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When the Kansas State volleyball team shocked No. 2 Nebraska in the second round of the NCAA Tournament last week, everyone who supports Wildcats athletics took notice.

It’s rare that the Cornhuskers, a national power in volleyball, lose before the Sweet 16. But K-State was able to send them early. It was arguably the program’s biggest win – ever.

WEST PLAINS, Mo. – For the sixth straight year, the Western Nebraska Community College volleyball team earned a top-three finish at the NJCAA national tournament in West Plains, Mo.

The Cougars rebounded from Friday night’s disappointing loss in the semifinals to beat San Jacinto College 25-15, 19-25, 25-16, 25-19 on Saturday afternoon to place third.

WNCC coach Giovana Melo credited her squad for finishing strong under tough circumstances following the Cougars’ semifinal loss to Western Wyoming Community College, which lost to Blinn College in the championship.

WEST PLAINS, Mo. – The Western Nebraska Community College volleyball team swept past both of its opponents during the opening day of the NJCAA tournament on Thursday in West Plains, Mo.

WNCC, the defending national champion, received 10 kills from Jodi Huddleston and 17 points from Tasha Meyer in disposing of Western Texas College 25-16, 25-14, 25-4 in the first round. The Cougars followed that up with a dominating 25-17, 25-19, 25-15 quarterfinal win over the College of Central Florida, coached by former WNCC player Flavia Siqeira. Debora Araujo put down 15 kills for the Cougars against Central Florida.

The wins advanced the Cougars into the semifinal round for the eighth straight year. WNCC will meet Region IX rival Western Wyoming today at 5:30 p.m. for the right to play in Saturday’s championship match.

Danika Youngblood and Debora Araujo combined for 28 kills and the No. 2 ranked Western Nebraska Community College volleyball team swept past Otero Junior College 25-12, 25-13, 25-10 in the second day of the Region IX South Volleyball Tournament at Cougar Palace on Friday.

Youngblood finished with 15 kills, including 14 in the first two sets, to power the Cougars to the victory. Youngblood also had a block and eight digs. Araujo finished the contest with a block, nine digs and three aces.

Also for the Cougars, Alex Rivera finished with 11 digs; Dani Grace had seven digs; Lais Soares had six kills, two blocks, five digs and two aces; Jodi Huddleston had seven kills; Megan Johnson had seven kills and two blocks; and Fernanda Goncalves had five digs and 42 set assists.

The two squads battled back and forth early in sets one and two. In the opener, WNCC led 8-7 before a monster kill by Johnson and the Goncalves ran off three points for a 12-7 lead. Otero cut the lead to 15-11 on a Jayde Comfort kill and service point, but Soares served six straight points three kills each from Youngblood and Huddleston. Huddleston finished off the set with a kill from the middle.

WNCC trailed in the second set 6-5 but it was only momentarily as Huddleston had a kill and then Rivera ran off five service points for an 11-6 lead. The Cougars widened the lead as Goncalves had a four-point service run for a 16-7 lead. Huddleston finished off the set with another kill for the 2-0 lead.

The final set was all Cougars as Araujo served up two aces for a 4-1 lead. Otero cut the lead to 9-6, but Aruajo hammered home a kill and then Rivera served eight straight points for an 18-6 lead. WNCC’s Soares finished off the match with a kill from the rightside.

With the win, WNCC advanced to the winner’s bracket final at 5 p.m. Friday in the double-elimination tournament. The tournament continues through Saturday.

The No. 1 ranked Western Nebraska Community College volleyball team used a balanced hitting attack and brushed off the butterflies in the home opener to earn a 25-8, 25-21, 25-21 sweep over Eastern Wyoming College at Cougar Palace on Tuesday night.

Megan Johnson, a freshman from Sandy, Utah, said the nervous had a lot to play in the Cougars’ performance on the night.

“We did OK, but we could have done better,” said Johnson, who finished with six kills and three blocks. “I think the nerves got the best of all of us, but we pulled it out. There were a lot of nerves and I know I was really nervous at the beginning.”

The Western Nebraska Community College volleyball team defeated Hillsborough Community College in four sets and West Plains in three sets at the Iowa Western Community College Tournament Friday night.

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Despite returning just four players from last year’s national-championship squad, expectations for success remain lofty for this year’s Western Nebraska Community College volleyball team.

The Cougars opened practice on Monday with plenty of optimism, eagerness and athletic talent.

“The first day of practice went pretty good,” said WNCC coach Giovana Melo, who is in her fourth year guiding the program. “We got to see them compete against each other. I think we have some pretty athletic girls and we are really excited.”

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Wednesday announced the signing of three players with diverse and impressive backgrounds.

One comes from Alaska, one comes from Germany and one comes from the junior college where Green coached before coming to UAA in 2008.

BROOKVILLE, N.Y. (April 14, 2011) – Coach Shellane Ogoshi and the C.W. Post volleyball team will be welcoming in two new young ladies to the program this upcoming fall. The two newcomers both come in as transfer students.

Emily Hoehn (Kearny, Neb.) will be coming to compete for time in the libero/dig specialist role this upcoming season. Hoehn joins the Pioneers out of Western Nebraska Community College, a Junior College that won the NJCAA championship this past season. Prior to her time at Western Nebraska, Hoehn spent four years on the varsity team at her high school, Kearny Catholic. The squad reached the state tournament all four years. During her junior and senior years, she was named a State Honorable Mention for volleyball. She also lettered in basketball and soccer, with her basketball team winning the state championship in 2007.

Coach Ogoshi on Hoehn: “She is an incredibly ambitious and driven young lady who will have much to offer on and off the court. We are honored to have someone with such amazing work ethic and passion for the game and are excited to see what she will bring to our program.”

Bingham High volleyball star Danika Youngblood has signed to play volleyball for Western Nebraska Community College.

Youngblood will receive a full scholarship from the Cougars, last year's Division I Junior College Women's Volleyball National Champions.
Youngblood played for the Utah Elite volleyball club team as well as the Miners.

She is the daughter of former Utah State basketball great Kendall Youngblood.