From the NIACC Athletic Department –
VOLLEYBALL
What’s next: The NIACC volleyball team (17-16 overall, 3-5 in the ICCAC) plays at Iowa Central (21-13, 6-2) in the opening round of the NJCAA Region XI-B tournament at 7 p.m. Wednesday in Fort Dodge.
Last time out: NIACC wrapped up its regular season with a 3-0 nonconference victory over the Waldorf College junior varsity last Thursday.
NIACC statistical leaders: Kills: Kaylee Whittington 408, Aubury Coleman 296, Karlie Niedert 244; Assists: Hailey Winter 588, Jackie Bleifus 422; Ace serves: Whittington 51, Liv Block 39, Winter 39. Digs: Block 419, Whittington 402, Amber Carter 210; Blocks: Niedert 134, Coleman 87, Whittington 54, Zoe Schneider 41.
Lady Trojans’ match season highs
Kills: Whittington 21 vs. Southwestern (10-28-15); Assists: Winter 31 vs. Ellsworth (9-2-15); Ace serves: Whittington 7 vs. Riverland (9-11-15); Digs: Block 24 vs. Bismarck State College (9-12-15); Blocks: Niedert 11 vs. North Platte CC (10-23-15).
Lady Trojan tidbits: Whittington is the first NIACC player with 400 kills since Casey Spree accumulated 440 kills in the 1999 season … The last time two NIACC players recorded 400 digs in a season was 2008 when Jayna Blome had 593 and Ellen Helfter had 534.
CROSS COUNTRY
What’s next: The NIACC men’s and women’s cross country teams return to action Nov. 14 at the NJCAA national meet at the Lakeside Municipal Golf Course in Fort Dodge.
Last time out: The No. 14 NIACC women placed third at the NJCAA Region XI meet Sunday in Fort Dodge with 74 points. Freshman Jessica Blumberg paced the Lady Trojans with a sixth-place finish in 20 minutes, 16 seconds on the 5-kilometer course.
The No. 21 NIACC men placed third with 71 points. Sophomore Imad Amenzou earned first-team all-region honors with a fourth-place finish in 26:06 on the 8K course.
It was the fifth straight season that the NIACC men have had a first-team all-region performer. Cody Manchester was first team in 2011, Trent Smith in 2012, Jaime Zarate in 2013 and Trey Simons in 2014.
PERSONAL BESTS
NIACC WOMEN (5K)
Jessica Blumberg 19:18 (2015 Arkansas Chile Pepper); Alyssa Cowan 20:11 (2014 NJCAA national meet); Emerson Sears 20:25 (2015 Arkansas Chile Pepper); Kendra Schmidt 20:50 (2015 Arkansas Chile Pepper); Lattie Crozier 20:51 (2014 NJCAA national meet); Jordan Lane 21:58 (2015 Arkansas Chile Pepper); Taylor Glawe 23:08 (2015 Arkansas Chile Pepper); Emma Phipps 28:44 (2015 NJCAA Region XI meet).
NIACC MEN (8K)
Imad Amenzou 25:12 (2015 Arkansas Chile Pepper); Tyler Randall 26:59 (2014 St. Ambrose Invitational); Jacob Day 27:12 (2015 Buena Vista Invitational); Nick Frenz 28:14 (2015 Arkansas Chile Pepper); Jose Aguilera 29:15 (2015 Buena Vista Invitational); John Enright 28:59 (2015 Loras College Dr. Tucker Invitational); Lucas White 29:23 (2015 Buena Vista Invitational); Aaron Hardcastle 31:10 (2015 Loras College Dr. Tucker Invitational); Alec Mulcahey 35:31 (2015 Loras College Dr. Tucker Invitational).
