CHARLOTTE, NC – Helping Barton Community College pick up two wins over Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference (KJCCC) competition last week, Cougar redshirt freshman Jaden Katsis has been named the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division 1 Volleyball Defensive Player of the Week.
Katsis becomes the 72nd KJCCC volleyball player since 2017 to earn national accolades, and the sixth Cougar during that span to pick up honors from the NJCAA. Of the 72 NJCAA Volleyball Player of the Week awards earned by KJCCC players, 35 have been earned by players at the NJCAA Division 1 level. Barton has now had the last two NJCAA Division 1 Volleyball Defensive Players of the Week, with Ana Fabiely Fachi being named Defensive Player of the Week last week. During the 2026 season, KJCCC volleyball athletes have accounted for four of the six players to earn NJCAA Division 1 Volleyball Defensive Player of the Week honors.
Jaden Katsis (Barton) – NJCAA D1 Volleyball Defensive Player of the Week
Katsis anchored the back row in helping number 18-ranked Barton post a 2-0 week, totaling 39 digs across seven sets for a 5.57 per-set average. The week for the redshirt-freshman was highlighted by a ranked road victory at number 20-ranked Hutchinson as Katsis delivered a career-high 27 digs in the Cougars’ four-set victory over the Blue Dragons. Katsis followed with 12 digs in Saturday’s sweep of Seward County as the Cougars extended their winning streak to four matches.
