Three Lady Indians receive all-region honors
Three McCook Community College sophomore volleyball players have earned post-season Region IX awards.
Greta Bolognini (Bergamo, Italy / Parkview Christian, Lincoln, Neb.) and Fernanda Merancio (Lamar, Colo.) were named all-Region IX South first team and Gabby Caskey (Ogallala) was selected to the second team. In addition, Bolognini was named the region’s libero of the year.
Following regional championships across the country over the weekend, Bolognini emerged with the most digs of any players in the nation with 707. She averaged 5.61 dig per set, fourth most. For the season she played in 35 matches and also had 129 assists and 36 service aces. Four times this season she was named the Region IX defensive player of the week and once she was named the national defensive player of the week. She was named to the all-tournament team for the MCC Labor Day weekend tournament. She finished her MCC career with 988 digs.
Merancio finished the season with 412 kills, to go along with 131 digs and 53 total blocks. Her kill total was 13th most in the nation. She was named Region IX offensive player of the week Oct. 30 and was selected to the all-tournament team for the season-opening MCC tournament. That included a season-best 22 kills in a match against Seward County CC. She also tallied 20 kills Sept. 15 on the road at Southeast Community College. Merancio finished her career with 701 kills, 256 digs and 91 total blocks.
Caskey led the team with 150 total blocks this season, which was fourth most in the nation. Her 140 block assists were the most in the nation. She also had 219 kills, 75 digs and 34 service aces. The middle blocker had double-digit kills four times this season with her most coming in a match with Cloud County when she recorded 15. She had a season-high 10 assist blocks in a match Sept. 23 against Northeast CC. For her career Caskey recorded 411 kills, 76 service aces, 392 digs, and 225 total blocks.
Bolognini was the only player not from Northeastern Junior College to earn the region’s top year-end awards. Plainswoman Coach Mackenzie Chrisman was named “Coach of the Year.” Annika Helf was named “Player of the Year” and Nerea Alvarez Jorge was named “Freshman of the Year” and “Setter of the Year.”
NJC claimed the Region IX Northwest Plains A title winning all three of their tournament games, downing Central Wyoming 3-1 in the opening round, beating Laramie County Community College 3-2 on Thursday and winning the championship game Friday over Western Wyoming 3-0. The No. 2 Plainswomen advance to the NJCAA Division 1 championship tournament in Hutchinson, Kan. Nov. 15-18 with a 33-2 record.
Casper College is Region IX’s other entry into the national tournament. The Thunderbirds came back through the consolation round and won a 3-0 match over Western Wyoming Saturday.
Up-to-date information about MCC volleyball including schedules, statistics, rosters and photos can be found on the MCC Athletics website, www.mccindians.com.
2023 All-Region IX South Team
First Team
Annika Helf – Northeastern Junior College
Nerea Alvarez Jorge – Northeastern Junior College
Shanelle Martinez – Western Nebraska Community College
Greta Bolognini - McCook Community College
Caty Havekost - Northeastern Junior College
Fernanda Merancio – McCook Community College
Kyana Gabriel - Western Nebraska Community College
Second Team
Lilly Zwart – Western Nebraska Community College
Whitney Chintala – Northeastern Junior College
Jordan Garcia – Trinidad State Junior College
Finia Schul – Western Nebraska Community College
Gabby Caskey – McCook Community College
Nicole Custodio – Otero Junior College
Amya Speller – Trinidad State Junior College
Setter of the Year - Nerea Alvarez Jorge – Northeastern Junior College
Libero of the Year – Greta Bolognini - McCook Community College
Freshman of the Year – Nerea Alvarez Jorge – Northeastern Junior College
Player of the Year – Annika Helf – Northeastern Junior College
Coach of the Year – Mackenzie Chrisman – Northeastern Junior College
