WNCC Cougar Beat Newsletter -- Issue 1, Feb. 17, 2020

The Latest in Cougar Athletic News

COUGAR

Feb. 17, 2020 – Issue 1

Women’s Basketball: Rising to the Top

BEAT Newsletter

Cougar Calendar of Events Tuesday, Feb. 18 Women’s Basketball — AWAY at Trinidad State, Trinidad, Colo. 5 p.m.

Men’s Basketball — AWAY at Trinidad State, Trinidad, Colo., 7 p.m.

Wednesday, Feb. 19 Softball — AWAY at Western Texas, Snyder, Texas Friday, Feb. 21 Women’s Basketball — AWAY at Otero, La Junta, Colo., 5 p.m.

Men’s Basketball — AWAY at Otero, La Junta, Colo., 7 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 22 Baseball — AWAY at Barton CC, Great Bend, Kan., 12/2:30 p.m.

Sunday, Feb. 23 Baseball — AWAY at Barton CC, Great Bend, Kan., 12/2:30 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 28 Men’s/Women’s Basketball — First Round Playoff Game, TBA Saturday, Feb. 29 Softball — AWAY at North Platte, Northeast, North Platte, Neb., TBA Baseball — AWAY at Lamar, Lamar, Colo., 2 p.m.

Men’s/Women’s Basketball — First Round Playoff Game, TBA Sunday, March 1 Softball — AWAY at North Platte, Northeast, North Platte, Neb., TBA Baseball — AWAY at Lamar, Lamar, Colo., 1/3:30 p.m.

Wednesday, March 4 Baseball — HOME vs. Northeastern, Cleveland Field, 12/2:30 p.m.

Thursday, March 5-7 Men’s, Women’s Basketjball — Region IX Tournament,

Men’s tourney at NJC, Women’s tourney at Casper or Gillette Friday, March 6 Softball — HOME vs. Western Texas, Volunteer Field, 1/3 p.m.

Saturday, March 7 Softball — HOME vs. Western Texas, Volunteer Field, 11 a.m./1 p.m.

Climbing the Charts

WNCC women’s basketball team among top 10 ranked teams in the nation The Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team is quietly putting together a solid season with one of its highest rankings in school history since 2005 when they were ranked No. 1 in the country.

The Cougar women’s climb to the No. 3 ranking and it has been a slow climb, where they started the season at No. 17 and moved into the top 10 on Dec. 2.

WNCC wrapped up the home portion of their season on Feb. 13 when they topped NJC 96-73, outscoring the Plainswomen 31-15 in the fourth quarter.

The Cougars have quietly put together some impressive streaks. After Thursday’s NJC win, the Cougars have won 21 straight contests.

A big asset to the Cougars ranking is their win streak, which has climbed to 21 straight. The Cougar women are averaging 83.9 points a contest and allowing around 60 points a contest.

During the month of January, the Cougar women have scored above 85 points in all five games played, including hitting the the century mark twice in a 105-53 win over McCook and then a 105-54 win over Lamar.

WNCC’s closest game in January was on Jan. 10 when the Lady Cougars traveled to face Northeastern Junior College and won 85-77.

The Cougar women will close out their home regular season schedule on Feb. 13 when NJC comes to Cougar Palace.

That game will be special in many ways.

First off, it will be sophomore recognition night for four sophomores -- Tishara Morehouse, Yuliyana Valcheva, R’Manie Pulling, and Taylor Joplin. The four have a 2-year record of 49-5. A win on Friday against McCook will be the foursome’s 50th win as Cougar players.

Speaking of numbers, the Cougars have also won 51 straight home matches, notching No. 50 when they topped Ote-

ABOVE: WNCC sophomore Yuliyana Valcheva looks to shoot against Otero Junior College on Jan. 31. The Cougars topped the Rattlers 90-60 to earn the school’s 50th straight home victory.

RIGHT: Taylor Joplin sets to shoot a 3-pointer in a game against Otero Junior College.

The Cougar women have won 18 straight games this season.

ro Junior College on Jan. 31 by a score of 90-60 and then NJC on Feb. 13 for win number 51.The last time the Cougars lost at home was back in the 2016-17 season when Lamar topped the Cougars 64-58 on Jan. 14. It was head coach Chad Gibney’s second game as the head coach of the women’s basketball program.

WNCC women have a couple other marks for the fans to watch out for.

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WBB continued ...

The Cougar women have scored 50 or more points in 96 straight games, which is third all-time in the record book. Second on the list is 105 games, which was set from 1/15/2005 until 3/21/2008. The record is 136 games from Nov. 1999 through March 21, 2003.

The other mark to watch for is head coach Chad Gibney’s career coaching record. Gibney is five wins away from notching his 100th career coaching victory. He was 17-2 during his interim season as head coach in 2016-17. He followed that up with a 29-5 mark in 2017-18 and 29-4 a year ago. The Cougars are 20-1 this season.

If the Cougars continue their current pace, Gibney’s 100th career victory could come in a road trip at Trinidad State Junior College on Feb. 18.

The Cougar women have three games left in the regular season. WNCC has a trip to Trinidad on Feb. 18, and then Otero on Feb. 21.

The Region IX tournament will be held in the first week of March at the site of the North sub-region champion, which could be either Casper or Gillette.

WNCC freshman Georgia Berry goes diving for a ball during a game with Otero Junior College. The Cougars are No. 3 in the latest NJCAA polls. WNCC head coach Chad Gibney needs five more wins for his 100th career coaching victory.

WNCC women’s basketball sophomores Taylor Joplin, R’Manie Pulling, Yuliana Valcheva, and Tishara Morehouse are honored before the game during sophomore recognition on Feb. 13 against Northeastern Junior College. The four sophomores have compiled a 52-5 overall record over two years as Cougar basketball players.

WNCC men have a knack for second-half wins The WNCC men’s basketball team has a knack for magical second halves and two of the last three games proved that.

On Feb. 4, WNCC had a poor shooting night, but hit the clutch shots at the end to give the Cougars a heart-stomping 76-72 win over North Platte Community College.

WNCC had another miraculous comeback win over Trinidad State 90-89.

In both games, it was freshman Kalen Williams that got the key buckets for the winners.

Against North Platte, Williams finished with 23 points, but it was this three free throws at the end of the game that gave the Cougars the win.

Williams had a flair for the dramatics against Trinidad. It was Williams’ jumper and a Kenny Strawbridge block with five seconds to play gave the Cougars the 90-89 win.

After two big wins, the Cougars have stumbled in dropping three straight to Eastern Wyoming College on the road and then Northeastern Junior College at home. in the last regular season home game. They also fell in a hard-fought game to Lamar on the road 100-98.

The Plainsmen, with the 97-77 win on Feb. 13, earned the right to host the Region IX tournament since the loss dropped the Cougars to 6-3 in conference play while NJC remained unbeaten with two games left for the Plainsmen.

The win over North Platte was dramatic. North Platte defeated the Cougars earlier in January 101-98 and nearly earned the win again at Cougar Palace.

WNCC trailed 33-31 at halftime and were behind eight points at one time in the second half. Cadet said this team is a second-half team.

Shooting was not a real strong point of either team on the night. North Platte was 46 percent from the field but only 25 percent from the 3-point line (4 of 16). The Knights, however, hit their free throws making 16 of 19.

WNCC’s shooting wasn’t good at all.

