MCC women's duo earns spots on all-Region IX squad

A pair of McCook Community College women’s basketball players have received Region IX post-season honors.

Gemma Gruettner-Bacoul and Audra Vine were both selected to the Region IX’s All-South team while Gruettner-Bacoul also earned all-defensive-team honors and was named to the all-tournament team.

Gruettner Bacoul, the sophomore from Berlin, Germany, led all Region IX players in scoring, averaging 18.2 points per game. She was second in the south division in 3-point shooting, connecting on 38.8 percent of her shots, second in steals at 2.5 per game and third in rebounding with 6.6 For the season, she made 43.6 percent of her shots from the field and 77.7 percent of her free throws.

In 31 games, she scored in double-figures 28 times with her high coming in a 36-point performance Nov. 10 against Dawson Community College. She topped 20 points 10 times and topped the 30-point mark three times.

In Region IX tournament play she scored 17 points in MCC’s opening-round win against Lamar, with five rebounds and a nine-for-10 showing from the free-throw line. On March 14 against Casper College, she scored 19 points and grabbed nine rebounds.

This season she scored 564 points to give her 781 for her career along with 312 rebounds and 116 steals.

This is the second-straight year Gruettner Bacoul was named to the all-defensive team.

Vine, sophomore from Thornton, Colo., transferred to MCC this year after a season at Fort Lewis College. She played in all 31 games this season, starting in 30 of them, averaging 9.1 points, 1.7 assists and 3.7 rebounds. She shot 38.4 percent from the field and 36.2 percent from the 3-point line, which was sixth best in the south division of Region IX. From the line she made 53 of 74 attempts (71.6 percent).

She scored a season-high 23 points in a home win Jan. 16 against Southeast Community College. She reached double-figures in scoring 14 times.

Casper College (28-5) won the Region IX Championship with an 81-69 win over Northeastern Junior College. The T-Birds will open the NJCAA Championships in Casper against Blinn College. Casper Coach Dwight Gunnare was named the Region IX North Coach of the Year while NJC Coach Bronson Moton was named the South’s Coach of the Year.

ALL-REGION IX SOUTH TEAM

Mackenzie Joseph, Western Nebraska

Gal-La Font, Western Nebraska

Faith Walker, Western Nebraska

Seneya Martinez, Northeastern JC

Ruby Sweeney-Spitzeck, Northeastern JC

Genesis Sweetwine, Northeastern JC

Gemma Gruettner Bacoul, McCook

Audra Vine, McCook

Gia Bradley, Otero

Hedda Koehne, Otero

SOUTH All-Defensive Team

Laura Montiel, Western Nebraska

A’mya Winfrey, Northeastern JC

Darling Harris, Lamar

Gemma Gruettner Bacoul, McCook

Hedda Koehne, Otero

South Coach of Year: Bronson Moton, Northeastern JC

ALL-REGION IX NORTH TEAM

Andi Schissler, Casper College

Logann Alvar, Casper College

Blanche Toualeu, Laramie County

Hailey Long, Eastern Wyoming

Kayde Strauss, Western Wyoming

Roxanne Rogers, Northwest College

Sierra Eddiem, Western Wyoming

Tamryn Blom , Western Wyoming

Luna Moreno, Eastern Wyoming

Lylah Spring, Laramie County

NORTH All-Defensive Team

Anna Csenyi, Casper College

Bianca Silva, Northwest College

Andrea Gutierrez, Eastern Wyoming College

Alyssa Beckford, Gillette College

Lylah Spring, Laramie County CC

North Coach of Year: Dwight Gunnare, Casper College

REGION IX ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM

Dasani Nesbit, Gillette

Andrea Gutierrez Ciordia, Eastern Wyoming

Gemma Gruettner Bocoul, McCook

Amiyah Donaldson, Western Nebraska

Gia Bradley, Otero

Jayden Jenkins, Otero

Sierra Eddie, Western Wyoming

Kayde Strauss, Western Wyoming

Logann Alvar, Casper College

Ruby Sweeney-Sitzeck, Northeastern JC

Andi Schissler, Casper College

Seneya Martinez, Northeastern JC

Anna Csenyi, Casper College

Genesis Sweetwine, Northeastern JC

Irene Fernandez de Caleya, Casper College