Three volleyball sophomores officially sign with Division I schools

The Western Nebraska Community College volleyball team is becoming a pipeline of volleyball talent to the NCAA Division I level.

All three sophomores on this year’s Region IX championship team will be headed to the Division I level after officially signing letter of intents last week.

Fatima Balza and Nayka Benitez, who both verbally committed last December, officially signed to attend two top-level volleyball programs. Balza, the 6-foot-3 middle hitter is officially a Nittany Lion after inking with the NCAA national champions Penn State. Benitez is staying in-state after signing with Creighton University.

Paloma Alvarez, the third volleyball sophomore, will also compete at the Division I level after signing with Western Carolina University.

Alvarez, who transferred to WNCC from Colby Community College, is excited to be able to play at the Division I level. Alvarez said she wouldn’t have had that opportunity if it wasn’t for WNCC.

“Being here and even going to nationals which was a very big experience for me because I have I have never been to a national tournament it is pretty big,” the 5-foot-10 outside hitter said. “I hope I can bring that to the school I am I going to know and help improve the program and help to get them big.”

While Western Carolina isn’t a high level volleyball program, it is a program that Alvarez is happy with. She was also leaning towards attending the University of North Florida.

“It was kind of hard because it was between them and UNF,” she said. “Even though they are small and kind of unknown schools, they each had good things. I choose Western because it goes more with my personality and how I am, and I really think I can help them.”

Last season for the Cougars, Alvarez finished with 494 kills in 172 sets. She also served 120 points with 51 aces. She also finished with 114 blocks.

Western Carolina finished last season with a 6-26 record under head coach Manuel Concepcion, who used to coach at Colby Community College. Concepcion is originally from Toa Baja, Puerto Rico, where Alvarez is from.

While Alvarez will be attending a team that is on the rise, Balza and Benitez are headed to schools that are well known. Balza will be joining a Nittany Lion team that went 38-0, including topping Nebraska in the national semi-finals in five sets, in capturing back-to-back national titles.

Balza is not intimidated by the success of the Penn State program. She is just going to go in and play her role.

“The principal reason I chose to go to Penn State is because of the coach,” she said. “He told me he doesn’t want a player that carries a team, because everyone has their own role. He wants me to go there and play and not carry the team.”

Balza is excited to be going from one national championship team to another. WNCC volleyball won a national title in 2007.

“That is so good [from going to one championship team to another),” she said. “It will still be hard because I have to practice hard. It will also be different because it is totally different levels.”

“This year, the Cougars won a school record 59 matches and finished third at the national tournament, topping No. 1 ranked Iowa Western Community College in five sets. Balza was also named an NJCAA first-team all-American.

Balza also established herself as one of the top hitters in school history becoming only one of eight players to notch over 1,000 kills in her career. Balza had 1,055 total kills, including a team-leading 632 this season.

Balza also led this year’s team in service points, finishing with 375 points, including 64 aces. She had a service percentage of 90 percent. Balza also had 227 total blocks, which was second overall in the record book, just behind Silvia Oliveria’s 433 blocks back in the 2000-01 seasons. She also finished this season with 57 solo blocks.

Balza also finished this season with 152 digs and had a hitting percentage of .466.

Balza is slated to arrive at Penn State May 18 to begin summer workouts.

As for Benitez, the 5-4 libero, who also was a NJCAA first-team all-American, had plenty of colleges she was looking at. She was also leaning towards the University of South Florida so she could be closer to home.

“I choose Creighton because when I went there to visit, the team was nice and I really liked it,” she said. “That school is like a family, just like here. I think I will be comfortable. I am excited because maybe I will see them again. It will be a new experience.”

Benitez is not worried about following in another former Cougar’s footsteps at Creighton in Bianca Rivera. Rivera finished her stellar career at Creighton earning honorable mention all-American honors by the AVCA. Benitez earned second team AVCA all-American honors this past fall.

“That is no big deal [following in Bianca’s footsteps],” she said. “I know I can do the work and try to be just as good. I really don’t want people to compare me to her so I am going to work hard and do my work. I am not worrying about that. It will help me in some way, but it is not a big deal. I still have to work hard in trying to get my position. I think I will do it.”

Benitez had a stellar two years at WNCC at the libero position, helping the team to 115 wins in her two years at WNCC.

Benitez finished this year at the school’s all-time leader in aces served, collecting 250 in her two years. She had 142 as a freshman and finished this season with 108. Rivera finished her career at WNCC with 188 aces.

Benitez also collected 1,110 career digs, including 539 this past season. She is just one of nine volleyball players in WNCC history to collect over 1,000 digs. Rivera finished with 1,425 digs when she played for WNCC in 2005 and 2006. Benitez, who played in 301 games, also had 672 points.