WNCC was just 41 percent for the game and just 12 percent from beyond the arc (2 of 17). WNCC didn’t make any treys

Jared Rosser goes up for a dunk during the Otero game on Jan. 31. WNCC knocked off the seventh-ranked Rattlers and are just two games out of first place in the South Sub-region in a bid to host regionals.

in the second half. The Cougars were also lukewarm from the charity stripe, hitting 63 percent (22 of 35).

WNCC, however, hit the shots when Free throws down the stretch were vital for the Cougars, too.

The game went back and forth with North Platte leading 66-63 with three minutes to play. WNCC came back to grab a 69-68 lead on 3 of 4 free throws.

Tim Johnson came back to put the Knights in front at 70-69 and then Courtney Murrell put North Platte up 72-69 with a bucket.

WNCC cut it to 72-71 on a dunk and then one of the biggest defensive plays

of the game happened as WNCC got a 30-second shot clock violation that waved off the bucket. WNCC came right down the court and Teddy Allen hit two free throws to put the Cougars up 73-72.

North Platte had a wide open look for a 3-pointer but missed and WNCC got the rebound. Williams was fouled with 25 seconds to play and hit one of two free throws for the 74-72. North Platte had another good look at a trey, but missed and WNCC got the defensive board and Williams was fouled once again with 4.5 seconds to play. This time, Williams nailed both charity tosses for the fourpoint lead and the Cougar winner.

WNCC basketball: Excitement in the house

­— Softball Season Preview —

Hannah Baesler makes contact with the ball during a practice in January. The Cougars opened the season with Odessa College on Valentine’s Day and will play several games in Texas for a week.

Cougar softball open season in Texas The Western Nebraska Community College softball team had a week delay in its season opener, but things look good for the Cougar softball team to open the season Feb. 14 at Odessa College.

The Cougars were scheduled to open the season a week earlier in Texas, but those games were snowed out. The team was also scheduled to play Clarendon on Feb. 13, but because or weather, those games were canceled.

That means the Cougars opened the sport they love on Valentine’s day when faced Odessa, which they lost both games, and then Feb. 15 against Midland. The Midland contest saw the Cougars top Midland 14-11 in the first game after scoring 11 runs in the final two innings. They they lost the second game.

The Cougars then face No. 6 Howard College on Monday and topped the ranked team 5-4 in game one on a solo home run

by Emma Glawson and a 2-run bomb in the seventh inning by Sam Davis.

WNCC will wrap up the Texas trip on Feb. 19 against Western Texas on Feb. 19.

WNCC freshman pitcher Lexi Parker said the team is ready to open the season in Texas.

“We are way excited to play in Texas,” Parker said. “We are ready to get out on the field and go.”

After having the first week to Texas snowed out last week, the team is really anxious to get on the field to put together what they have been working on all winter.

The Texas trip won’t be easy by any means of the imagination.

Parker said the focus of the Texas trip is to mesh together and take one game at a time.

“We are ready,” Parker said. “It has been a long but fun winter. We are just ready to go out and do what we are here to do that we love.”

This year’s team has meshed together nicely and have been grinding away with practices. Parker said they want to get out and play.

“We just want to go out there and do the best we can,” Parker said. “We want to go out and get some wins. We are just ready to get out on the field and put together what we have been practicing all winter.”

Parker said there is a nice blend of sophomores and freshmen that makes up the talented team.

“It looks like we will be pretty good,” she

Lindsey Allie prepares to throw to first base during a practice in January.

said. “We are stacked all-around. It looks like we will have a good lineup. We are deep in positions. We are just excited to get going.”

WNCC returns six players from last

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Softball continued ... year’s Region IX team and all six had a hand in the regional title.

Leading the list are infielders Lindsey Allie of Tooele, Utah; Hannah Baesler of Thornton, Colorado; and Sidnee Hogan of South Jordan, Utah.

The Cougars also have the twins from American Fork, Utah, back this year in Tylar and Sam. The other one back is returning pitcher and outfielder Emma Glawson, of Victoria, British Columbia. Glawson will be one of the two main pitchers for the team along with Parker, who hails from Draper, Utah.

The sophomores had good seasons as a freshman. Allie played in 51 games as a second baseman and finished with a .266 batting average with 10 RBIs and 31 runs scored.

Hogan played in 44 games and tallied a .324 batting average with four home runs, 22 RBIs, and 33 runs scored while playing multiple positions.

Baessler played mainly shortstop a year ago, appearing in 54 games and collecting a .333 batting average with five home runs, 44 RBIs, and 45 runs scored. She also stole 20 bases.

Sam Davis appeared in 28 games, mostly as a designated hitter. Sam batted .322 with 13 RBIs and 11 runs scored.

Her twin sister, Tylar, appeared in 50 games as a right fielder. She had a .233 batting average with 18 RBIs and 21 runs scored.

Lexi Parker delivers a pitch during a January practice. The Cougars open the season with six sophomores and plenty of freshman talent.

Glawson had one of the best seasons of the returners a year ago offensively and defensively. Offensively, Glawson appeared in 51 games and finished with a .459 batting average with nine home runs, 39 RBIs, and 33 runs scored. She also had 18 doubles with six stolen bases.

Defensively, Glawson finished with a 7-5 record with 58.1 innings pitched. She started 16 games and struck out 27 and walked just nine, finishing with a 3.24 ERA.

Ashley Alcozer makes a catch over by the third base dugout during a practice in January. The Cougars are in Texas for a week playing games.

The freshmen have plenty of talent. Besides Parker, the newcomers come from Colorado, Utah, and Texas.

The Texas players include Serena Olivas of El Paso and Ashley Alcozer of Temple.

The freshmen from Colorado include Mackenzie Bakel of Thornton, and Jade Gomez of Wheatridge.

The biggest share of freshmen hail from Utah. They include Maizie Clark of Grantsville; Tylor Comeau of Layton; Taylee Braegger of Cedar City; Bailey Nay of Ogden; and Cortney Rhees of West Haven.

WNCC’s first home games are slated for March 6-7 when Western Texas comes to Volunteer Field.

The team will be on the road for much of February and March. But, the Cougars will have eight of nine home games from March 28 through April 27. The only road trip is an April 7 trip to Sterling, Colorado.

All the other games during that month are at Volunteer Field.

The team knows what their goal is, another regional title and hopefully a berth at the national tournament. It won’t be easy, either and the players realize that.

“We definitely have a target on our backs but all of us are ready to go,” Parker said.

It is a long process, but the team is taking it just one game at a time and continuing to get better each game they step foot on the diamond.

2020 Cougar Softball Spring Schedule DATE......................................TIME...................... OPPONENT....................................................LOCATION Friday, Feb. 14............................ 1/3 CST......................Odessa College..................................................... Odessa, Texas Saturday, Feb. 15........................ 12/2 CST...................Midland College................................................Midland, Texas Monday, Feb. 17......................... 12/2 CST...................Howard College............................................Big Springs, Texas Wednesday, Feb. 19................... 12/2 CST...................Western Texas College.........................................Synder, Texas Saturday, Feb. 29........................ TBA............................North Platte/Northeast................................North Platte, Neb. Sunday, March 1........................ TBA............................North Platte/Northeast................................North Platte, Neb. Friday, March 6.......................1/3 MST................. Western Texas College..............................Scottsbluff, Neb. Saturday, March 7...................11/1 MST............... Western Texas College..............................Scottsbluff, Neb. Monday, March 9....................... 2/4 CST......................Highland Community College........................Highland, Kan. Tuesday, March 10..................... 2/4 CST......................Highland Community College........................Highland, Kan. Friday, March 13........................ 12/2 MST..................Trinidad State Junior College...........................Trinidad, Colo.

