kelley Newton, former Wyandotte Bulldog, named men's head basketball coach at KCKCC

Former Wyandotte High School and University of Oklahoma star Kelley Newton is the new men’s basketball coach at Kansas City Kansas Community College.

The women’s basketball coach at Neosho County Community College the last three seasons, Newton will begin his new duties immediately. Newton is also the owner and head coach of the Kansas Lady Nuggets, a women’s semipro team playing in the WBCBL.

“With his background in this area, we feel Kelley will be very effective as a recruiter,” said Blue Devil Athletic Director Tony Tompkins. “He’s a very good communicator who I believe will provide the coaching skills and the discipline needed to build a very successful program.”

“This is a great opportunity for a lot of different reasons,” says Newton, 35. “Having been raised in KCK, it’s a chance to get back to the community I love. I feel and a lot of people feel this is a place ready to experience major success and I would like to give back to the community in a way I haven’t been able to in the past. Growing up in Kansas City, I think KCKCC now has the name recognition it has not had in the past. Not only do you hear about the college, you drive around and see its presence with the new athletic facilities and the new Technical Education Centers.”

In his three seasons at Neosho County, his players maintained a combined grade point average 3.00 and 12 of 15 players earned scholarships at four-year colleges. In addition, he turned a fund-raising debt into a positive balance.