2018-19 WNCC Lady Cougar Basketball News
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Joplin, Morehouse selected for summer all-star game in Atlanta
May 21, 2019Western Nebraska Community College’s Taylor Joplin and Tishara Morehouse have been selected to play in the NJCAA Women’s Basketball Coaches Association all-star weekend this summer July 19-22 in Atlanta, Georgia. Joplin and Morehouse are two of the 40 returning junior college players that were selected for the all-star event that features players from all three divisions of the NJCAA and 31 different JUCO institutions. Morehouse and Joplin are excited to be part of the classic. -
WNCC”s Langton heading to Texas A&M International
May 21, 2019Western Nebraska Community College’s Eva Langton came to the United States from New Zealand to continue playing basketball and get an education. After two years at WNCC, where Langton excelled in the classroom and on the court, the 6-foot-1 guard will be continuing her education and education at the next level after signing with Texas A&M International, a Division II in Laredo, Texas. “I am going to Texas A&M International. I choose to go there because I really liked the school and the program I am going into is really good,” she said. “They have a new coach that has been successful at previous schools and I like his style of play that he is trying to accomplish and he is a good fit for me.”
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WNCC women’s basketball players ink with Division I Longwood University
May 21, 2019When Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball players Allysah Boothe and Andrijana Reljic arrived on campus last August little did they know they would be teammates for another two years after both inked with Division I Longwood University in Virginia. The two Cougar sophomores said it is a thrill to continue playing at the next level.
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WNCC’s Wiehl inks with Division I Santa Clara
May 08, 2019Western Nebraska Community College’s all-time career and season scoring leader Merle Wiehl made it official signing to take her scoring talents to the Division I level after inking with Santa Clara University on Monday. Wiehl said she is excited to move on to the Division I level. “I choice Santa Clara because it was the best fit overall and their basketball style is what I like to do., and I really like the people there and it is a good academic school. That made the choice easy.” Wiehl said. “It was always my dream in the first place to go to the next level and get a degree after two years here. I am really excited.”
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WNCC’s Wiehl named NJCAA First Team all-American
April 09, 2019Western Nebraska Community College’s Merle Wiehl became only the third player in college history to be named an NJCAA First Team All-American when the all-American lists were released on Monday. Wiehl, who holds the WNCC season and career scoring records, was one of 10 players to make the First team. Wiehl said it is a great honor, but she couldn’t have done it without her teammates.
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WNCC falls to Hutch at nationals, ends season at 29-4
March 19, 2019LUBBOCK, Texas -- The Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team played tough, but Hutchinson Community College used its physicality in earning an 81-60 win in the opening round of the NJCAA national tournament in Lubbock, Texas, Monday evening. The Cougars finish the season at 29-4 while Hutchinson moves to 31-3 and will face Angelina College on Wednesday.
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WNCC falls to Hutch at nationals, ends season at 29-4
March 19, 2019LUBBOCK, Texas -- The Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team played tough, but Hutchinson Community College used its physicality in earning an 81-60 win in the opening round of the NJCAA national tournament in Lubbock, Texas, Monday evening. The Cougars finish the season at 29-4 while Hutchinson moves to 31-3 and will face Angelina College on Wednesday.
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WNCC opens national tourney Monday against Hutch
March 17, 2019The Western Nebraska Community College and Hutchinson Community College women’s basketball team are both making their third straight trip to the NJCAA national tournament in Lubbock, Texas. Both teams lost their opening games the previous two tournaments. So, when the 29-3 Cougars and the 30-3 Blue Dragons take to the court Monday at 5 p.m. MST at Lubbock Christian University, one of the two schools will pick up a win. WNCC’s last win at the national tournament came in 2014 when the Cougars defeated State Fair Community College 63-60 before falling to Trinity Valley Community College 77-48.
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WNCC women to face Hutchinson at nationals
March 11, 2019The Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team didn’t have to sit on pins and needles waiting their fate for the NJCAA national tournament like last year. They knew they were in, it was just a matter where they would be seeded for next week’s national tournament in Lubbock, Texas. WNCC, who topped Casper College 65-60 on Saturday to win its 14th regional title, earned the automatic berth to the national tournament, which will be the school’s third straight trip to nationals. Monday morning the Cougar players and coaches watched the unveiling show with anticipation to learn their fate. It didn’t take long either to see their name unlike last year when they were one of the last teams unveiled. The Cougars, 29-3, earned the 20th seed at the national tournament and will face the 13th seed Hutchinson Community College on Monday at 5 p.m.
