CHEYENNE, Wyoming – The Laramie County Community College volleyball team earned six postseason awards as they released on Monday.
Sophomore Avery Nelson (Colorado Springs, Colorado) was tabbed as a First-Team All-Region North honoree for second time in her career as was also named the Region IX North Player of the Year. She also took home the Conference Player of the Year award. Fellow sophomores Kylie Martin (Gypsum, Colorado), Payton Stack (Casper, Wyoming) and Kasandra Sturges (Parker, Colorado) were also named to the First-Team. Freshman Jazzy Espinoza (Cheyenne, Wyoming) was also named to the First-Team. Espinoza, Nelson and Stack were all named to the First-Team All-Conference Team as well. Kyle Meltzer (Fort Collins, Colorado) was named to the Second-Team All-Conference Team. Espinoza was named All-Region North Freshman of the Year and Sturges was named All-Region North Setter of the Year. Head Coach Austin Albers was named Coach of the Year for the second-year in a row. Martin, Meltzer and Elizabeth Clark were named to the All-Region Tournament Team.
Nelson, a strong force for the Golden Eagles has played in all 37 matches registering a team-high 498 kills on the season. The 498 kills are also third best in the NJCAA. She averages 3.74 kills per set and is 12th in the country for kills per set. Martin has recorded 282 kills on the season for second-best on the team. The sophomore right side leads the team in service aces with 53 on the year. Those 53 service aces are good for 20th in the country. Stack has played in all 37 matches this season has recorded 221 kills on the season for third best on the team. Sturges has played in all 37 matches for the Golden Eagles and leads them in assists with 869 on the year. Averaging 6.53 assists per set. Espinoza, the Cheyenne native recorded 191 kills but posted the best hitting percentage for the Golden Eagles at .353. The middle blocker has stepped up lately for the Golden Eagles. Meltzer, the libero has played in all 37 matches and lead the team with 475 digs on the season. She has also recorded 42 service aces. Clark in 2nd in the country with 137 block assist and is 4th in the country in blocks per set at 1.25.
The Golden Eagles won the Region IX District C Championship defeating Western Nebraska Community College and will represent Region IX along with Northeastern Junior College at the NJCAA National Tournament next week in Hutchinson, Kansas.