Saturday, March 14.................... 12/2 MST..................Lamar Community College................................. Lamar, Colo.

Sunday, March 15...................... 12/2 CST...................McCook Community College.......................... McCook, Neb. Saturday, March 21.................... 2/4 MST.....................Otero Junior College..........................................La Junta, Colo.

Sunday, March 22...................... 10/12 MST................Otero Junior College..........................................La Junta, Colo.

Wednesday, March 25............... 3/5 MST.....................Northeastern Junior College..............................Sterling, Colo.

Saturday, March 28.................1/3 MST................. McCook Community College..................Scottsbluff, Neb. Sunday, March 29...................12/2 MST............... McCook Community College..................Scottsbluff, Neb. Saturday, April 4.....................1/3 MST................. Trinidad State Junior College..................Scottsbluff, Neb. Sunday, April 5.......................11/1 MST............... Trinidad State Junior College..................Scottsbluff, Neb. Tuesday, April 7......................... 3/5 MST.....................Northeastern Junior College..............................Sterling, Colo.

Saturday, April 11...................10/12 MST............. Otero Junior College................................Scottsbluff, Neb. Wednesday, April 15...............4/6 MST................. Northeastern Junior College....................Scottsbluff, Neb. Saturday, April 25...................12/2 MST............... Lamar Community College......................Scottsbluff, Neb. Sunday, April 26.....................11/1 MST............... Lamar Community College......................Scottsbluff, Neb.

2020 Cougar Softball Spring Roster No. Name

Pos.

B/T

Cl.

Ht. ................................Hometown/High School

1

Lindsey Allie

IF

Sophomore 5-3 .................................Tooele, Utah / Stansbury

2

Hannah Baesler

IF

Sophomore 5-10 ...............Thornton, Colorado / Vantage Point

4

Emma Glawson

P/OF

Sophomore 5-2 ...... Victoria, British Columbia / Lambrick Park

6

Maizie Clark

IF

Freshman

5-3 ........................ Grantsville, Utah / Grantsville

7

Tylor Comeau

OF

Freshman

5-4 .....................................Layton, Utah / Layton

8

Serena Olivas

C

Freshman

5-4 ................................ El Paso, Texas / Bel Aire

9

Sidnee Hogan

IF

Sophomore 5-7 ........................South Jordan, Utah / Bingham

12 Taylee Braegger

IF

13 Sam Davis

U

Sophomore 5-6 .............American Fork, Utah / American Fork

14 Ashley Alcozer

IF

Freshman

5-5....................................Temple, Texas / Temple

15 Bailey Nay

U

Freshman

5-6 .....................................Ogden, Utah / Layton

16 Mackenzie Bakel

OF

Freshman

5-4 .........................Thornton, Colorado / Horizon

18 Cortney Rhees

OF

Freshman

5-6............................West Haven, Utah / Fremont

21 Lexi Parker

P/IF

Freshman

5-7 ....................... Draper, Utah / Corner Canyon

24 Jade Gomez

IF/OF

Freshman

5-0..................... Wheat Ridge, Colorado / Golden

25 Tylar Davis

C/OF

Sophomore 5-6 .............American Fork, Utah / American Fork

Freshman

5-3 .....................Cedar City, Utah / Canyon View

Head Coach: Katelyn Groves

­— Baseball Season Preview —

Dermot Fritsch waits to make a tag on a runner that is sliding into second base during a recent practice. The Cougars will open the season this weekend in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Cougar baseball team looking to take next step after last year’s season in regional title game The season didn’t end the way the Western Nebraska Community College wanted it to a year ago and this year’s team is anxious to go out and finish that unfinished business from a year ago.

The Cougar team was one out from capturing their second Region IX title, but in the end, Lamar Community College came back to top WNCC in the first title game and then won the if-necessary game to earn the regional title.

That finish has put a new spin on the season for the Cougar men this year as many of the players on that team return and they would love to bring home a regional title to Scottsbluff.

“After being one out away from a Region IX championship, the guys have been motivated this entire year to get back on the field again and compete for another championship,” WNCC head coach Mike Jones said. “It has been a motivation and now it is time to go and play again. The

thing is a lot of these sophomore understand they have a long ways to go and no reason to rush or panic.”

The Cougars opened the season over the weekend in Albuquerque, New Mexico, at the ABA JUCO Weekend powered

by Five Tool. WNCC dropped all four games to Dodge City Community College and New Mexico Military on Saturday and then New Mexico Military and El Paso Community College on Sunday.

The WNCC and Dodge City contest will be interesting as Jones was the head coach at Dodge City before coming to WNCC. After two days in New Mexico, WNCC will face Lamar Community College on Monday in a non-conference contest.

“The team is excited to play,” Jones said.

“We are well organized and they are excited to play. The weather is going to be Trent Richter delivers a pitch during practice alright, so we will get a chance to get on

Continued on next page

as the Cougar baseball team gets ready to open the season this weekend.

Baseball continued ... the field and play and make a few mistakes and then come back and fix them.”

Jones knows they will see some good competition in New Mexico.

“We will see some good teams,” Jones said. “There will be plenty of talent all over the place. Whether we see everyone’s best game or their worst game, right now we have to focus on ourselves. We need to get on the field and get organized and understand how they are supposed to run an offense, how we are supposed to play defense, how we want to work over some hitters. It will be up to us to stay focused on ourselves.”

The Cougars have plenty of talent.

They return xx sophomores and have some talented freshmen on the squad this year.

“There is plenty of talent,” Jones said.

“There is guys with a lot of experience and a ton of college bats and a lot of innings on the mound. We have had nothing but positive practices throughout the fall and early in the spring. It is a good group of people. Everybody has the right goals and right mindset right now so we should be successful in the future.”

The pitching staff should be solid this season with 16 returners that saw action a year ago and a few newcomers.

“We have a lot of depth on the pitching

staff,” Jones said. “That allows us to take our time early and get everybody their innings. There is no reason to run up any bodies pitch count. The first two weekends is an opportunity to build up arm strength and build up their pitch count. We are going to take our time with everybody and keep everyone healthy.”

The pitching staff will definitely be a plus this season. Back are Chandler Young of Ft. Collins, Colorado; Kyler Harris of Magnolia, Texas; Garrett Declue of Littleton, Colorado; Mitch Mullen of Highlands Ranch, Colorado; Elliot McNeave of Westminster, Colorado; and Brandon Rollinson of Ft. Collins, Colorado.

The freshmen pitching prospects include a pair of WESTCO Zephyr players in Trent Richter and Paul Panduro. Other newcomers to the mound include Jerson Morales of Miami, Florida; Corbin Kirk of Casper, Wyoming; Miguel Baez of the Dominican Republic; Will Potter of Toronto, Ontario; and Dawson Hurford of Victoria, British Columbia.

