Former Kickapoo and Strafford standouts lead College of the Ozarks to NCCAA title

College of the Ozarks regularly appeared in the NAIA national women's basketball tournament before the school opted to leave the association.

Two years after its 2021 departure, the Branson program reached the top of a different mountain.

The Bobcats downed Oakland City 86-63 on Saturday in Winona Lake, Indiana to claim a Division I National Christian College Athletic Association championship, an effort led by a pair of local products.

High-scoring senior guards Jordan Wersinger (Kickapoo) and Kayley Frank (Strafford) combined for 44 points to lead College of the Ozarks. Both were named to the All-NCCAA Tournament Team and Wersinger, who also had 10 rebounds in the championship game, earned MVP distinction.

Oakland City (21-10) qualified for the NAIA national tournament before it was eliminated earlier this month. The College of the Ozarks' NCCAA semifinal opponent, Grace University (21-11), also qualified for the NAIA tournament before a second-round exit.

Both Indiana schools were allowed to play in the NAIA and NCCAA national tournaments because of their dual affiliation.

The College of the Ozarks, led by 10th-year head coach Becky Mullis, finished with a 26-5 record.

This is the third consecutive NCCAA national basketball title for a southwest Missouri school. Baptist Bible College in Springfield won back-to-back men's titles in 2021 and 2022.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Local standouts lead College of the Ozarks to NCCAA hoops title