2019-20 WNCC Cougar Women's Basketball News
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WNCC’s Morehouse inks with Division I Florida Gulf Coast
April 17, 2020Tishara “TK” Morehouse put together two solid seasons at Western Nebraska Community College and her reward came true this week of playing Division I basketball when she signed with Florida Gulf Coast University, a program that has made the post-season every year since 2009. Morehouse, the 5-foot-3 speedy and feisty guard, said everything about FGCU stood out. -
Former WNCC Cougar Chelsea Lyles named one of Top 50 Division I assistants
April 16, 2020Former Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball and volleyball player Chelsea Lyles is making some noise in the NCAA Division I coaching ranks. Lyles, who is in her 10th year as an assistant coach at Florida Gulf Coast University, was recently picked by Silver Waves Media as one of the Top 50 women’s basketball assistant coaches in the nation. Lyles said it is an honor to be recognized. “I am very grateful for the recognition. My purpose has always been to serve this university and program to the best of my ability,” Lyles said. “This recognition is a direct reflection of our program, though. I get to work a long side some of the best coaches and players in the country. They are the one’s who made this possible.”
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WNCC’s Valcheva signs with Division I UTSA
April 15, 2020Western Nebraska Community College’s Yuliyana Valcheva had a banner sophomore season for the Cougar women’s basketball team. Now, after two years in Scottsbluff, Valcheva made it official of where she will continue to play, signing with the University of Texas San Antonio to continue her basketball playing at the Division I level. “I picked UTSA because I felt that this program is the right fit for me and for my future accomplishments,” Valcheva said. “I really liked the coaching stuff, the place, the atmosphere from everything I saw, and I fell in love with the place. The decision came quick and I'm really excited for the next season.”
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Morehouse, Valcheva earn first-team All-Nebraska JUCO honors
April 14, 2020Four Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball players earned recognition on the Omaha World Herald All-Nebraska JUCO team that was released recently. TK Morehouse and Yuliyana Valcheva each were placed on the First team while their teammates R’Manie Pulling and Lidsey Mahoukou earned honorable mention honors. Morehouse had the biggest honor on the JUCO team, earning the honorary captain honor. Morehouse, who will be signing with a Division I university this week, was more than a scorer for the Cougars, who finished 28-2 this season, climbed to No. 2 in the NJCAA Division I poll, and had a 26-game winning streak, and earned a No. 7 seed for the national tournament.
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WNCC’s Morehouse earns First Team All-American honors
April 07, 2020The Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team has an outstanding season this past season and it got even better after sophomore guard TK [Tishara] Morehouse garnered NJCAA First Team All-American honors after the NJCAA released the teams Tuesday morning. Morehouse, a 5-3 guard from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, was one of the top scorers in the nation averaging 21 points a contest. Morehouse becomes the second straight WNCC Cougar to earn First Team honors. Merle Wiehl earned NJCAA First Team honors a year ago. It is the fourth straight season a Cougar was on the All-American team. Wiehl was a second-team selection in 2017-18 and Sladjana Rakovic was a third-team selection in 2016-17.
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Several WNCC women’s basketball players make all-region, all-tournament
March 27, 2020The Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team had several members of the 28-2 team that earned a 7th-seed into the national tournament receive post-season honors that was announced by the Region IX recently. Four Cougars earned South All-region Honors with three earning Region IX all-tournament honors. The four receiving all-region honors included sophomores Tishara Morehouse, R’Manie Pulling, and Yuliyana Valcheva, and freshman Lidsey Mahoukou.
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WNCC’s Gibney garners national coach of the year honor
March 19, 2020Western Nebraska Community College’s Chad Gibney garnered the World Exposure NJCAA Division I Coach of the Year that was released Wednesday. The World Exposure is a recruiting service for colleges for high school and college players. Gibney said he was surprised to receive the honor because there were many outstanding head coaches in the junior college arena that could have received it.
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NJCAA postpones national tourneys, suspends play from March 14-April 3
March 13, 2020The Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team will have five more weeks before they will participate in the NJCAA national tournament after the NJCAA postponed the upcoming DI and DII national tournaments because of the recent developments regarding COVID-19. WNCC head coach Chad Gibney said it was an unusual day on campus, especially when he had to tell his team the tournament was postponed. WNCC was slated to leave Saturday for the national tournament in Lubbock, Texas. Gibney said, however, the decision was made for the safety of the players and that is what is most important.
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WNCC seeded 7th for national tourney, receive first-round bye
March 09, 2020The Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team will be making their fourth straight trip the NJCAA national tournament in Lubbock, Texas, after earning a 7th-seed and a first-round bye into the March 17-21 national tournament. The 7th-seed is the highest seed the Cougars have had since the NJCAA went to a seeding format. The Cougars’ previous highest seed was 2012-13 when the team was seeded 14th. WNCC has competed in seven of the last eight national tournaments.
