Another Indian reaching the next level

mccindians,com

OTTAWA, Kan. -- McCook Community College sophomore Onyessah Rocha signed a letter of intent Monday to continue her volleyball career next year at Ottawa University in Kansas.

The defensive specialist from Topeka said when the MCC volleyball season ended, she weighed her options for next year and thought she might be done with the sport, but an email from Ottawa coach Melissa Blessington renewed her hopes. Just prior to Thanksgiving, the coach invited her to campus for a visit during the Thanksgiving break. While there, she was offered a scholarship.

Rocha said since Ottawa is about an hour from her home in Topeka, she had several friends, classmates and student athletes who went on to Ottawa, but until her visit over Thanksgiving, she had never been on campus and didn’t know that much about the volleyball program.

The Braves team went 27-13 this fall, including a run in the NAIA National Championship which included a loss to 13-ranked Hastings College in the opening round of the tournament. Ottawa won the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference Tournament Championship which earned the program its sixth trip (fourth straight appearance), at the NAIA National Tournament, and a second place finish in the KCAC with a record of 11-1.

“My goal is to compete for the starting libero position next year,” Rocha said.

“’Yessah’ is a player who makes serve receive passing look easy and that is a skill other players have to work daily on,” McCook Community College coach Hayley Kobza said.

Her favorite memory of her time on the MCC volleyball court was winning the Nebraska Community College Athletic Conference championship. “Not only winning but going undefeated in conference was one of the highlights of a pretty good season.”

Rocha was part of a group that helped MCC post back-to-back 20-win seasons.