Conquering chill: showcase helps MCC spiker reach goal

Many friends and family were there to support McCook Community College sophomore Fernanda Canedo as she signed with a four-year school to play volleyball on Tuesday. Collegiate volleyball has returned after the long COVID-19 delay.

mccindians.com

McCOOK, Neb. — Amidst one of the most prolonged cold spells in McCook in years, a Bolivian beach volleyball player, made her dreams come true.

MCC sophomore Fernanda Canedo from Cochabamba, Bolivia, signed her national letter of intent Tuesday to continue her volleyball career this fall in Olathe Kan. for MidAmerica Nazarene.

“It has always been a dream of mine to play college volleyball for a four-year school and today my dreams came true,” she said at the signing ceremony which included more than 50 friends, teammates, community members, fellow students and student-athletes.

“Fernanda is a really awesome person as you can tell but the number of people who are here today because they love her,” MCC coach Hayley Kobza observed.

Because COVID-19 forced the postponement of fall volleyball, many players like Fernanda, who were looking for four-year schools, were unable to utilize the traditional visitation methods.

MidAmerica Nazarene coach Molly Karagyaurov was one of 140 coaches who watched Canedo and 32 other collegiate players work out during the Nov. 14 Region IX sophomore showcase, hosted by MCC at the Graff Events Center.

Canedo, a 5-8 outside hitter, said while she didn’t get to visit the school, she researched the school online and spoke with the coach, whom she said resembled coach Kobza.

She also liked that assistant coach Eugenia Ayzaguer, who is a graduate assistant from Uraguay, speaks Spanish.

The Pioneers completed an abbreviated season Nov. 7 with a 12-7 record, playing in the Heart of America Athletic Conference (NAIA).

Canedo isn’t sure which position she will play and told the coaching staff she’d play wherever they need her – a skill she attributes to playing beach volleyball.

“Every time we recruit players we want them to come here to become better, stronger, and love the sport of volleyball so they push themselves to be better and this is the end result. This is how you know you’ve been successful at MCC,” said Kobza.

Through eight matches, Canedo has 95 kills, 78 digs, nine blocks, nine assists and five service aces.

In her freshman season, Canedo was named to the All-Region IX South team, the All-Region IX Tournament team and the Omaha World-Herald All-Nebraska college team.

She led the Lady Indians with 429 kills, second most in the south division (14th most in the nation).

“For anybody who has seen Fernanda play, she is wild, she does some crazy things on the court but she scores and she is a gamer,” Kobza said. “aware on the court.”

The Lady Indians are 5-3 through the first eight matches of the year and Canedo has high hopes for her team.

“I think we have a really good team and have the potential to go to nationals and have a very good year,” she said.