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WNCC women fall in title game to Casper
March 08, 2020CASPER, Wyo. – The second-ranked Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team made a run, but fell short in a bid for back-to-back Region IX titles as Casper College hit two free throws with 3.6 seconds left to earn a 66-64 win Saturday evening in Casper, Wyoming. The win sends Casper to the national tournament with the automatic bid while the Cougar women will wait to see if they get one of the eight at-large bids. The seedings and pairings for the national tournament will be announced Monday morning.
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WNCC tops Gillette, moves into tournament title game
March 07, 2020CASPER, Wyo. – The second-ranked Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team will be playing for a Region IX title after using a strong first half to register a 77-63 win over Gillette College to advance to the championship game of the Region IX tournament. The Cougars, 28-1 and winners of their last 26 straight games, will face Casper College for the Region IX title and the automatic berth into the national tournament in Lubbock, Texas, March 17-21. Casper was a 74-65 winner over Otero Junior College. The championship is slated for 6 p.m. in Casper, Wyoming.
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WNCC captures 25th straight with win over Sheridan at regionals
March 06, 2020CASPER, Wyo. – The second-ranked Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team buried 10 3-pointers and got off to a quick start in rolling to an 84-49 Region IX quarterfinal win over Sheridan College Thursday afternoon in Casper, Wyoming. R’Manie Pulling had the hot hand on the tonight finishing with 28 points including burying five 3-pointers.
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WNCC women ready to begin regional tourney Thursday
March 04, 2020The second-ranked Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team is ready to claim another Region IX title when the regional tournament begins Thursday in Casper, Wyoming. The Cougars, who won the last two of three regional titles and been to the national tournament the past three years, will open play at 1 p.m. Thursday against Sheridan College. The other quarterfinal games pit Northeastern Junior College against Gillette College at 3 p.m.; Otero Junior College against Eastern Wyoming College at 5 p.m., and Casper College against McCook Community College at 7 p.m.
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WNCC women win South sub-region
February 22, 2020LA JUNTA, Colo. – The second-ranked Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team won the South Sub-region with a perfect 10-0 conference mark in knocking down 14 3-pointers with a 92-79 win over Otero Junior College Friday night. WNCC finished the regular season with a 26-1 record and a 24-game winning streak. WNCC won the South sub-region and will get a bye into the Region IX Tournament that will be held March 5-7 in either Casper or Gillette. Otero drops to 8-2 in conference and 20-5 overall. Otero, as the number 2 seed in the south, will face the No. 8 seed in the North in a first-round playoff game next weekend.
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No. 2 WNCC women capture 25th win; Cougar coach Gibney wins his 100th career game
February 19, 2020TRINIDAD, Colo. – The 2nd-rated Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team used a workmanlike performance in registering an 84-48 Region IX South Sub-region win over Trinidad State Junior College Tuesday evening in Trinidad, Colorado. The win moves the Cougars to 25-1 overall and winners of their last 23 straight. More importantly, it keeps WNCC undefeated in conference play at 9-0 with a big South Sub-region contest on Friday at Otero, who is 8-1 in conference play and 20-4 overall.
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WNCC win capture 22nd straight win
February 16, 2020LAMAR, Colo. – The third-ranked Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team buried 16 treys and Maddy Campbell had seven as the Cougar women ran by Lamar 92-51 Friday night in Region IX South Sub-region action. The win was the Cougars 22nd straight victory and moves the third-ranked team to 24-1 on the season. More importantly, WNCC is 8-0 in the South sub-region with Otero right behind at 6-1. WNCC has two sub-region games next week when they travel to Trinidad State Junior College on Tuesday and then Otero Junior College on Friday.
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WNCC women capture 21st straight win
February 14, 2020Tishara Morehouse scored 28 points and collected her 1,000 career point in leading the third-ranked Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team in outscoring Northeastern Junior College 31-15 in the fourth quarter for a 96-73 win Thursday night in Region IX South Sub-region action. The win moves the Cougars to 23-1 on the season and 7-0 in south sub-region play. The win was the Cougars 21st straight win and it was also the team’s 51st consecutive home win dating back to January 2017.
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WNCC women capture 20th straight win
February 11, 2020TORRINGTON, Wyo. – The third-ranked Western Nebraska Community College used a 31-point fourth quarter and ran to an 80-62 win over Eastern Wyoming College on Monday at Torrington, Wyoming. The win was the Cougars' 20th straight and moves the Cougars to 22-1 entering a big South sub-region contest against Northeastern Junior College on Thursday at Cougar Palace. Thursday’s game is the last regular-season home game.
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No. 3 WNCC women run past Otero
February 01, 2020The No. 3-ranked Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team buried 13 3-pointers and never trailed in the game against Otero Junior College in rolling to a 90-60 win over the Rattlers. It was the Cougars 18th straight victory and moves the Cougars to 5-0 in the South Sub-region. WNCC also captured its 20th win of the season, moving to 20-1 on the season. It was the 33rd straight season the Cougars have won 20 or more games. The last time WNCC finished below 20 wins was 1986-87 when the team went 19-7.
