Four MCC volleyball players picked for All-Region South honors

Four McCook Community College volleyball players received post-season honors from the coaches of the Region IX South sub-region.

Freshman Fernanda Merancio received first team honors while sophomores Victoria Thomas, McKenna Crews and freshman Jessie Jerome were named to the second team.

In addition, Merancio and Thomas were named to the Region IX all-tournament team and MCC received the Sheila Worley Sportsmanship award from the tournament.

Merancio, a 5-10 outside hitter from Lamar Colo., had 252 kills on the season, fifth most among hitters on the six teams in the south region. She had a .223 hitting percentage on 673 attacks and hit at a .232 rate against Region IX south teams.

Merancio also had 118 digs and 33 blocks. She finished the regular season with 11 games of double-digit kills with her season high coming Sept. 20 at home against North Platte, along with a season-high six blocks. Her season-best hitting percentage of .462 came Oct. 4 at Columbus.

Thomas, (Houston, Texas), led MCC with 322 kills, averaging 2.93 per set, and added 306 digs, 50 blocks and 22 service aces. She had 17 matches with double-digit kills with her season-high of 19 coming Aug. 27 against Amarillo College. She had 15 matches of double-digit digs with season best coming Oct. 15 at home against Northeastern Junior College when she had 21.

Crews, (Loveland, Colo.) the defensive specialist, led MCC with 368 digs averaging 3.35 per set. She also added 35 service aces. She had 16 matches of double-digit digs and topped 20 four times with her career best 27 coming Aug. 27 on the road at Kansas Wesleyan.

Setter Jerome, (Rawlins, Wyo.), was second on the team with 488 assists. She also had 79 kills, 34 service aces, 180 digs and 35 total blocks.

Jerome had 16 matches with double-digit assists had 30 or more six times with her season-high coming Aug. 26 with 44 against the SWAGU JVs, a match she also had her season-best 17 digs. She had seven matches with double-digit digs, two matches of double-digit kills, and finished the season with a season-high seven aces against Lamar Oct. 28.

Western Nebraska's Erica Fava, outside hitter from Western Nebraska was named the Region IX-South player of the year. Her freshman teammate Shanelle Martinez was named freshman and setter of the year. Cougar Coach Binny Canales was named coach of the year and Northeastern Junior College freshman Grace Yoder, was named libero of the year.

Western Nebraska won the Region IX Tournament and Northeastern Junior College came back to win the consolation bracket and both teams advance to the national tournament Nov. 17-19 in West Plains, Missouri.