Monday, July 12, 2010

Groves names captain of Omaha World Herald All-Nebraska JUCO team

Western Nebraska Community College's Katie Groves was named caption of the Omaha World Herald's All-Nebraska Junior College team, while five other Cougars made the first team.

Groves, who graduated in May and is headed to Central Missouri to play next year, helped the Cougars to a 43-21 record last season and a trip to the NJCAA national tournament in St. George, Utah. Groves has a pile of school records this season. This past spring, she hit .492 with a percentage of .878, an on-base percentage of .554, 15 home runs, 21 doubles, 86 RBIs and 97 hits.

The Bluffdale, Utah, native holds season record records for RBIs (86), runs scored (89) and home runs (17) and career records in homers (32), runs scored (166), RBIs (165) and doubles (35).

Other Cougars making the All-Nebraska JUCO team include pitchers Taylor Anderson of Riverton, Utah, and Stephanie Townsend of Roosevelt, Utah; third baseman Jordan Schoepflin of Arvada, Colo.; outfielder Adena Hagen of Birch Hills, Saskatchewan; and utility player Megan Bourdon of Duck Lake, Saskatchewan.

WNCC players that made the honorable mention include catcher Ashton Hughes of Regina, Saskatchewan, and outfielder Allie Alverson of Toole, Utah.

Other members of the first team include pitcher Kayla McDonald of North Platte CC; catcher Whitney Robinson of Central-Columbus; second baseman Kate Erickson of Central-Columbus; shortstop Ashley Szelag of Central-Columbus, and Danae McCorkle of McCook; outfielders Jina Hamm of Southeast Nebraska, and Natasha Coons of McCook; and designated player Jamie Peterson of Southeast Nebraska.

Wednesday, July 07, 2010

Still plenty of openings for the July 26-30 Soccer Camps

Western Nebraska Community College soccer coach Todd Ras­nic has plenty of openings for the Cougar Soccer Camp that will be conducted July 26-30.

Rasnic said early registration is important to get an early count on the number of T-shirts needed, even though registrations will be taken the first day of camp.

The camp will be conducted by Rasnic, his assistant coaches Jim Miller and Henri Preels, and Cougar players Marcel Sales and Pedro Escobar from the men’s team. Brooke Dudley and Brittany McNeil from the women’s team will be helping with the camp. Dudley was a member of the 2008 Region IX championship women’s soccer team. The other three players will be back for their sophomore season.

There will be two sessions of the camp. The first camp, for recreational players, will run from 9 a.m. – 12 noon. This camp will help players of all ages with their soccer abilities. The camp will have fun and creative activi­ties planned. The cost of the camp is $90 per camper.

Players ages 8 and under will partici­pate in the camp from 9-11 a.m. The cost for the younger players is $75.

The second camp, for advanced, com­petitive players, will run from 5:30-8:30 p.m. This camp will help the players fine-tune their soccer abilities in a more com­petitive arena. The camp will be more in­tense than the morning session. The cost of the camp is $90. The cost includes a T-shirt and a ball.

If players sign up for both sessions, they can get a discounted price of $80 per session. There is a $10 dis­count for families with more than one stu­dent attending.

For more information, contact Ras­nic at 308-631-8833, or rasnict@wncc.net. Camp registrations can be downloaded from the WNCC athletic website at sports.wncc.net.

Tuesday, July 06, 2010

UNC basketball player becomes WNCC's new assistant men's coach

Yahosh Bonner was known for his defense at the University of Northern Colorado. Now he will bring that defensive energy to the sidelines of Western Nebraska Community College to serve as an assistant coach for the Cougar men’s basketball team.

Bonner played two seasons at UNC where he captured the Big Sky Conference Defensive Player of the Year honors as well as CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Defensive All-American. Bonner played one year at Salt Lake Community College under Coach Beck (2006-07) helping the Bruins to the national tournament.

Bonner, who will also serve as a residence life director at Conestoga Hall, is excited to bring his energy for the game to Cougar Palace.

