The Thunderbirds, led by the program’s all-time winningest coach Dennis Erkenbrack and assistant Kevin Pounds, finished with a 27-9 record and won the program’s first Region VI Championship. Cloud County defeated Hutchinson 78-72, in overtime of the Region VI Championship game, becoming the first non-KJCCC member to win the title. At the time of its induction, the 1979-80 men’s team was the only team in program history to win the Region VI Championship and advance to the NJCAA National Tournament.