The offensive side of the plate should also be deep with plenty of returners coming back. The sophomore infielders and outfielders include Austin Abbott of Gering; Ty McAninch of Thornton, Colorado; Michael Felton of Loveland, Colorado; Luis Alcantara of Santo Do-

mingo, Dominican Republic; Joey Olson of Olathe, Kansas; Ethan “Q” Miller of Centennial, Colorado; Matt Womack of Houston, Texas; John Betsch of Conifer, Colorado; Dermot Fritsch of Brisbane, Australia; and Hunter Nelson of Erie, Colorado.

The newcomers to the roster include plenty of players that red-shirted a year ago along with some true freshman. The first-year players include Orey Fricke of Ogallala; Jordan Rollins of Miami, Florida; Joe Kinneberg of Sandy, Utah; Jayden Orozco of Chandler, Arizona; and Caleb Coats of Katy, Texas.

Four of the pitchers pitched last summer in the Expedition League. Richter, Panduro, and Harris pitched for the Casper Horseheads while Morales pitched for the Pierre, South Dakota, team. Alcantara played for the Horseheads as an infielder.

WNCC’s goal is to win the Empire Conference and host the Region IX tournament in May. The team would also like to win a regional title. The first home game is slated for March 4 when they host Northeastern Junior College in a doubleheader. The regular season wraps ups May 2-3 when the Cougars host Lamar Community College in a 3-game series.

Paul Panduro holds a shovel of snow while Kyler Harris smiles as he shovels snow i cutoff jeans and a sleeveless shirt on Feb. 2. The Cougars home opener with Dawson the first weekend in February was canceled because of snow.

2020 Cougar Baseball Spring Schedule DATE......................................TIME...................... OPPONENT....................................................LOCATION Saturday, Feb. 15........................ 10 a.m........................Dodge City................................................. Albuquerque, N.M. Saturday, Feb. 15........................ 12:30 p.m...................New Mexico Military................................ Albuquerque, N.M. Sunday, Feb. 16........................... 10 a.m........................New Mexico Military................................ Albuquerque, N.M. Sunday, Feb. 16........................... 12:30 p.m...................El Paso......................................................... Albuquerque, N.M. Monday, Feb. 17......................... TBA............................Lamar...................................................................... Lamar, Colo.

Saturday, Feb. 22........................ 12/2:30 p.m...............Barton............................................................. Great Bend, Kan. Sunday, Feb. 23........................... 12/2:30 p.m...............Barton............................................................. Great Bend, Kan. Saturday, Feb. 29........................ 2 p.m..........................Lamar...................................................................... Lamar, Colo.

Sunday, March 1........................ 1/3:30 p.m.................Lamar...................................................................... Lamar, Colo.

Wednesday, March 4...............12/2:30 p.m............ Northeastern.............................................. Cleveland Field Saturday, March 7...................... 3 p.m..........................Trinidad State.....................................................Trinidad, Colo.

Sunday, March 8........................ 12/3 p.m....................Trinidad State.....................................................Trinidad, Colo.

Tuesday, March 10..................... 4 p.m..........................South Mountain.................................................. Phoenix, Ariz.

Wednesday, March 11............... 4 p.m..........................South Mountain.................................................. Phoenix, Ariz.

Thursday, March 12................... 11 a.m........................GateWay............................................................... Mesa, Arizona Thursday, March 12................... 7 p.m..........................Phoenix ............................................................... Phoenix, Ariz.

Friday, March 13........................ 4 p.m..........................Phoenix ............................................................... Phoenix, Ariz.

Saturday, March 14.................... 12 p.m........................Mesa..................................................................... Mesa, Arizona Tuesday, March 17..................1/3 p.m................... McCook...................................................... Cleveland Field Saturday, March 21.................1/3 p.m................... Southeast................................................... Cleveland Field Sunday, March 22...................12 p.m.................... Southeast................................................... Cleveland Field Wednesday, March 25............... 1/3 p.m......................Northeastern........................................................Sterling, Colo.

Saturday, March 28.................1/3 p.m................... Otero.......................................................... Cleveland Field Sunday, March 29...................1/3 p.m................... Otero.......................................................... Cleveland Field Wednesday April 1.................... 1/3 p.m......................Otero....................................................................La Junta, Colo.

Saturday, April 4........................ 1/3 p.m......................McCook............................................................... McCook, Neb. Sunday. April 5........................... 12 p.m........................McCook............................................................... McCook, Neb. Wednesday, April 8.................1 p.m...................... McCook...................................................... Cleveland Field Saturday, April 18...................1 p.m...................... Trinidad State............................................ Cleveland Field Sunday, April 19.....................12/2:30 p.m............ Trinidad State............................................ Cleveland Field Thursday, April 23..................1/3:30 p.m.............. Northeastern.............................................. Cleveland Field Saturday, April 25...................... 12/2 p.m....................Southeast.............................................................. Beatrice, Neb. Sunday, April 26......................... 12 p.m........................Southeast.............................................................. Beatrice, Neb. Saturday, May 2......................1 p.m...................... Lamar......................................................... Cleveland Field Sunday, May 3.........................11/1:30 p.m............ Lamar......................................................... Cleveland Field — Note: Game times, days, and locations are subject to change because of weather —

2020 Cougar Baseball Spring Roster No. Name 1 Austin Abbott 2 Caleb Coats 4 Trent Richter 5 Ty McAninch 6 Jayden Orozco 7 Brandon Rollinson 8 Joe Kinneberg 9 Michael Felton 10 Luis Alcantara 11 Jerson Morales 12 Joey Olson 13 Elliot McNeave 14 Mitch Mullen 15 Ethan “Q” Miller 16 Garrett Declue 18 Jordan Rollins 19 Kyler Harris 20 Matt Womack 21 Corbin Kirk 22 John Betsch 23 Dermot Fritsch 24 Miguel Baez 26 Orey Fricke 27 Will Potter 28 Hunter Nelson 29 Dawson Hurford 30 Paul Panduro 32 Chandler Young

Harold Baez

Collin Channell

Grant Diesley

Dillon Fabricus

Colton Freels

Alex Holguin

Jacob Hubert

Dylan Johnson

Jack Jones

Rei Kimura

Matt Thompson

Owen Vanthillo

Pos. OF

RHP OF Infield RHP Infield C Infield RHP OF LHPl RHP OF LHP OF LHP IF LHP OF IF RHP C LHP 1B RHP RHP LHP IF RHP C/1B U IF IF Infield IF OF IF LHP RHP

B/T R/R R/R R/R R/R R/R R/R R/R R/R R/R R/R L/R L/L R/R L/L L/L L/R L/L R/R L/L R/R R/R R/R R/R L/L R/R R/R R/R L/L

L/R

Cl. Soph Fresh Fresh Soph Fresh Soph Fresh Soph Soph Fresh Soph Soph Soph Soph Soph Fresh Soph Soph Fresh Soph Soph Fresh Fresh Fresh Soph Fresh Fresh Soph Fresh Fresh Fresh Fresh Fresh Fresh Soph Fresh Fresh Fresh Fresh Fresh

Ht. 5-10 6-0 5-8` 6-0 5-10 5-11 5-11 5-10 5-11 5-10 6-0 6-0 6-2 5-10 5-8 6-0 5-10 5-10 6-2 6-1 5-9 6-2 6-2 5-11 6-3 6-3 6-0 6-2 6-2 6-1 6-2 6-0 6-2 6-0 5-9 5-8 6-0 5-9 6-1 6-3

