Indian volleyball quartet captures post-season honors

McCOOK, Neb. — Three members of the McCook Community College volleyball team have claimed post-season Region IX South awards, as voted on by Region IX coaches.

In addition, post-season awards for the Nebraska Community College Athletic Conference were announced with three players and Coach Hayley Kobza winning honors.

Sophomores Cibeles Bothwell, Caylin Barnett and Rowan Tribblehorn were all named second-team all-Region IX south with Bothwell also recognized as the libero of the year.

Kobza and sophomore Romina Martinez Castro was named to the all-NCCA C team along with Barnett and Tribblehorn.

Bothwell, (Spring, Texas) becomes the second-straight Lady Indian named the conference’s top libero. Three times this season she was selected the south’s defensive player of the week and led the south during the regular season with 532 digs. For the 33 matches this year she finished with 551 digs (4.71 digs per set), along with 75 assists and 31 service aces. She follows Greta Bolognini who was the south’s top libero in the 2023 season.

Barnett, a six-rotation outside and a Southwest High School grad, finished the season with 300 kills, 402 digs, 52 total blocks, 28 service aces. For her MCC career, she played in 69 matches with 316 kills, 696 digs, 54 blocks, and 51 service aces.

Tribelhorn, middle blocker from Yuma, Colo., led MCC on the season in solo blocks (19) and block assists (100). Her 119 total blocks were fourth most in the Region IX South division. In 34 matches played, she also had 203 kills, 47 digs, 16 assists and 19 service aces. For her career, she played in 52 matches with 262 kills, 153 total blocks and 65 digs.

Eastern Wyoming (26-9), from the north division, claimed the championship bracket during the Region IX tournament while No. 4 Northeastern Junior College (31-5) came back through the consolation bracket to claim the region’s other berth in the National Junior College Athletic Conference tournament starting on Nov. 20.