There will be a new coach roaming the sidelines for Western Nebraska Community College as Leyton High and Eastern Wyoming College graduate Lindsey (Winkelman) Gonzales will be serving as head coach Giovana Melo’s assistant this year. Gonzales, who played against Melo for one year in college, is excited to be teaming up with her for the coming year.
“I am very excited to be helping Gi,” Gonzales said. “We became friends at the beginning of the year and things just progressed. We played against each other when I was a sophomore and she was a freshman in college at WNCC. That was the first experience against her. This year we ended up being on a YMCA women’s team together through mutual friends and I was able to see her competitive fire on the court inspired me.”
Gonzales, who also works for Regional West Medical Center, said she is ready to learn a different side of volleyball.
“I am ready to learn, that is for sure,” she said. “It will be a totally different side to the sport then playing it. I helped Gi with camp this summer and that was even different then just getting out and playing. You have to be there to teach and coach and help. I am excited to start something new, learn and I am looking forward to using my experience to help the players.”
The two youthful coaches bring plenty of success to the sidelines as Melo and Gonzales were top-notch setters for their collegiate teams in the early 2000s.
Gonzales sparkled on the court at Leyton high school, graduating in 2000, where she participated in volleyball, basketball, and track and field. She was a member of the West team in the West Nebraska All-star Volleyball Match and Panhandle Prep all-star basketball game. She also helped the Warriors to the state volleyball tournament her freshman (1996) and junior year (1998). She was also one of the top hurdlers in the state, finishing second at the Nebraska state championships in the 100 high hurdles (15.55) and the 300 low hurdles (48.28) her senior year.
Gonzales elevated her game at the collegiate level, helping the Lancers to two runner-up finishes at the Regional tournament in 2000 and 2001. The 2000 team finished 31-19, while the 2001 team went 37-20. Both teams fell one match short of the national tournament, falling to Northwest Wyoming in the title contest.
Gonzales excelled both on the court and the classroom at EWC. Her sophomore year, she was selected to the all-tournament team at regionals, was a NJCAA distinguished academic all-American with a 3.8 GPA, and was academic all-region and all-conference.
She played in all 106 matches and all 328 games over her two seasons as a Lancer. She ranks fourth in Lancer volleyball history as a setter with a 97.2 setting percentage, 10th overall in serving at 94.2 percent and served 673 points. She also had 2,118 career setting assists and finished with 768 career digs.
She said it was a big switch going from Leyton, a Class D-2 school to junior college volleyball, but she embraced the challenges and succeeded.
“The sport is a lot quicker and is more competitive. It forces you to become better and work harder,” she said. “I got a good foundation playing volleyball at Leyton and I gained a love for the game.”
Gonzales said that she became a different player in college and is thankful for her time at EWC.
“When I played at EWC, I saw how competitive it was immediately,” she said. “Coach Petsch and Lance helped me become better, and I learned so much from them about playing the game differently." She said it will be different when WNCC faces the Lancers and she is wearing blue and gold instead of EWC’s colors.
“I am not sure what it will be like, but I think Coach [Verl] Petsch will be happy, and I hope to get a smile from him,” she said. “I have come to games here and have seen him so he knows I am still in the area. I look forward to seeing them again and that I enjoyed playing for them, and I am thankful for that opportunity.”
Gonzales is not wasting time in getting her feet wet with helping the Cougars. She already has some assignments lined up and can’t wait until the first day of practice in August.
“I am very excited to get started,” she said. “I already have my assignments and here we go.”
Gonzales is married to Isaac, a graduate of Minatare High School who played one year of basketball at WNCC, and they have a 4-year son, XayVian.
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