Wt. .........................Hometown/High School 160 ....................... Gering, Nebraska / Gering 160 ...........................................Katy, Texas / 160 .......... Scottsbluff, Nebraska / Scottsbluiff 175 ................... Thornton, Colorado / Legacy 170 ................................ Chandler, Arizona / 175 ....Ft. Collins, Colorado / Rocky Mountain 180 ......................................... Sandy, Utah / 180 ..............................Loveland, Colorado / 180 .Santo Domingo, D.Republic / Miami Christian 180 ...................................... Miami, Florida / 170 .................................... Olathe, Kansas / 185 .........................Westminster, Colorado / 200 .................Highlands Ranch, Colorado / 180 ........................... Centennial, Colorado / 160 ................................Littleton, Colorado / 170 ...................................... Miami, Florida / 180 ................................... Magnolia, Texas / 185 .................................... Houston, Texas / 200 .................................Casper, Wyoming / 190 ...................... Conifer, Colorado / Conifer 190 ...............................Brisbane, Australia / ...............................Dominican Republic / 210 .................. Ogallala, Nebraska / Ogallala 190 ................................... Toronto, Ontario / 200 .................................Erie, Colorado / Erie 195 .Victoria, British Columbia / Langley Secondary 190 ........... Scottsbluff, Nebraska / Scottsbluff 185 ............................ Ft. Collins, Colorado / ............. Scottsbluff, Nebraska / Scottsbluff 160 ................................ Greeley, Colorado / 185 ................................ Lincoln, Nebraska / 170 ...............................Riverton, Wyoming / ....................................Parker, Colorado / 145 ................................ Greeley, Colorado / 160 ...........................................Katy, Texas / 140 .................................Casper, Wyoming / 160 ........... Scottsbluff, Nebraska / Scottsbluff 165 ................................................... Japan / 165 ................................................... Texas / 185 ................................................Belgium / -

Top 10 of 2019

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After a two-year gap of no Region IX title, the Cougar softball team returned back to the top with a Region IX title over McCook in May. The Cougars then fell in the district final to Butler Community College. The Cougar softball team finished the season at 35-20.

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The WNCC women’s basketball team made their third straight trip to the national tournament after capturing their second Region IX title in three years over Casper College. WNCC finished the season at 294, falling in the first-round of the national tournament to Hutchinson Community College.

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WNCC women’s basketball player Merle Wiehl broke an over 35-year record when she became the school’s all-time career scorer with 1,313 points. The previous record was 1,026 points set by Penny Mallet in 1981-83. Wiehl broke the record in a game against Casper on Jan. 28. Wiehl scored 756 points last year, which is the most

Softball wins regional title after a 2-year absence from titles; women’s basketball also captures Region IX title in 2019

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points scored in a season, to help the Cougars to the Region IX title. Wiehl signed to continue her playing at Santa Clara University.

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WNCC guard Jervay Green broke a long-standing record of most points in a game that was set by Billy Stewart in 1965 and then tied by Eric Gore in

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1990. Green scored 51 points in a game against Iowa Lakes to set the record and he was the only time a Cougar player has scored over 50 points in a game. Green is now playing for the University of Nebraska.

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The WNCC baseball team came within one out of capturing their second Region IX title in May. WNCC was one out from the championship before surrendering a couple runs to fall to Lamar Community College 6-5 in 11 innings in the first game of the championship. Lamar then won the if-necessary game 19-7 to earn the regional title and host of the district finals.

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The WNCC women’s soccer team had one of it’s best seasons in school history besides the inaugural season when the Cougars went 19-1. WNCC finished the season with the second-most wins when they went 13-4 in the fall.

The Cougars opened the season with five straight win to be ranked in the nation for a couple weeks. WNCC had another fivegame winning streak at the end of the season before they lost to Gillette College 3-0.

Gillette went on to win the Region IX title.

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Former WNCC baseball player Alex Achtermann became the fourth WNCC baseball player to be drafted

Francisco Leandro, who was drafted by Tampa Bay, Phillips Orta, drafted by the New York Mets, and John Timmins, drafted by the San Francisco Giants.

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in the MLB draft in June after he was selected with the 909th pick in the 30th round by the Colorado Rockies. Achtermann follows in the footsteps of former Cougars

WNCC sophomore Teddy Allen tied two and broke one record so far in the 2019-20 basketball season during the first semester. Allen tied the 1965-66 records of scoring 100 and 200 points the fastest in a season, but broke the record for scoring 300 points by surpassing the 300-point mark in nine games. The previous fastest was 11 games that was set by Billy Stewart in 1965-66 and Hauns Brereton in 2010-11. He is on pace to break the fastest to score 400, 500, 600 and maybe even more during the second semester.

Allen verbally committed to play at Ne-

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Top 10 of 2019

Continued from previous page braska in December.

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WNCC volleyball player Leslie Mamai-Lagafuaina had a strong season for the volleyball team with many honors. Mamai-Lagafuaina was a NJCAA second team All-American and was named captain of the Omaha World-Herald All-Nebraska JUCO team. But the one thing that she accomplished was being names an NJCAA Player of the Week twice in two different ways. She was named Defensive Player of the Week and then then a few later, she earned the Offensive Player of the Week.

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The WNCC athletic department expanded and got bigger after moving to a new location at the college over the summer. Formally located around the gym with a smaller weight room and training and sports information offices away from the coaches, the athletic moved across the parking lot to the Williams Building and moved into a bigger location with all the sports departments located in one building. The big thing was a bigger weight room with new weight machines along with a training room that now has five tables in one room and more room to walk around instead of the smaller room where five people in the room was crowded.

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2019-20 Cougar Athletes of the Week Female Athletes of the Week Aug. 28........ Rafaela Passos, soccer Sept. 4...........Bethany Fuchs, soccer Sept. 11....... Gabriela Canavati, vball Sept. 23........Leslie Lagafuaina, vball Oct. 9............ Destiny Mueller, soccer Oct. 24..........Leslie Lagafuaina, vball Nov. 7.......Yuliyana Valcheva, wbball Nov. 18......Lidsey Mahoukou, wbball Dec. 5..... Tishara Morehouse, wbball Dec. 19......... R’Manie Pulling, wbball Jan. 12............... Taylor Joplin, wbball Jan. 26......... Zarrea Coleman, wbball

Feb. 2.......Yuliyana Valcheva, wbball Feb. 16... Tishara Morehouse, wbball Male Athletes of the Week Aug. 28.... Washington Junior, soccer Sept. 4................Saul Aguilar, soccer Sept. 11.................Ygor Brito, soccer Sept. 23.....Bernarndo Torres, soccer Oct. 9............Hector Salgado, soccer Oct. 24................. Jack Mann, soccer Nov. 7................. Teddy Allen, mbball Bov. 18............. Jordan Smith, mbball Dec. 5.................Sami Harun, mbball

Dec. 19... Kenny Strawbridge, mbball Jan. 12........... Kalen Williams, mbball Jan. 26................ Teddy Allen, mbball Feb. 2............ Kalen Williams, mbball Feb. 16............... Teddy Allen, mbball

Alliance’s DuBray signs with WNCC baseball Alliance’s Trevor DuBray always knew that he wanted to play baseball in college.

He will get that opportunity after signing with Western Nebraska Community College on Tuesday.

“I have been around them a long time. I met Coach [Mike] Jones when I was probably seven. They are good guys and I like the program,” he said. “It is beyond exciting to be playing college baseball. It has always been my dream and I can’t wait.”