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No. 3 WNCC women roll over Trinidad
January 29, 2020The third-ranked Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team had no trouble in capturing its 19th win of the season with an 89-47 win over Trinidad State Junior College in South sub-region action Tuesday night at Cougar Palace. Tishara Morehouse and Yuliyana Valcheva led the Cougars with 17 points each. Morehouse also had seven steals and four assists in the win, while Valcheva led the team with eight rebounds with three assists.
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WNCC women move to No. 3 in the nation, host Trinidad on Tuesday
January 27, 2020The Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team is quietly putting together a solid season with one of its highest rankings in school history since 2005. The Cougar women’s climb to the No. 3 ranking, which was announced on Monday, has been a slow climb, where they started the season at No. 17 and moved into the top 10 on Dec. 2. The Cougars climbed to No. 1 in the nation back in 2005. The ranking is the highest by a Region IX team since Casper was ranked No. 4 back in 2012
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No. 6 WNCC rolls over Lamar for 16th straight win
January 22, 2020All 11 Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball players scored as the No. 6-ranked Cougars rolled to a 105-54 win over Lamar Community College in South Sub-region action Tuesday night at Cougar Palace. The win moves the Cougars to 18-1 on the season and 3-0 in the South sub-region. It was the Cougars 16th straight victory.
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WNCC hosts Lamar Tuesday in sub-region contests
January 20, 2020The Western Nebraska Community College men’s and women’s basketball teams will get back in action with South sub-region tilts Tuesday night against Lamar Community College. The games are important in different in different manners for the two Cougar teams. The Cougar women, ranked 7th in the nation, will be looking to stay undefeated in South play when they tip off with the Lopes at 5:30 p.m. The Cougar men are looking to rebound from a 101-98 setback to North Platte Community College on Saturday and even their sub-region record. The men’s contest tips off at 7:30 p.m.
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No. 7 WNCC women roll past McCook
January 15, 2020The 7th-ranked Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team put together four strong quarters to easily capture their 15th straight victory with a dominating 105-53 win over McCook Community College Tuesday evening at Cougar Palace. WNCC put three players in double figures while burying 12 treys in rolling to their 17th win of the season. The win moves the Cougars to 2-0 in the South sub-region.
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No. 7 WNCC women set to host McCook Tuesday in a doubleheader action
January 13, 2020The Western Nebraska Community College women’s and men’s basketball team will be home for the first time in 2020 when they host McCook Community College in action Tuesday at Cougar Palace. The WNCC women enter Tuesday’s sub-region contest on a roll, having won its last 14 games and are now ranked No. 7 in the NJCAA polls that were released on Monday. Tipoff for the women’s Region IX South sub-region contest is slated for 5:30 p.m. followed by the men’s contest at 7:30 p.m.
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WNCC women win 14th straight
January 11, 2020STERLING, Colo. – The 9th-ranked Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team buried 13 3-pointers and captured its 14th straight win with an 85-77 win over Northeastern Junior College in a Region IX South sub-region contest Friday in Sterling, Colorado. WNCC moves to 16-1 overall as they go 1-0 in conference play.
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No. 9 WNCC rolls over LCCC
December 14, 2019CHEYENNE, Wyo. – The 9th-ranked Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team received 29 points from Tishara Morehouse and the Cougar women held Laramie County Community College to just four, second-quarter points in registering an 82-54 win over the Golden Eagles in the first day of the LCCC Classic on Friday. WNCC moves to 14-1 on the season and pushed their winning streak to 12 straight as they get set to battle the Colorado Ballers on Saturday in the second day of the LCCC Classic.
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WNCC women roll to 102-76 win
December 14, 2019CHEYENNE, Wyo. – The 9th-ranked Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team received a double-double from Yuliyana Valcheva while putting six in double figures in rolling to a 102-76 win over the Colorado Springs Ballers. The win was the Cougars 13th straight and pushed the team to 15-1 on the season entering the holiday break. Saturday’s contest was interesting since the Ballers had two former WNCC women’s basketball players playing in Kiki Taylor and Eli Cosme. Taylor led the Ballers with 18 points and seven assists. Cosme finished with 12 points.
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No. 9 WNCC women hold off EWC
December 10, 2019The 9th-ranked Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team put five players in double figures and converted 15 of 18 free throws to register the 76-69 win over Eastern Wyoming College Monday evening at Cougar Palace. Both teams combined for 22 3-pointers and 77 rebounds in the contest. It was both teams third game in four days as well. Taylor Joplin led the way for the Cougars with 17 points and five 3-pointers, while Paula Martinez-Sanz led EWC with 18 points and four treys.
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No. 10 WNCC tops Central Wyoming for 12th win
December 08, 2019RIVERTON, Wyo. – The 10th-ranked Western Nebraska Community College put four in double figures and raced out to a 39-23 halftime lead in topping Central Wyoming College 85-68 Saturday afternoon in Riverton, Wyoming. The win was WNCC’s 10th straight and moves the Cougars to 12-1 on the season.
