Meisner inks with Alaska Anchorage, Jones signs on with Hawaii Pacific

The final three sophomores from the Western Nebraska Community College national championship volleyball team signed to continue their athletic careers at different institutions.

Shawntell Jones, a middle blocker from Lakewood, Colo., will be attending the University of Hawaii Pacific, while Gering graduate Stacey Meisner will be following former Cougar coach Chris Green to the University of Alaska Anchorage. Chelsea Lyles also signed, but instead of volleyball, she will be playing basketball at Division I Florida Gulf Coast.

Meisner and Jones are already joking around with each other when their two teams meet up in the NCAA Division II championship match.

“We already talked about that in that we will be playing against each other in the championship,” Meisner said. “I said ‘may the best team win,’ and then I look at her and said, ‘Don’t worry, it will be me.’”

WNCC assistant coach Amy Winters feels that both Meisner and Jones will bring success to their new programs.

“These two girls were huge leaders for our team as freshmen and sophomores,” she said. “I expect them to lead on the courts at the next level. They both work hard and they take on whatever role that is asked of them. Stacie, in high school, was an outside hitter and when she came here was a defensive specialist and did a great job in the back row for us. Shawntell dominates at the net, and both of them will do very well at the next level.”

Both players, who were a major force in the Cougars finishing second at nationals their freshman year and national championship this past year, are excited for the opportunity to be playing college volleyball at the next level.

“I just kind of lucked out with [going to Alaska Anchorage] because I hadn’t made a decision by the time [Coach Green] decided to go up there,” she said. “I was looking at a couple of other places, but after I went up to visit Anchorage, I loved it. Plus, the fact that Coach Green was going to be up there, it was really comforting to me that I was entering a program that I already know what the coach is like.”

It will be a different feel for Meisner when she heads up north to play volleyball. The Gering graduate has always had her family and friends cheering her on while playing athletics either for the Cougars or the Bulldogs.

“I guess for me what I am going to miss is having my entire family cheer for me every single game. It is always like I had my own cheering section, which was fun,” she said. “I have played in the Scottsbluff area my entire life and I will definitely miss the Scottsbluff community and all the support I got.”

Meisner is looking to take her leadership role up to Alaska Anchorage for the next two years.

“I am mostly looking at being a defensive specialist and maybe playing outside hitter,” she said. “Coach joked with me before he left that I might have to set because he hasn’t recruited a setter yet, but he got someone else to do that; thank goodness. I am also hoping to be a big leader on that team as well just I know they have been lacking in leadership over the past couple of years.”

Meisner definitely has plenty leadership capabilities inside her after winning several awards at the WNCC Awards banquet last month. Meisner garnered the Cougar Award, which is presented to an athlete that shows excellence on and off the court; the Board of Governor’s Award, which is given to an outstanding sophomore graduate showing leadership; the Journalism Excellence Award; as well as earning the female athlete highest GPA honor.

“I have never been there before until I went to visit a couple of months ago,” she said. “I really loved it up there and I heard really good things about Anchorage.”

Jones enjoyed her visit to the Islands of Hawaii over Christmas break and said that warm weather was a big selling point.

“I went there and visited and obviously I loved the place because it is Hawaii,” she said. “I got to know the coach and a few of the girls, and I love the atmosphere and that is where I see myself the next two years.”

Jones was recruited as a middle blocker, but realizes she has to work for a starting role. But, she is ready for the challenges; while at the same time will miss the tight-knit bond the Cougar team achieved.

“Obviously, I am going to miss the girls. We built a pretty good family over the past two years with the sophomores and this year’s freshmen,” she said. “I am going to miss the girls and the atmosphere and miss the WNCC family.”