DuBray was one of the top pitchers in the area last summer as he helped the Alliance Spartans American Legion team to a runner-up finish at the Class B state tournament.

DuBray will be one of the top players this summer as well and he is excited to be continuing playing a sport he loves in college.

Last year, DuBray finished the year with a 7-1-1 record with a 1.077 earned run average. DuBray 95 in 65 innings of work.

Offensively, DuBray batted .336 with

from a very successful high school program and everything coach [Carlos] Palomo does is right along the same lines that we do. For us, we are extremely excited to get Trevor in the program. We can’t wait to see him grow. He can get so much better over the next two years.”

DuBray said he has improved a ton

under Palomo’s leadership on the baseball diamond over the summers. Palomo also played at WNCC before going six doubles, 27 RBIs, and 19 runs scored. on to play at the University of Nebras DuBray is also a standout basketball player and also played football. But it was ka-Kearney. an easy decision for him to pick baseball over his other two sports.

“It was the easiest decision of my life,” he said. “It will always be baseball. Baseball is everything.”

WNCC head coach Mike Jones is excited to have DuBray in his program next year.

“He brings all kinds of things to the program. He is a really good athlete and super competitor,” Jones said. “He comes

“He has helped out a lot,” DuBray said.

“I have improved a lot and he has helped me with my pitching. He has me throwing a lot harder. If it wasn’t for him I probably wouldn’t be here.”

DuBray knows the move to the collegiate level is an easy transition. He realizes he still has to work to get better.

“I hope it is easy, but it won’t be that easy,” he said. “I know I will have to put in a lot of work and just keep the grind going.”

Pine Bluffs’ Fornstrom inks with volleyball Pine Bluff ’s Hyleigh Fornstrom becomes Binny Canales’ first recruit to attend Western Nebraska Community College next year.

Fornstrom, the Hornet’s 6-0 setter/ middle hitter, comes from a volleyball-rich Pine Bluffs program that went 28-5 and finished the season going 1-2 at the Wyoming State tournament over the weekend.

Fornstrom said signing with WNCC was the right choice.

“Signing with WNCC to me means that I can rise to the next level and that all of my hard work has paid off,” she said. “I chose WNCC because of the girls, coaches, and the environment at the college. It felt a lot like home and I felt welcomed as soon as I got there.”

The decision was pretty easy, too, considering that Pine Bluffs has been attending a summer volleyball league and that was where Fornstrom caught Canales’ eye.

“For the past couple of summers, our team attended the league night in Scottsbluff and that’s where Coach Binny first

reached out to me,” she said. “Towards the end of the league, he asked me and a few of my teammates to attend a camp in Scottsbluff. From there we stayed in contact.”

Fornstrom brings plenty of volleyball skill to the Cougar program. Fornstrom tallied 189 kills from her middle hitter position this past fall. She had 22 aces, 44 solo blocks, and 368 digs. She finished her career with 288 kills, 558 digs, 34 aces, 440 set assists, and 91 solo blocks.

Fornstrom will be the second in her family to attend WNCC. Her cousin, Brittany, attended WNCC in 2003 and 2004, helping the Cougars to the national tournament twice during that time.

“Brittany Fornstrom is a cousin on my father’s side of the family,” she said. “I was encouraged to talk to her when I received the offer from WNCC.” The decision to play volleyball wasn’t that easy since Fornstrom is a 3-sport athlete at Pine Bluffs, also participating in basketball and track. She did take some visits for basketball, but volleyball was

what stood out in the end.

“I did look at colleges for basketball, but the visits just weren’t the same,” she said. “The sport didn’t feel like a good fit for me.”

Her goal at WNCC is to get better and help lead the Cougars back to the national tournament.

“My goals at WNCC next year are to hopefully start on the team or at least contribute and make it to the national tournament.”

Fornstrom is planning on majoring in general business management.

WNCC softball signs five for next year Western Nebraska Community College softball coach Katelyn Groves signed five players during the early signing period in November.

Inking letter of intents in a ceremony at WNCC were Isabelle Coffman and Ashley Quinn of Aurora, Colorado; Bailey Blanchard of Elizabeth, Colorado; and Lexi Butterfield of Lehi, Utah.

Also signing a letter was Chloe Cronquist of Blackfoot, Idaho.

Here is a little bit about each signee.

Isabella Coffman Isabella Coffman played her softball at Eaglecrest High School in Aurora, Colorado.

Coffman said she picked WNCC because of the culture and the community aspect of the college.

“I also thought that WNCC could get me the education I needed to be successful and of course I really wanted to play softball at the next level.”

Coffman is extremely thrilled to keep playing softball.

“I am beyond excited to play at the next level; it has been a dream of mine since I started playing,” she said. “I’m really excited to learn more about the game and become a consistent, more experienced player. I have put so much work into this game and I’m so glad I have received the opportunity to work even harder.”

Coffman has been playing softball since she was eight years old. She started as a catcher, but now is primarily a shortstop.

“I’ve been playing softball since I was eight and I have loved it ever since,” she said. “I have been playing travel ball almost every weekend in the summer for many years and played for Eaglecrest High School, a state contending team for the last four years.”

Coffman has played many positions during her time on the softball diamond.

“I have been playing shortstop for the past few years, but I also enjoy third and sometimes the outfield,” she said. “I wasn’t always a shortstop, I started out as a catcher, and well, you see how that went. It just wasn’t for me, so I decided to try short and I loved it.”

Her softball talents are because she

works hard and wants to keep getting better. Her goal at WNCC is to push herself in all aspects on and off the field.

“Specifically, I want to work hard in the classroom to master the courses I take, meet new people to grow as a person, and I really want to work hard and push myself to be the best softball player I can be,” she said. “My main goal at WNCC is to be prepared for whatever it is I do next and enjoy my time here.”

Coffman also played basketball at Eaglecrest and she played because she was asked to and worked hard to get better.

“I played basketball at my high school, though I had never really played before,” she said. “The coach insisted that I try it and I improved a lot from where I started.

I played jayvee and varsity in my basketball career throughout high school.”

After two years at WNCC, Coffman is hoping to find herself playing at a university.

“I hope to attend a large university, continue playing softball, and to keep progressing toward my future in law enforcement,” she said. “And, thank you coach for giving me an opportunity to play ball at the next level and for helping me find my new home here at WNCC.” Bailey Blanchard Bailey Blanchard comes to WNCC

from Elizabeth High School in Elizabeth, Colorado, where she was a four-year varsity starter. Blanchard is a middle infielder, but has played every position besides pitcher in her 10 years of playing softball.

Blanchard said she picked WNCC because of the close-net family atmosphere the team has. Plus, she played with current Cougars Jade Gomez and Mackenzie Bakel in the Colorado Next Level Softball organization.

“I chose WNCC because it’s in a small town

with a tight-knit community and not too far from home,” she said. “The school itself is very nice and not overwhelmingly big and all the people I spoke with seemed very nice.”

Her goals at WNCC is simple, to get better and move on to four-year school.

“My goals at WNCC are to excel not only with softball but with academics and get a better idea of what I want to do with my future,” she said. “ Blanchard has been playing softball since the third grade. In high school, she has been all-conference three of her four years and she was a second team all-state this fall.

“I am excited to be playing softball at the collegiate level,” she said. “I’ve been working towards this for as long as I can remember.”

