COLUMBIA, MO -- Kankakee Community College (Ill.) head coach Dennis Clark and his assistant coach, Donnie Denson, have been named 2001 Speedline/NFCA NJCAA Division II Coaching Staff of the Year.

Under the leadership of Clark and Denson, the Cavaliers (45-10) finished third at NJCAA Division II nationals behind Phoenix College (Ariz.) and Lansing Community College (Mich.). Kankakee dealt Phoenix its only defeat of the national tournament, beating the Bears 7-2 in the second round and dropping a one-run decision in the rematch. Kankakee advanced to nationals after winning the District B championship.

The Kankakee staff will be recognized as the 2001 Speedline/NFCA NJCAA Division II Coaching Staff of the Year at the NFCA National Convention in Scottsdale, Arizona, in December. They were one of three coaching staffs to be nominated as finalists by fellow NFCA member NJCAA Division II head coaches.

The other finalists for the award were the coaching staffs from Lansing Community College (head coach Bob Every and assistant coaches Roy Rennirt and Gordon Hetrick) and Phoenix College (head coach Heinz Mueller and assistant coaches Henry Schrader, Dallas Kuhlman and Rhonda Wooder).