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Gulf Coast (Fla.) coach Roonie Scovel knows a thing or two about junior college women's basketball and the NJCAA National Championship.

Having led the Commodores to national tournament titles in 2008 and 2003, and a second-place finish in 2004, she knows a strong field when she sees one. And Scovel sees one in this year's tournament that begins today at the Bicentennial Center.

"I think the tournament field is one of the strongest we've ever played in," Scovel said Monday afternoon. "The team we play in the first round (South Georgia Technical at 4 p.m. today) is very athletic. We've played them in a scrimmage, and our Panhandle Conference teams folks have played them.

"The 15th seed is a tough seed for them because they're very good."

Scovel's Gulf Coast team is no slouch either. The Commodores are 28-1, captured the rugged Panhandle Conference and Region 8 titles and is the tournament's No. 2 seed.

Jefferson County (Mo.) coach Kevin Emerick agrees with Scovel.

Emerick guided the Vikings to a second-place finish a year ago, losing to perennial power Central Arizona in the title game. Graduation hit Jefferson County hard but the Vikings haven't skipped a beat and are the tournament's top seed with a 29-1 record.

Jefferson County opens with No. 16 seeded Williston State (N.D.).

"Our second game, if we can get by Williston, is Trinity Valley (Texas) or Walters State (Tenn.), and they're both really good," Emerick said. "That's like a Final Four or championship game right away.

"You get into the Elite Eight this year, and the field is so deep that it's going to be a tough game."

Midland (Texas) is 30-3, seeded third and plays No. 14 Shelton State (Ala.) in the first game of the day, at 10 a.m. Shelton State is in its fifth national tournament. Central Arizona is the No. 4 seed and opens with tournament novice Lincoln Trail (Ill.) at 2 p.m. Wednesday. The Vaqueras return just two players from last year's squad but are 29-2 and have won 27 games in a row.

Scovel's team was ranked No. 1 most of the season until a loss to Pensacola (Fla.) on Feb. 3 dropped the Commodores to second.

Scovel said playing in the Panhandle Conference and Region 8 helped prepare her team, to a degree. The NJCAA poll had four Region 8 teams in the top 20 throughout the season.

"Confidence is probably one thing you don't gain playing in Region 8. You can't gain momentum," she said. "You can say you're prepared, we've played a really tough schedule, but it's hard to say if we're confident because you just barely win in Florida.

"You almost feel like you've won a national title when you win Region 8. Now you've got to regroup and go do it again -- the official national title this week. Mentally, I wish we were able to gain some momentum and confidence. In the Panhandle Conference and Region 8 that just wasn't going to happen."

Jefferson lost its two top players from last season to graduation. Forward Danielle Adams was the NJCAA Player of the Year and played a pivotal role in helping Texas A&M win the Big 12 tournament last weekend, scoring 22 points against Nebraska in the Aggies' semifinal victory over previously unbeaten Nebraska. Point guard LaToya Johnson played for Louisville this season.

"Danielle's had a great year and represented us and junior colleges real well," Emerick said. "To be Big 12 Preseason Newcomer of the Year and then to play as well has she has on TV, A&M wins the Big 12 Tournament ... she's done a great job."

Emerick said he hopes last year's national tournament experience will pay dividends this week, though he admits to feeling some pressure.

"I think it was no accident Central won it last year after being here the previous two years," he said. "They'd been here the previous two years in the championship game. They made more plays down the stretch than we did.

"We didn't expect (to be No. 1) this year. We felt we were in the top 10 somewhere, and I still think we're in the top 10 somewhere. But I think being No. 1 does put a little bull's-eye on your back."

Region 6 champion Labette (31-3) is seeded 11th and plays No. 6 Northern Oklahoma-Enid (31-1) at 6:15 p.m. Both schools are in the national tournament for the first time.

Labette is led by 5-foot-10 sophomore Satoria Bell, who averages 18.6 points and 6.7 rebounds, and 6-0 sophomore Kellindra Zachery, who averages 15.1 points and 9.5 rebounds. Northern Oklahoma-Enid features five starters who score in double figures, led by freshman Katie Beebe's 14.4 average.

The 16-team, double-elimination tournament continues through Saturday. Semifinals will be played at 6 and 8 p.m. Friday with the championship game slated for 7 p.m. Saturday.

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