“I hope to bring a lot of energy to every practice and I hope that will carry on to the games and to the court,” he said. “I want the guys to really step it up in the defensive game. Before I went to college, my defense was OK. But once I got to college, I was coached by coaches that really focused on defense and I want to be one of those coaches that reward our players for playing great defense. They should take pride in that.”

WNCC men’s coach Russ Beck said Bonner will be a positive for WNCC.

“We are very fortunate to add Yahosh and Vanessa Bonner to our WNCC Cougar family. I had the opportunity of coaching Yahosh at Salt Lake Community College and he was an integral part of a historic season,” he said. “That team went 32-4 and made it all the way to the NJCAA National Championship before falling to South Plains CC. On the court he was a tenacious defender. His defensive abilities earned him Big Sky defensive player of the year honors this past season as he helped another team, Northern Colorado, to a historic season as they finished 25-8.

“Yahosh has been a huge contributor to success everywhere he has been. He is the ultimate team player and his passion and energy has helped foster a culture of winning; we expect that trend will continue as he steps into the coaching ranks here at WNCC.”

Bonner started every game for UNC last season in helping them to their best season ever. UNC qualified for the CollegeInsider.com Postseason tournament (CIT) where they defeated Portland, before falling to Pacific.

As a senior captain, Bonner averaged 27 minutes playing time and six points a game. His defense was his bread and butter, where he finished with 41 steals.

“We were the most winningest team that University of Northern Colorado has had,” Bonner said. “We finished second in the conference and had a great year. I was the defensive player of the year for the Big Sky Conference, and was a mid-major all-American for defensive. We had another guy on our team that was all-conference and a couple of other guys that went on to play professionally. So, we had some good players and had a real good season.”

Bonner, who played at Mountain View High in Mesa, Ariz., is looking forward to beginning a different chapter in his life as part of Beck’s coaching staff.

“I am really excited about being a part of Western Nebraska community college family,” he said. “When Coach Beck called me and said he would love to have me on staff, I was sold because I know what kind of person he is and what kind of coach he is. He has a very high basketball IQ and it will be a good situation for me to start my coaching career.”

Bonner, who started playing basketball when he was eight, said that running the offense as a point guard is like coaching.

“I did some coaching on the floor as a point guard,” he said. “Being a coach here, I think I can really focus on helping other people be better and helping improve the program. Basically I am excited to be learning from coach Beck and the game of basketball.”

Bonner said that from what he has heard about next year’s team, he expects them to compete for a regional title.

“Coach Beck is really excited about the players that we have coming in. He said not only are they good athletes, but they are great people,” he said. “He said he wants to bring players in that are good people, who are going to succeed here not just athletically but academically. I am excited to have some good guys on the team that are working for that central goal and not having selfish players.”

Beck said that Bonner is a good fit for Cougar basketball and WNCC as a whole.

“Coach Bonner brings an incredible work ethic and possesses a very high basketball IQ,” Beck said. “He carries himself with the upmost integrity and treats others with respect. I expect that he will really help with the development of our guards and I hope that his passion and desire to win will rub off onto our players.

“His attitude is contagious and he no doubt will assist in helping this team get back to “Hutch”.” He will be responsible for player development, study hall, recruiting and weights and conditioning . In addition to his coaching duties he will be serving in student housing as the Conestoga Hall Housing Director.”

Yahosh and his wife, Vanessa, are expecting their first child in August, a boy. He said the first couple of months will be hard with a new job and baby coming, but he is ready.

“It will be busy for me coming up,” he said. “But I am looking forward to that challenge. I will be doing things I like.”

Yahosh’s hobby is singing and he even tried out for American Idol, where he made the first cut in auditions before getting cut in the second round. Yahosh said while he loves to sing, his first love is basketball.

“For know I am taking coaching step by step,” he said. “I just want to be a part of a winning program and part my knowledge and energy to the players. What is important to me is to see improvement in my players and build those lifelong relationships with my athletes. While I like singing, basketball is still up there because I love basketball. Singing is a hobby, but basketball is a love.”

