This is a big week for the No. 16 Western Nebraska Community College volleyball team as they get ready to host three matches during the week.
It all begins Tuesday night in one of the bigger nights of the year as the Cougars entertain Casper College in PAWzitively Pink breast cancer awareness night. First serve is set for 6 p.m. at Cougar Palace.
Tuesday's activities include al breast cancer survivors getting in free and if fans where pink, they get $1 off admission. There will also be information available on breast cancer. Youngsters can also get their hair sprayed pink during the night. While it is Breast Cancer Awareness night, it is also WNCC alumni night where alumni also get in free.
This is the 14th year that the college has had a breast cancer awareness night at a volleyball game. This year is extra special as former Cougars have been undergoing breast cancer over the past year.
Fatima Balza, who played for the Cougars in 2007 and 2008 and helped them win a national title, went through breast cancer operation and chemo beginning in 2020 and wrapped up her chemo earlier this year. While Balza was finishing up, Taylor VanderWerff, who played at WNCC 2012 and 2013 while Balza was an assistant, was diagnosed with breast cancer earlier this year.
Also, Amy Winters, who spearheads the PAWzitively Pink night, underwent breast cancer in 2005 when she was an assistant volleyball coach for the Cougars. Winters was an assistant in 2007 when the Cougars won the national tournament.
While there where will be plenty of pink around Cougar Palace on Tuesday to celebrate a cause, the Cougars will also be looking to capture their fourth straight win. WNCC will be looking for their 21st win of the season.
WNCC and Casper have faced each other twice this season with the Cougars topping the Thunderbirds in four sets both times. In the first meeting between the two teams on September 18, WNCC was led by Erica Fava with 19 kills and 26 digs in the win.
The second win against Casper on September 21 at Casper saw Fava finish with a double-double of 11 kills and 18 digs, while Ale Meoni had 10 kills.
Both Fava and Meoni are ranked in the top five in total kills in the NJCAA. Fava has 456 kills this season and leads the nation while Meoni is fourth with 414 kills.
Macey Boggs, a Gering High graduate, is also up there in the nation in setting. Boggs is third with 1,119 set assists. Boggs is 15th in assists per set at 9.32.
After Tuesday, the Cougars will wrap up the home portion of the regular season with contests Friday and Saturday. Friday, the Cougars face Lamar Community College at 6 p.m. followed by taking on Northeastern Junior College on Saturday at 2 p.m.
WNCC will finish the regular season on Wednesday, Oct. 27 when they travel to take on McCook Community College.
WNCC will then host the Region IX tournament with all 12 Region IX teams November 3-6 with the top two teams qualifying for the national tournament in Hutchinson, Kansas.