She, too, just like Coffman, played basketball but only up until high school but then picked just softball in high school.

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Softball recruits continued ...

“Softball is really what I loved and I decided to focus on that,” she said.

After WNCC, Blanchard has big goals.

“After WNCC I want to continue my academic career and possibly my softball career while I get my bachelor’s degree,” she said. “I would also like to thank Coach

Groves for giving me this opportunity. I would also like to thank everyone involved with the Colorado Next Level Softball Organization for ensuring that I am ready to play ball at the collegiate level. Finally, I want to thank my family, especially my dad for making sure that I had everything I needed to succeed academically and on the field.”

Chloe Cronquist Chloe Cronquist comes to the Cougars from Blackfoot, Idaho, and Blackfoot High School. Cronquist is the first softball player for the Cougars from the state of Idaho.

Cronquist picked WNCC because of Coach Groves and the school.

“I really liked Coach Groves, the school, and the area. It feels like home,” she said. “I am so excited [to play college softball]. It’s been my goal/dream to play college softball and it’s finally coming true.”

Cronquist is a utility player where she has played several positions, but since her sophomore year, she has been primarily a second baseman.

“My main position is second base but I

can play anywhere the team needs me too,” she said. “It hasn’t always been my position. I was injured my sophomore year and when I came back from it, my coaches put me at second and I’ve loved it ever since.”

Cronquist has played softball since she was seven years old and been a starter on the varsity every year.

Cronquist has earned plenty of accolades for her softball. Her sophomore year she was nominated for All-Area Second Team infielder and her junior year she was nominated for High Country Conference Player of the Year and First Team All-Area Infielder.

She also played other sports at Blackfoot.

Cronquist played volleyball her freshman and sophomore year and then ran cross country her junior year. She said cross country was quite the experience.

Her goal at WNCC is to get better and move on to a four-year school.

“My goal is to finish my softball career and

education at a different school for two more years,” she said. “I am so grateful for the op-

portunity to keep playing softball and go to college. I couldn’t have done it without all the support I have from my friends, family, coaches, and teammates.”

Lexi Butterfield Butterfield comes to WNCC from the state of Utah, where she played at Lehi High School.

Butterfield picked WNCC because it was a good opportunity and the community reminded her of home.

“First off, I love softball and I wanted to continue at the next level,” Butterfield said.

“The first time I came here, it reminded me of my hometown, and I love the coach.

Also, I always wanted to go away from home but not too far from home. I can go home whenever I want. That is a plus.”

Getting to play softball collegiately has been something that Butterfield has dreamed of doing.

“It is a amazing [that I get to play at the college level],” she said. “It is a goal I wanted my whole live and now that it is here, I can’t explain it. It is amazing.”

Butterfield still has her senior season at Lehi High to compete since high school softball in Utah is run in the spring. Butterfield is a pitcher for Lehi and has improved every year as she gets ready for her senior season.

Last year as a junior, Butterfield went 11-8 from the circle with a 3.31 earned run average. She had 87 strikeouts with just 54 earned runs.

Butterfield has good offensive numbers since she started on varsity as a freshman.

As a junior, she batted .365 with four doubles, a triple and six home runs. The six home runs is the most in her high school career. She also had 24 RBIs. Butterfield knows about work and as a pitcher, she is excited to have the talent behind her.

“It is awesome [to come here with all this talent],” she said. “With the talent here, and being a pitcher, you know you have backup.”

Butterfield started playing softball at the age of seven at the competitive level.

She also plays basketball at Lehi High.

Ashley Quinn Ashley Quinn is the second player from Aurora, Colorado, as she played for Cherokee High School where she was a varsity player her senior and junior season.

Quinn said picking WNCC was easy since she knew two of this year’s early signees already.

“When I came up on my first visit, I noticed how it really felt like home already and everyone was super welcoming. They welcomed me with open arms,” she said. “I loved the environment and I knew it was my place when I came here.”

A lot of the Cougar players come from Colorado and Utah, and Quinn said knowing players that played here or are coming in to play at WNCC is definitely a plus.

“I know Bailey and Bella and I just got to know Lexi more this weekend,” she said.

“Getting the extra time to get to know them, meet them, and to be with them, it really made things a lot easier. Now I have that support and that backup if I ever need it.”

The biggest thing of signing early is pressure of what college you want. That was a big burden lifted off of Quinn’s shoulders.

“I felt like once I decided I was going here, it was weight lifted off my shoulders because I didn’t have to worry about filling out any other college applications,” she said. “I was just focused on going here and that is all I wanted is to go here. So, it was a weight lifted off my shoulders.”

Quinn is a utility play where she can play all over. She really doesn’t care where she plays as long as she can help the team.

At Cherokee High in the fall, she batted .328 with 14 RBIs and three doubles. She also batted .300 her junior year on varsity.

Softball is the only sport she played in high school. While she tried others when she was younger, she grew to love softball more.

“I played sports when I was little, but I fell in love with softball at a very young age,” she said. “I never wanted to play another sport because this sport had my heart. I am very excited to be continuing it.”

Hastings’ Creech inks with men’s basketball Connor Creech’s basketball background runs deep in his family. His father, Lance, coached Hastings College men’s basketball and is now the Hastings High School coach.

Lance Creech also coached Western Nebraska Community College head coach Cory Fehringer when he played at Hastings College.

When it was time for Connor to make his college decision, the 6-foot-1 point guard picked the Cougars over schools such as Missouri Western and Wayne State. Saturday, Connor made it official in signing his letter of intent to become a Cougar.

“I knew Coach Fehringer for a long time and this is where I wanted to be,” Connor said. . I want to play at the highest level and I know if I trust everything he does and commits to everything they do, that is where I can go.”

Connor was heavily recruited during his junior year by many colleges in Nebraska. It was the decision that he wanted to play at the highest level he could that led to WNCC. “I had other offers but I want to play at the highest level and this is where I want to be,” he said.

Fehringer said he had the opportunity to watch Connor grow up on the basketball court.

“It is special for us [to sign Connor].

Connor got to see me as a player as well and I got to see him grow up,” Fehringer said. “So we both got to see each other mature. Basketball has been really important for us throughout our time. We both share a love for the game and a love to the gym, and a love to getting better each and every day. I expect Connor to be relentless in the classroom, relentless on the floor, and a relentless leader when it comes to our basketball program.”

Connor’s basketball savvy is evident along with his will to get better.

“I love basketball. I have a passion for basketball,” Connor said. “I will bring a

lot of energy and do whatever I can for the team.”

His junior year at Hastings High saw the 6-foot-1 guard average 17.9 points a game, 2.9 assists, and 4.0 rebounds a contest. Connor said in AAU ball, he loved to pass the ball, getting everyone involved.

Fehringer said when they talk to recruits, they bring recruits in that they believe are special.

“When we talk to the recruits, we tell them we are going to coach them hard each and every day and their best is what we are expecting,” he said. “We believe there is something special in each and every one of them. We believe when we bring them to Western Nebraska, they will leave a lot better than when they came. People can saw what they like to about our recruiting ability, but a coach is nothing without his players. We have been special because our players have been special.”

Besides basketball, Connor also was a standout baseball player for Hastings High School. But when it came time to pick, it was all basketball.

“I played baseball too, but it has always been basketball,” he said.

