2024 NJCAA Division II - Eagles take the lead and keep the lead to win ninth overall national championship

Joplin, MO - Kirkwood (IA) defeats the number one ranked Johnson County (KS) 69-58 to win its ninth national championship in program history, with its most recent being in 2022.
Eagles guard Jenna Twedt was named the Most Valuable Player after being the leading scorer throughout the tournament. Twedt had 18 points in the championship game.
The Championship game featured the number one and number two ranked teams, with Johnson County being undefeated on the season.
Johnson County and Kirkwood previously battled it out for the national championship title in 2017 where Kirkwood took the win.
Kirkwood came out scoring the first points of the game to take the lead and held that lead throughout the entire championship game.

Battle of the Best
Kirkwood kept the lead with Johnson County trailing behind each quarter.
Freshman Jariah Harris came off the bench with her first points of the tournament to give Kirkwood a seven-point lead in the first quarter.
The Eagles increased their lead by 10 points with under a minute to play.
Kirkwood wins its second championship in the last three seasons, and ninth in program history.

Head Coach Kim Muhl is in his 34th season, with 34 consecutive 20-win seasons. Muhl has a coaching record with over 1,000 wins.
The Eagles finish the season with a 35-2 record, beating the undefeated Johnson County in the national championship game.

Eagles win 9th championship
The Lady Cavaliers were undefeated coming into the national championship game. With an impressive 34-0 record, they were the number one ranked team.

Johnson County had a great run throughout the tournament that led to them competing for a national championship. The Lady Cavaliers were on a 34-game winning streak.
Saige Grampsas and Jazzy Klinge were named to the All-Tournament team.

Tournament Awards
Kirkwood’s Jenna Twedt was named MVP of the Tournament. Fellow Eagles Kaylee Corbin and Demetria Prewitt were named to the All-Tournament Team.
10 teams were featured on the all-Tournament Team. Pima Community College received the B.J. Graber Team Sportsmanship Award.

Courtesy of NJCAA.org