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WNCC women top EWC, move into championship against Casper
March 09, 2019A trip back to the Region IX championship is officially set for the Western Nebraska Community College women's basketball team. The Cougars led wire-to-wire against Eastern Wyoming College, registering a 91-65 win in the semi-final round to advance to the title game where they will face Casper College. Casper hung on to top Northeastern Junior College 74-72 to face the Cougars in the championship Saturday at 5 p.m. WNCC, 28-3, will be making their third straight trip to the title game. WNCC won the championship in 2017 at Cougar Palace over Eastern Wyoming before falling to Casper last year in Casper 85-75.
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WNCC women claim Region IX championship, headed to nationals
March 09, 2019Merle Wiehl and Tishara Morehouse combined for 41 points and the Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team punched their ticket to the NJCAA national tournament by claiming the Region IX title with a 65-60 win over Casper College Saturday at Cougar Palace. The win gives the Cougars, 29-3, the automatic berth into the national tournament in Lubbock, Texas, March 18-23 unlike last year where the Cougars had to wait to see their name called as an at-large team. The pairings and seeds for the national tournament will be released Monday at 9 a.m
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WNCC cruises over Sheridan to move into the semifinals
March 08, 2019Merle Wiehl connected for 28 points and the 21st-ranked Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team rolled to 95-43 win over Sheridan College in the quarterfinals of the Region IX tournament at Cougar Palace Thursday evening. WNCC, who moved to 27-3, will face Eastern Wyoming College in the semifinals Friday night at 7 p.m. The Lancers escaped with a thrilling 86-85 win over McCook Community College.
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WNCC women ready for regional tournament Thursday at Cougar Palace
March 06, 2019The Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team ran through the regular season with a 26-3 record and a perfect 13-0 mark at Cougar Palace and now the 21st-ranked Cougars will put everything on the line when they host the Region IX tournament Thursday through Saturday at Cougar Palace. WNCC opens tournament play at 8 p.m. Thursday when they face Sheridan College. Other first round games in the tournament will pit Northeastern Junior College against Laramie County Community College at 1 p.m., Eastern Wyoming College against McCook Community College at 3 p.m., and Casper College against Otero Junior College at 6 p.m. The winners advance to Friday’s semifinals.
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WNCC women top Trinidad to go 10-0 in sub-region
February 23, 2019TRINIDAD, Colo. – The 21st-ranked Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team had a slow start against Trinidad State Junior College Saturday evening, but the Cougar women used a 30-0 run spanning the first and second quarter to win 76-61 in a Region IX South Sub-region contest. WNCC moves to 26-3 on the season and finished the conference with a perfect 10-0 record. The Cougars have won 14 straight games.
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WNCC women win 13th straight, top Otero 90-54
February 22, 2019LAJUNTA, Colo. – The 21st-ranked Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team won its 13th straight with a dominating performance over Otero Junior College 90-54 in a Region IX South Sub-region contest Friday in LaJunta, Colorado. The Cougars move to 25-3 on the season and 9-0 in conference play with the win that saw four players hit double digits.
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Wiehl’s trey in closing seconds gives WNCC 69-66 win over Iowa Western
February 21, 2019Merle Wiehl’s 3-pointer with seconds remaining helped lift the No. 21 Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team to a thrilling 69-66 win over Iowa Western Community College Wednesday night in sophomore recognition night. The win was the Cougar’s 12th straight and they finished the regular season at home undefeated at 13-0. WNCC is 24-3 on the season and has two regular-season conference road games left this weekend before hosting the Region IX tournament March 7-9.
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WNCC women with 11th straight, will host regionals in March
February 17, 2019Merle Wiehl finished with 31 points and the 23rd-ranked Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team captured the Region IX South top seed and the right to host the Region IX tournament in March with an 83-69 win over Northeastern Junior College Saturday afternoon at Cougar Palace. WNCC moves to 8-0 in conference play and has a 2-game lead over NJC in sub-region play. The win was the Cougars 11th straight, moving WNCC to 23-3 on the season with three regular season games left.
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WNCC women run past Lamar 102-25
February 16, 2019The 23rd-ranked Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team had little trouble with Lamar Community College in a Region IX South sub-region contest Friday night, holding the Lopes to single digits in all four quarters in earning the 102-25 win at Cougar Palace. WNCC’s depth and defense ruled supreme in the win, holding Lamar to 8 percent shooting (3-of-38) and never looked back from the get-go for the Cougars’ 22nd win of the season and 10th straight.
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WNCC women roll over EWC 104-58
February 12, 2019The 24th-ranked Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team put five players in double figures and led from start to finish in rolling to a 104-58 win over Eastern Wyoming College to give head coach Chad Gibney a perfect birthday present. R’Manie Pulling, who led all scorers with 23 points including five 3-pointers, said the team was focused and played well.
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No. 24 WNCC women roll past McCook for 20th win
February 05, 2019MCCOOK – The No. 24-ranked Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team put five in double figures and rolled past McCook Community College 104-64 in a Region IX South Sub-region contest to move to 20-3 on the season. It is the 32nd straight season the Cougar women have won 20 or more games. Last time WNCC had a sub 20-win season was 1986-87 when the team went 19-7.
