JIM LITTELL LADY SAINTS HEAD COACH (1991-2005)

As nationally renowned Coach Jim Littell begins a new chapter in his coaching career, Seward County fans will always remember the amazing talent that coach Littell produced in his 14 years as head coach at Seward County. Three days after leading his Lady Saints back to the NJCAA National Tournament for a fifth place finish in 2005, coach Littell was hired as the women's associate head coach at Oklahoma State University. Although Littell's reign at SCCC is over he leaves behind an amazing list of accomplishments. 

In 14 years as head coach, Littell's overall record at Seward County was 418-61 (.873 winning %). His teams won nine Jayhawk West Conference titles and were runner-up four times with a combined record of 176-28 (.863 winning %) in the conference. Seward County won their first Region VI Championship in 1999, finishing the season with a 34-4 overall record. The Lady Saints made four NJCAA National Tournament appearances by winning Region VI Championships in 1999, 2002, 2004 and 2005. Seward finished second in the Region VI Tournament in 1997, 2000 and 2001. Littell's 2000 and 2001 teams both finished the regular seasons ranked No. 1 in the final NJCAA Top 20 poll and both teams capped off perfect Jayhawk West Conference seasons (16-0). In 2002, Littell and assistant coach Scott Hinkle took the Lady Saints through a perfect season with a 38-0 overall record, winning the first ever National Championship in Seward County athletics history.

Jim Littell captured 9 Jayhawk West Titles 4 Region VI Championshipsand the 2002 NJCAA National Championship

There were three NJCAA All-American players on the 2002 National Championship team and no player was more instrumental in the Lady Saints success than Kim Ortega. Littell recruited Ortega from Overton, Nevada, and from the moment Ortega hit the court at Seward County people in Liberal knew a star had arrived. Ortega finished her two seasons at Seward being the most decorated player in Lady Saint's history. Ortega earned the following accolades as a Lady Saint; two-time first team All-Jayhawk West, Jayhawk West Freshman of the Year, two-time Jayhawk West Most Valuable Player, two-time first team All-Region VI, two-time Region VI All-Tournament Team, two-time Region VI Most Valuable Player, two-time first team WBCA District V, two-time Kodak All-American, two-time NJCAA first team All-American, NJCAA Academic All-American, NJCAA National Tournament All-Tournament Team, NJCAA National Tournament Team Most Valuable Player and in 2002 Ortega was named WBCA and NJCAA National Player of the Year.

Coach Littell with his three All-American's in 2002 (from left to right, Kim Ortega, Coach Littell, Tracey Wynn and Vaida Zagurskyte

Coach Littell coached 11 NJCAA or WBCA All-Americans while at Seward County including, Whitney Pegram (2005), Amanda Foster (2005), Stephanie Thiel (2004), Cassie Cordell (2003), Tracey Wynn (2002), Vaida Zagurskyte (2002), Kim Ortega (2001 and 2002), Candi White (2000), Jamie Talbert (2000) and Gintare Cipinyte (1999). Littell coached five Region VI Most Valuable Players, nine Jayhawk West Conference Most Valuable Players and four Jayhawk West Freshman of the Years.

Littell's overall record says plenty about what kind of coach he has been at Seward County, but his individual honors show what other coaches feel about what he has accomplished at the helm of the Lady Saints.

Littell was honored as Jayhawk West Coach of the Year in 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2004 and 2005. In 2001 Littell was named Women's Basketball Coaches Association National Coach of the Year. In 2002 after winning the National Championship Littell earned National Tournament Coach of the Year. He has been named Kansas Basketball Coaches Association Coach of the Year in 1999, 2002 and 2005. In addition, he was named Region VI Coach of the Year in 1999, 2002, 2004 and 2005.

From 1995-2004, Littell's teams spent a decade at the Green House (SCCC Activities Center) without a loss. On February 28, 2004, Saints Sophomore Recognition Night, the Hutchinson Lady Blue Dragons defeated the Lady Saints 63-50, snapping the Lady Saints 135 game Home Winning Streak. The 135 game winning streak is the NJCAA national record. In his 14 seasons as head coach Littell has a home record of 189-2 (.990 winning %).

Coach Littell in his final season as head coach at Seward County with current head coach Toby Wynn. In 2005, Seward finished 35-3 and 5th at the NJCAA National Tournament

Littell's consistencies as a coach also include developing his student-athletes. Littell's players earned the NJCAA National Academic Championship in 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002 and in the 2001-2002 school year his team earned the coveted Women's Basketball Coaches Association Academic Championship with the highest grade point average in the nation at all levels-NCAA, NAIA and NJCAA.

In addition, Littell and his Lady Saints were nationally recognized as a NJCAA Top 20 team from 1992-2005. Thirteen straight seasons Jim Littell's teams have been ranked in the Top 20 poll and in the past 10 years, Seward County has been in every Top 20 poll each week of the regular season.

Jim Littell's Success as Head Coach
Seward County Head Coach (1991-2005)
Jayhawk West Coach of the Year: 1993, 94, 96, 97, 98, 01, 02, 04, 05
Kansas Basketball Coaches Association Coach of the Year: 1999, 2002, 2005
District V Coach of the Year: 2001, 2002, 2004
NJCAA Region VI Coach of the Year: 1999, 2002, 2004, 2005
Women's Basketball Coaches Association Coach of the Year: 2001
NJCAA National Tournament Coach of the Year: 2002

Friends University Head Coach (1984-1990)
Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference Coach of the Year: 1986, 1987
District 10 Final Four Appearences: 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988
Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference Championship: 1986, 1987

Oxford High School (1980-1984)
Kansas Basketball Coaches Assocation Coach of the Year 1981
Kansas Basketball 2A State Championship