Monday, July 05, 2010

WNCC athletic teams finish 2009-10 season impressively

The 2009-10 athletic year was a banner year for the Western Nebraska Community College athletic teams. The Cougars finished the NATYCAA Cup as the highest Region IX team among competition among scholarship teams in the NJCAA.

WNCC finished tied for 73rd with Indian Hills Community College with 24.5 points. The National Alliance of Two Year College Athletic Administrators Cup rankings are formulated by awarding NJCAA institutions with points based on competition at NJCAA Championship events among all sports. A first place finish is worth 20 points, second place is worth 19 points, and so forth.

The Cougars earned their points on the bases of the Cougar volleyball and softball team's accomplishments. The volleyball team finished last season with a 42.4 record and a third place finish at the national tournament in Council Bluffs, Iowa.

The Cougar softball team won their second regional title in three seasons as they competed at the national tournament in St. George, Utah. The Cougar women finished with a 43-21 record.

Iowa Central Community College was the overall NATYCAA Scholarship Cup winner with 158.5 points followed by Cowley College (Kan.) and Monroe Community College (N.Y.).

Region IX had seven teams that earned points in the Cup race. WNCC's 24.5 points was just two points ahead of North Platte Community College, who finished 80th with 22.5 points (10.5 points in men's sports and 12 points in women's sports).

Other Region IX schools receiving points include Casper College (17 points), Northwest Wyoming (16.5), Gillette College (17 points), Southeast Nebraska (10 points), and Western Wyoming Community College (1 point).

Iowa Central is only the second NJCAA member college from the Scholarship Division to win the NATYCAA Cup in consecutive years. Monroe accomplished the feat in 2005-06 and 2006-07.
Iowa Central earned their points with top finishes in women's indoor track & field and wrestling. The Tritons also had top 10 finishes in men's indoor track & field (second), Division II baseball (fourth), DI men's outdoor track & field (fourth) and men's swimming & diving (sixth). ICC's women's teams also contributed to the title as the Lady Tritons had top 10 finishes in Division I cross country (second), Division I outdoor track & field (third) and swimming & diving (sixth).

The top three teams in the scholarship and non-scholarship divisions received a cash award for their institutions general scholarship fund in the amount of $2,500 for first place and $1,000 for second and third place.

Gloucester Community College (N.J.) won the non-scholarship cup with 131 points over Herkimer Community College (N.Y.) and Mohawk Community College (N.Y.).

Three Cougars named NJCAA academic all-American

Three Western Nebraska Community College softball players were named National Junior College Athletic Association academic all-American last week.

WNCC sophomore Adena Hagen of Birch Hills, Saskatchewan, sophomore Taylor Anderson of Riverton, Utah, and sophomore Stephanie Townsend of Roosevelt, Utah, earned recognition by posting a 3.6 or higher grade point average.

Hagen had one of the highest GPAs, finishing with a 3.81 grade point average as she was named a distinguished all-American. Hagen had one of the highest grade point averages among Cougar softball players to receive NJCAA academic all-American.

Anderson and Townsend each earned academic all-American. Anderson finished with a 3.77 GPA, while Townsend had a 3.66 GPA.

Townsend will continue her academic and athletic success next year at Chadron State College where she will play softball.

Hagen was the starting centerfielder for the Cougars the past two seasons, while Anderson and Townsend were pitchers for the Cougars.

This past spring, the Cougars softball team captured its second Region IX title in three seasons and participated in the national softball tournament in St. George, Utah. The team finished the season with a 43-21 record.

Last year, the softball team had just one player -- Katelyn Groves -- earn academic All-American, and two years ago with a 3.66 average. Two years ago, two softball players in Natasha Dypchey (3.69) and Jessica McNabb (3.65) were academic All-American.



Thursday, July 01, 2010

Shaffer brings her basketball talents to WNCC

Shaffer brings her basketball talents to WNCC. Read story here in the Fort Lupton, Colo., newspaper.

http://www.ftluptonpress.com/cgi-bin/c2.cgi?174+article+Sports+20100629182922174174003