Western Nebraska Community College’s volleyball players Kaleinani Kabalis and Sabina Piegza capped off their volleyball careers by picking up some well-deserved honors this month.
The two sophomores recently were named first team All-American by the National Junior College Athletic Association. It was the third time in the last four years that the Cougars had two first-team all-Americans.
“I think it means we are starting to build a good tradition for the program and the school,” head coach Giovana Melo said. “We have had a lot of success with the players that come through our program. I mean, look at what happened this weekend with a former player [Fatima Balza] winning a national title for Penn State.”
Kabalis, from a 5-9 hitter from Hilo, Hawaii, and Piegza, a 6-1 setter from Poland, helped lead the Cougars to a 42-4 record and a third place finish at the national tournament this past fall. Both are sophomores. As a freshman, Kabalis was a second-team all-American. Melo said both are deserving of the honors, but couldn’t have known it without the help of their teammates.
“They did a great job for us but they probably wouldn’t have done it without their teammates,” she said. “That was one thing they learned this year and that is to play as a team. The awards come as consequences.”
Both players were also named to the national tournament all-tournament team. Kabalis was selected as the tournament’s top defensive player. The two sophomores also earned recognition by the American Volleyball Coaches Association, earning AVCA first team all-American honors.
Melo said both players made huge strides this season both on and off the court. Melo led the nation in kills per game and is just one of nine Cougars to finish with over 1,000 kills in her career at WNCC.
“I think Kalei matured as a player, not just from last year but as the season went on,” she said. “She is a very talented player who can make a difference in any team and as she started to play more for her team and teammates, she was unstoppable and fun to watch.”
Melo said Piegza also excelled. Peigza was one of the leaders in the nation in setting and hitting efficiency. She also missed three weeks of the season due to a knee injury.
“This year I think Sabi became way more comfortable with the team and with her role as a leader,” she said. “I think that made a huge difference in her. Sabi is very quiet and shy, which is not a common characteristic for a setter. However, that was what made her so unique. She still found ways to lead this team in her own little way.”
Melo said the recruiting is going well in trying to replace, not only Kabalis and Piegza, but all six of the sophomores on this year’s team.
The accomplishments of Piegza and Kabalis will be motivation for the freshmen to work hard and try to realize those same accomplishments.
“I think we have a very talented freshmen class who wants to get better,” she said. “I think they will be working towards that same success.”
At the same time, Melo said it will be hard to replace this group of sophomores.
“I don’t think we can replace them because they are very unique kids,” Melo said. “I don’t think any of the sophomores can be replaced. Every single one of them brought something to the table that was theirs and that is hard to replace. Now, we just have to go find some more talented players and create a new culture for the program next year.”
Melo said all the sophomores will have opportunities to go on to play volleyball.
“I am extremely proud of them,” she said. “They did a great job for us and like I said, we can’t really replace them. They put their mark on this program. They all have great opportunities. We are going to get them in their visits after the holidays and see what happens. I am very happy for them. They deserve all the recognition they are getting.”
The entire NJCAA all-American first team includes: Marketa Hanzlova of North Idaho, Jessica Peacock of Southern Idaho, Katja Stepanova and Patricia Figueiredo of Missouri-West Plains, Erika Charry Ramirez of Salt Lake, Celeste Bonter and Stephanie Figueroa of Iowa Western, Cinthya Roberto of Blinn, Sandra Montoya of Miami Dade, and Deanna Shaw of Eastern Utah,
Three other Region IX players earned either NJCAA second team or honorable mention all-American honors. They included Brunna Kronbauer of Northeastern Junior College and Konefesi Vaisigano of Casper College earning second team honors, while Tatyanna Lukyaneko garnered honorable mention honors.
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