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WNCC women capture 19th win over Trinidad
February 04, 2019The Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team put four players in double figures in rolling to the 97-70 South sub-region win Sunday afternoon at Cougar Palace. The win was the Cougars 19th win on the year and their seventh straight. More importantly, WNCC moves to 5-0 in South sub-region play. The winner of the south sub-region hosts the regional tournament in March and gets a first-round bye.
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Wiehl breaks career scoring record, WNCC tops Casper 64-53
January 28, 2019Merle Wiehl made history Monday night as the sophomore poured in 28 points to break the 36-year-old career scoring record in helping the Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team win their sixth straight with a 64-53 victory over Casper College at Cougar Palace. Wiehl needed just five points coming into the contest and the 6-foot-1 wing player did not waste any time at all in setting the new school record by scoring the first five points of the contest. The old record of 1,026 points was held by Penny (Mallett) Dressor, who now lives in Windsor, Colorado. Dressor played for WNCC in 1981-1983.
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WNCC women run by McCook
January 23, 2019Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team had three players score over 20 points and the Cougar women used a strong first half in registering a 98-63 win over McCook Community College in a Region IX South sub-region contest Tuesday night at Cougar Palace. The win was the Cougars 17th of the season but more importantly, moved the Cougars to 4-0 in sub-region play. Tishara Morehouse and Taylor Joplin each finished with 24 points, while Merle Wiehl tallied 21. Wiehl now needs only five points to set the career scoring record of 1.026 set in 1983 by Penny Mallet. The Cougar women will next be in action Monday night when they host Casper College at 6 p.m.
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Wiehl, Green go over 1,000 career points in wins over Lamar
January 20, 2019LAMAR, Colo. - Western Nebraska Community College's Merle Wiehl and Jervay Green both went over the 1,000-point career scoring mark in road wins over Lamar Community College on Saturday in Lamar, Colorado. Wiehl scored a game-high 23 points in the Cougar women's 113-42 rout of Lamar. She now has a total of 1,001 points in her Cougar career. Green, a University of Nebraska recruit, scored 20 points in the WNCC men's 97-61 win. He now has scored 1,015 points in his career at WNCC.
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WNCC women top NJC for 15th win
January 19, 2019STERLING, Colo. - Merle Wiehl ignited for 27 points to help lead the Western Nebraska Community College women's basketball team to a 72-59 Region IX South Sub-region road win over Northeastern Junior College on Friday night in Sterling, Colorado. Wiehl shot 11 of 17 from the field overall in the game, including 4 of 7 from behind the 3-point line.
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WNCC women top Northeast by 50 points
January 12, 2019Merle Wiehl and Tishara Morehouse combined for 51 points and the Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team buried 13 3-pointers in registering a 50-point 99-49 win over Northeast Community College Friday evening at Cougar Palace. Wiehl led all scored with 30 points, including burying five 3-pointers. Morehouse tallied 21 points with four 3-pointers.
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WNCC women hit century mark in win over Otero
January 12, 2019The Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team put five players in double figures in downing Otero Junior College 104-66 in the Region IX South Sub-region opener for both squads. The Cougars shot 54 percent from the field while burying 16 3-pointers in posting their 14th win of the season.
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WNCC men, women at home this weekend
January 10, 2019The Western Nebraska Community College men’s and women’s basketball teams will usher in the home portion of 2019 with games this weekend as both teams try to bounce back from setbacks on Monday. The Cougar men, ranked 23rd in the nation, will host Otero Junior College on Friday at 7:30 p.m. in the Region IX South sub-region opener for both squads. While the men have just one game this weekend, the women will have a pair of contests. The Cougar women will host Northeast Community College on Friday at 5:30 p.m. before entertaining Otero Junior College on Saturday at 2 p.m. in the South Sub-region conference opener for both teams.
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WNCC women fall to Casper
January 07, 2019CASPER, Wyo. – The Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team had some rust in the first game back from a 3-week break, shooting just 28 percent from the field in falling 83-63 to Casper College on Monday in Casper, Wyoming. WNCC falls to 12-3 on the season and saw its 11-game winning streak snapped. It was a contest that WNCC made runs all night long, but each time the Cougars made a run the Thunderbirds would answer with a run of their own.
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WNCC women capture 11th straight win over Sheridan
December 16, 2018SHERIDAN, Wyo. – The Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team will head into the holiday break spreading some holiday cheer after capturing their 11th straight win with an 82-60 win over Sheridan College in the final day of the Sheridan Christmas Classic Saturday evening in Sheridan, Wyoming. The win moves WNCC to 12-2 on the season as they prepare for a 3-week break before returning to action January 7 when they travel to take on Casper College.