At the next level: Former NIACC all-American Hannah Palmeter placed fourth at the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference meet in a time of 22:37 in the 6K race competing for Southwest Minnesota State. Palmeter, a junior, was selected as the NSIC newcomer of the year. Palmeter will compete in the NCAA Division II regional meet Saturday in Joplin, Mo.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
What’s next: The No. 9 NIACC women’s basketball team (2-0 overall) returns to action Friday and Saturday at the annual Konigsmark Klassic in the NIAC gym. The Lady Trojans play No. 2 Illinois Central at 6 p.m. Friday and face Lake Land CC at 5 p.m. Saturday.
Last time out: The Lady Trojans topped NDSCS 76-51 and Williston State College at the NDSCS tournament in Wapheton, N.D. last weekend. Sophomore Savannah Lentz scored 24 points, including 6 3-point goals, in the season opener. Sophomore transfer Sammie Sproul scored 18 points with 9 steals, 7 rebounds and 5 assists in the win over Williston State College.
Lady Trojan tidbits: Sophomore Savannah Lentz has 93 career 3-point goals, which is ninth on NIACC’s career 3-point list … Kelli Terrell (2003-05) ranks eighth on the list with 95 3-pointers … Lentz connected on 9 3-point goals in the NDSCS tournament … Sophomore Trudy Peterson has 7 3-point goals through the first 2 games … Peterson has 49 career 3-point goals.
At the next level: Former NIACC women’s basketball players Taylor Bianchi and Emily Bell helped lead Grand View to a 79-49 season-opening win over Waldorf College on Friday. Bianchi scored 8 points with 2 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal. Bell scored 7 points with 5 rebounds and 3 assists.
Grand View plays at Drake University in an exhibition Tuesday in the Knapp Center in Des Moines. Former NIACC all-American Cortni Rush is a junior on the Bulldogs roster.
MEN’S BASKETBALL
What’s next: The NIACC men’s basketball team opens its season Friday and Saturday at the annual Konigsmark Klassic in the NIAC gym. The Trojans play the Dakota Wesleyan Junior Varsity at 8 p.m. Friday and face Pure Prep Academy at 5 p.m. on Saturday.
Trojan tidbits: NIACC coach Mark Mohl is 7-0 in season openers … The Trojans topped Little Priest Tribal College 104-68 on the first day of the Konigsmark Klassic last season … NIACC topped the Dakota Wesleyan JV 88-67 in the 2012-13 season opener in the only meeting between the two teams … Sophomore Boy Van Vliet scored 215 points with 85 rebounds, 75 assists, 43 steals and 29 3-point goals as a freshman.
At the next level: Former NIACC men’s basketball player Al Davis, who plays for NCAA Division II Bellarmine University, had 3 rebounds and 3 assists in a 71-55 exhibition loss to Louisville on Sunday. Bellarmine plays at the University of Cincinnati Saturday in another exhibition.
WRESTLING
What’s next: The No. 2 NIACC wrestling team returns to action Nov. 14 at the Luther College Open in Decorah.
Last time out: Sophomore Quincy Kalkbrenner placed second at 157 pounds to lead NIACC at the ninth annual Kaye Young Open on Sunday. Also placing for the Trojans wereTaylor Lehman (4th at 141 pounds), Jake Niichel (6th at 149 pounds), Seth Niichel (5th at 157 pounds), Jakubb Fahrenkrug (3rd at 165 pounds), Tyler Demoss (3rd at 184 pounds), Tyler Larson (6th at 197 pounds) and Lawrence Phillips (6th at 285 pounds).
NIACC’s Paul Mascarenas placed third at 125 pounds wrestling unattached.
Trojan tidbits: Mascarenas has a career record of 27-14 with 6 pins, 2 technical falls and 4 major decisions … Phillips has a career record of 21-8 with 13 pins and 1 major decision … Kalkbrenner has a career record of 20-12 with 5 pins, 2 technical falls and 3 major decisions … Lehman has a career record of 14-8 with 3 pin and 2 technical falls.
– Compiled by NIACC sports information director Kirk Hardcastle
