Rylee Hernandez
Rylee Hernandez
  • Title:
    Head Men's Basketball Coach
  • Phone:
    620-417-1557
  • Email:
    rylee.hernandez@sccc.edu
  • Year:
    3rd Year
  • Hometown:
    Saint Paul, MN

Bio

Rylee Hernandez enters his third season with the Seward County Saints in the 2023-24 season. During the 2022-23 season, Hernandez lead the Saints to a 13-18 overall record and a conference mark of 9-15 in the KJCCC. Coach Hernandez had Mario Whitley (F) lead the way for the team averaging over 14 points and 7 rebounds a contest leading him to an Honorable Mention selection for the All-KJCCC Division I team.

In the first year in the program, the Saints had an 11-20 overall record and an 8-16 conference record. Seward County had memorable moments of defeating the No. 4 team in the NJCAA in the Greenhouse Dodge City 68-61 and also defeated Butler in a 61-58 contest at home in Liberal, KS.

Before, Seward Hernandez had five years as the Head Coach at Williston State College, which included winning the 2019 District XI Championship and becoming the second-ever coach at Williston State to earn a trip to the NJCAA National Tournament at Hutchinson. This past season Hernandez led Williston to a 12-11 record and lost in the semifinals of the Region XIII tournament to the future District champions Dawson Community College.

RYLEE HERNANDEZ'S YEAR-BY-YEAR RECORD AT SEWARD

Year

Overall

Conf.

Place

Region VI

NJCAA

2022-23

2021-22

13-18

11-20

9-15

8-16

10th

12th

10th

12th

N/A

N/A

 

Overall

 

24-38
(.387)

 

17-31
(.354)

 

 

 

Career

106-112
(.486)

       

The Hernandez File:
Seward County C.C. (Head Coach): 2021-Present
Williston State (Head Coach): 2016-21
Williston State (Asst. Coach): 2012-2016

"I am excited about having Coach Hernandez join us at Seward County" Athletic Director Dan Artamenko stated. "He has already found success on the court, taking a team to the NJCAA National Tournament and being regarded as one the top up-and-coming coaches in the NJCAA, but I believe he is as good of a fit off the court. We need to develop scholarships at Seward County and Coach Hernandez's background in fundraising and growing scholarships will give us a path to reach the top of the Jayhawk league under his direction."

In the last two full-time (non-covid) seasons, Coach Hernandez's teams have been ranked or received votes in the NJCAA Top 25 polls multiple times and became the first team in Williston State history to beat perennial powerhouses such as Western Nebraska, College of Southern Idaho, Casper College, and Southeastern (IA).  In addition to the team's success, two players have been named NJCAA Division-1 All-Americans (Jones '19, Jackson '17).

"I am excited to be the next Head Men's Basketball Coach at Seward County Community College" Coach Hernandez stated on Tuesday. "My family and I identified Liberal, Kansas as a great place to serve, teach, and grow young men in the game of life and basketball while raising our family. The cohesion across campus and the support within the community allow for success to be achieved in the classroom, community, and on the court at a high level. SCCC has a strong basketball tradition that I look to continue to grow."