WNCC volleyball team opens pre-season practice with talent

The Western Nebraska Community College volleyball have plenty to play for this seaosn.

With a team motto of "On the prowl for excellence," the Cougars are hunting for another national championship run. After the first day of practice, WNCC's aim for a 12th straight national tournament could be in their sights.

"The season looks great," sophomore Kathryn Stock said before the team's afternoon practice. "I think we had a really good practice in the morning and I am excited for the season. We got to watch the freshmen and they look like they are doing well. We have some good talent coming in and some good talent returning."

Stock is one of seven players that were part of last year's 42-4 team that finished third for the second straight year at the national tournament. Stock said there is no pressure in accomplishing what previous teams have done.

"I don’t really feel pressure to get to the national tournament," she said. "I think it [the knowing that other teams have gone to nationals] is just there and we all have the desire to be national champions. That is one our goal; and we are just going to give it our best.":
The Cougars started that quest for another trip to the national tournament, which this year the tournaments returns to West Plains, Mo., Tuesday with 13 players on the roster. THe team went through specialty practices in the morning and then worked together in the afternoon. The pre-season practices also consist of lifting weights, spinning and other conditioning functions.

The team, in the short time they have been together, are already forming the tight-net camaraderie.

"It won’t take us long to mesh together," Stock said. "We all get along real well outside the court."

Stock, a 5-foot-11 outside hitter from Thibodaux, La., is one of the six returners that saw plenty of action a year ago Stock earned all-region honors last season. The other key returners include 6-0 Ariel Austin of Woodland Park, Colo.; Sierra Schmidt, 5-6 of Gering, Tania Torres, 6-1 from Camay, Puerto Rico; Emily Hoehn, 5-5 from Kearney; and 5-6 Kuulei Kabalis from Hilo, Hawaii.

Another returner that will add depth at the hitter position is redshirt freshman Mackenzie Westphal of Scottsbluff. Westphal is a 5-10 outside hitter that earned Star-Herald volleyball player of the year honors two years ago.

The sophomores, however, will need to work hard for playing time from a talented freshmen core of players. The newcomers include Sara Hirschfeld, 5-7 setter from Moab, Utah; Tori Bozzo, 5-11 hitter from Salinas, Calif.; Debora Araujo, 5-10 hitter from Belo Horizonte, Brazil; Fernanda Freine, 5-9 setter from Belo Horizonte, Brazil; Lais Soares, 5-11 hitter from Sao Jose, Brazil; and Jodi Huddleston, 6-0 middle hitter from Scottsbluff.

Stock said this team has plenty of potential.

"We are going to be good," she said. "I think coach G [Giovana Melo] does a good job of playing who needs to be played. We want to win so it is not always the most important thing to get playing time. Sometimes you have to support your team."

WNCC's first competition will be Aug. 14 when they will participate in a a scrimmage tournament at Black Hills State before hosting their annual alumni scrimmage on Aug. 21. The Cougars will open the season for real the following weekend when they will compete in the Iowa Western Community College.

Stock said they will be ready for the opening competition.

"We have a lot to do but we have a lot of practices before that," she said. "We are just going to have fun and play hard against each other to make us better. We are on the prowl."