MCC volleyball trio earns all-Region IX honors

McCOOK, Neb. — Three McCook Community College sophomore volleyball players have earned post-season Region IX awards.

Greta Bolognini (Bergamo, Italy / Parkview Christian, Lincoln, Neb.) and Fernanda Merancio (Lamar, Colo.) were named all-Region IX South first team and Gabby Caskey (Ogallala) was selected to the second team. In addition, Bolognini was named the region’s libero of the year.

Following regionalchampionships across the country over the weekend, Bolognini emerged with the most digs of any players in the nation with 707. She averaged 5.61 dig per set, fourth most.

For the season she played in 35 matches and also had 129 assists and 36 service aces. Four times this season she was named the Region IX defensive player of the week and once she was named the national defensive player of the week.

She was named to the all-tournament team for the MCC Labor Day weekend tournament. She finished her MCC career with 988 digs.

Merancio finished the season with 412 kills, to go along with 131 digs and 53 total blocks. Her kill total was 13th most in the nation.

She was named Region IX offensive player of the week Oct. 30 and was selected to the all-tournament team for the season-opening MCC tournament. That included a season-best 22 kills in a match against Seward County CC. She also tallied 20 kills Sept. 15 on the road at Southeast Community College. Merancio finished her career with 701 kills, 256 digs and 91 total blocks.

Caskey led the team with 150 total blocks this season, which was fourth most in the nation. Her 140 block assists were the most in the nation. She also had 219 kills, 75 digs and 34 service aces. The middle blocker had double-digit kills four times this season with her most coming in a match with Cloud County when she recorded 15.

She had a season-high 10 assist blocks in a match Sept. 23 against Northeast CC. For her career Caskey recorded 411 kills, 76 service aces.