Bearcats’ DeOllos signs with Cougar basketball Scottsbluff ’s Jasiya DeOllos has watched WNCC Cougar basketball games for a long time. DeOllos’ time at Scottsbluff high has been one of success.

This season, DeOllos’ has hit a number of tying and winning shots in helping the Bearcats shine on the basketball court.

DeOllos also helped the football team to an appearance in the Class B title game.

So, when it came time to pick a school, DeOllos decided that WNCC was the perfect fit for him. DeOllos signed with the Cougar men’s basketball team on Feb. 5 and he was excited to do that.

“There have been quite a few guys that came through the Bearcat program as I like Dru Kuxhausen, Trent Harris, and Conner McCracken,” he said. “They have been a lot of good things at basketball and

academics at other schools, and I thought it would be a good for me as well.”

DeOllos said he has watched the team this year and he saw what the former Bearcats have done at WNCC and at the four-year level and wants to follow in their footsteps. Former Bearcats and Cougars Trent Harris and Dru Kuxhausen are making waves at the Division I

level. Harris is at the University of Northern Colorado while Kuxhausen is in his junior year at McNeese State. Kuxhausen is leading the nation in 3-pointers made.

DeOllos said he means a lot to continue playing basketball at the next level, especially at WNCC, where Kuxhausen and Harris played at, and McCracken is currently a freshman.

“It is a dream I dreamed about since I was young,” DeOllos said. “I am glad I have the ability to do it. He [Fehringer] has sent a lot of guys to a lot of different places in four-year schools and that is what I want to do.”

DeOllos has seen plenty of Cougar games the past couple of years and he is ready to don the blue and gold of WNCC. “It [watching WNCC} was a big ad-

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DeOllos inks with WNCC continued ... vantage because I got to watch games that they played very well and games that didn’t go their way,” he said. “So, I got to see how they responded to adversity and wining. It was a good example.”

DeOllos said basketball was his prime sport to play at the collegiate level. He also competed in football, track and field, and soccer at Scottsbluff. He plans to play his senior year of soccer to wrap up his high school career.

“I knew it was basketball that I wanted to do, but it wasn’t as easy as I thought it would be,” he said.

DeOllos said that he had many memories on the hardwoods. A few games in January stood out. In the Cheyenne Central overtime, DeOllos hit the tying shot in regulation to force overtime and then he later hit a 3-pointer in the first overtime to tie the game. He also hit a came winner against Rapid City Central.

Has much as DeOllos has the flair for the dramatics, DeOllos is one of those most humble and likeable person in the sports scene. WNCC coach Cory Fehringer and Scott Gullion both said that DeOllos brings so much more to the court than his playing talents.

“He has done everything right the time he has been in our program,” Gullion said. “I think people have seen that with him hanging out with little kids or meeting with everybody that was involved in our program from the bus drivers, custodians, trainers, all those guys. We have tons of compliments from other people on the road. They say, ‘your point guard, is he always that nice?’ Yep, pretty much.

It is a tribute to him and how he is raised and I think that was a big factor in Coach Fehringer’s recruitment of him as well.”

Fehringer agreed.

“Success, winning, family, loyalty, and a lot of things that programs desire to have, and the Scottsbluff Bearcats do a great job of creating that,” Fehringer said. “Across the board athletically, to be a state championship football team and the basketball program fighting for the same mission, makes me believe that Jasiya expects to win, he is prepared to win, and willing to do whatever it take to be

2019-20 Incoming Freshman Volleyball Hayleigh Fornstrom..................... Pine Bluffs, Wyo. Men’s Basketball Connor Creech................................ Hastings, Neb. Jasiya DeOllos............................. Scottsbluff, Neb.

successful. For us he is a winner on three different levels. First is a human being and that is most important. Second is as a student as competitive he is to get good grades which he will be able to transition to higher levels and play because he is intelligent. Lastly as a basketball player as competitive. He is successful in all three levels which leads us to believe down the road that his work, commitment, and patience will pay off.”

Baseball Trevor DuBray.................................. Alliance, Neb. Softball Chloe Cronguist.............................Blackfoot, Idaho Isabelle Coffman................................ Aurora, Colo.

Ashley Quinn..................................... Aurora, Colo.

Bailey Blanchard........................... Elizabeth, Colo.

Lexi Butterfield........................................ Lehi, Utah

ALUMNI ATHLETIC NEWS

Scottsbluff Junior College l Nebraska Western College l Western Nebraska Community College

Former Cougar Shahib named Player of the Week

Former Cougar Wiehl doing well at Santa Clara Former WNCC Cougar Merle Wiehl tied her career high at San-

ta Clara when she scored 19 points in a game against Portland on Feb. 13. Wiehl 19 points was achieved two other times season. In the Portland game, Wiehl was 8 of 14 from the field and 3 of 7 from downtown.

Hernandez off to solid start at Dakota State Esai Hernandez is having a solid start to his senior baseball season at Dakota State College this season.

In four games this season, Esai is batting .400 with three home runs and seven RBIs. He is third on the team in average and first in home runs and RBIs.

Esai had a big day in the first game against Southwestern Kansas when he blasted two home runs and finished with four RBIs and two runs scored.

Esai and his Dakota State will next be in action Feb. 27-28 when they take on Kansas Christian College in Kansas City, Missouri.

Dimitrijevic has 24-game streak for Mercer Djordje Dimitrijevic hit a three-pointer in his 24th straight contest in a loss to North Carolina-Greensboro on Feb. 15. Dimitrijevic fall 67-55.

The 24-game consecutive streak is the longest active streak in the Southern Conference. Dimitrijevic has buried 57 treys this season, including six in back-to-back games against VMI and Samford.

North Dakota State’s Vinnie Shahid claimed his second Summit League men’s basketball Player of the Week award this season, the league office announced Monday, Feb. 10.

Shahid averaged 27.5 points and made 10 total three-pointers between a road win at Omaha and home win vs. Oral Roberts last week.

NDSU now sits atop the league standings at 9-2, sharing the top spot with South Dakota State.

In NDSU’s 86-78 win at Omaha Wednesday, Shahid scored 24 points, pulled down three rebounds and went 8-for-8 from the foul stripe in NDSU’s third-straight road victory in league play.

He also went 4-for-10 from beyond the arc and added three assists.

In the 83-76 win over Oral Roberts Saturday, Shahid scored a career-high 31 points on 8-of-14 shooting from the floor, which included a 6-for-10 effort from deep. He also drained all nine of his free throw attempts and is now 68-for-71 from the stripe in league play (95.8 percent).

For the week, Shahid shot 50 percent from the floor (14-for28) and from 3-point range (10-for-20) and made all 17 of his trips to the foul line. The reigning Summit League Newcomer of the Year has eclipsed 20-plus points in eight of 11 league games and is one of three players with a pair of 30-point outings on the season.

Former softball player at Purdue-Ft. Wayne Emma McMillan, who helped the Cou-

gar softball team to a regional title last year, is now at Division I Purdue-Ft. Wayne as a pitcher.

Emma has pitched in just two innings this year, allowing four runs and five hits while striking out one in games against Kenesaw State and Southeast Missouri.

Emma, a junior, will be in action on Feb. 22 and 23 at a tournament in Martin, Tennessee, when they will play Wright State, and UT-Martin both days. Emma’s team will be in Omaha to face UNO March 28 and 29.

A Look Back in Photos

A look back at some older Cougar photos. Anyone know who they are, email mrein@wncc.edu

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