2023-24 WNCC Cougar Women's Basketball News
-
WNCC's Joseph headed to Division I U. of New Orleans
May 01, 2024Mackenzie Joseph’s dream was to play Division I basketball. That dream came true as the Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball sophomore is going back to her home state of Louisiana to play for the University of New Orleans for the next two years. “Honestly this is a dream come true,” Joseph, the 5-foot-11 shooting guard said. “I always wanted to go Division I; that was my goal for a long time. Everyone that helped me get here. I really liked playing basketball when I was younger so being here at this stage now and knowing I am going Division I is a blessing.” -
WNCC women fall to Western Wyoming at regionals
March 14, 2024CASPER, Wyo. – The Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team saw their season come to an end at the Region IX tourney in Casper, Wyoming, after falling to Western Wyoming Community College 58-52. The Cougars end the season at 25-7 while Western Wyoming moves on in the semifinals to face Northeastern Junior College. NJC was a 77-50 winner over Gillette College.
-
WNCC women’s basketball ready for regionals, will face Western Wyoming Thursday in Casper
March 12, 2024The Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team has one thing on their mind entering the Region IX women’s tournament in Casper, Wyoming, this week and that is to bring home a Region IX title. That is the goal of every team, but for the Cougars, it is a goal to get back to the national tournament. While that is the main goal for the team, there is a second goal and that that is the first on the agenda and that is to win their quarterfinal game against Western Wyoming Community College, a team that has beaten the Cougars four straight games. WNCC will open regional tourney action Thursday at 12:30 p.m. against the Mustangs. It is a game the team is looking forward to.
-
WNCC women cruise in first-round play-off game
March 08, 2024The Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team got off on the right foot to open post-season play with a dominating performance that saw four players in double figures and all 11 players scoring. Behind that team effort, the Cougar women rolled to the 100-51 win over Trinidad State College in the first round of the women’s Region IX tournament at Cougar Palace Friday night. WNCC moves to 25-6 on the season and it was the first time this season they hit the century mark. The win also advances to the quarterfinals where they will play Western Wyoming Community College on Thursday at March 14 at Casper, Wyoming. Western Wyoming had a bye in the first round. Other first-round scores in the women’s tournament saw Eastern Wyoming College down Laramie County Community College 72-66, McCook Community College topping Lamar Community College 48-43, and Gillette College taking out Northwest College 85-68. WNCC head coach Isaac Lu said the team played well to get the win.
-
WNCC basketball game Friday will help Golden Family
March 07, 2024Western Nebraska Community College athletic department will be doing their part to help the Golden Family after their home was destroyed by a fire Tuesday evening during the Region IX First-round women’s basketball game with Trinidad State College on Friday, March 8 at 6 p.m.
-
WNCC women host Trinidad State Friday in Region IX first-round game
March 06, 2024The Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team are ready to go into the post-season as they aim to get back to the national tournament when they host a first-round Region IX contest this weekend. WNCC women are just one of several teams that will have first-round games this weekend in the area. The Eastern Wyoming men and women will also have post-season action along with the Laramie County Community College men and women. The winners of the first-round games will advance to the quarterfinals next week. The women’s tournament will be held at Casper College in Casper, Wyoming, March 14-16. The men’s contest will be held at WNCC’s Cougar Palace as the Cougar men captured the Region IX South with their 11-1 conference record and received the right to host the tournament as well as getting the first-round bye. The men’s tournament will take place March 14-16.
-
WNCC wraps up regular season with win over Trinidad
March 02, 2024TRINIDAD, Colo. – The Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team wrapped up the regular season by putting four in double figures with a 77-60 win over Trinidad State College Saturday afternoon at Trinidad, Colorado. WNCC wraps up the regular season at 26-4 and will get ready to host a first-round playoff game this weekend against Trinidad State. Exact day and time will be announced early this week. The Cougars finished third in the South Sub-region with a 7-3 conference mark while Trinidad went 0-10 in the conference. The winners of the first round will advance to the Region IX tournament March 14-16 in Casper, Wyoming. WNCC started strong in the contest as Ebere Egbirika made the opening bucket and then Mackenzie Joseph nailed a triple for a 5-0 lead. WNCC kept playing strong defense as they led 12-3 on a Faith Walker bucket and held Trinidad without a bucket until 4:33 left in the first quarter. At 12-6. WNCC led 20-12 after the first quarter.
-
WNCC women down Lamar for 23rd win
February 27, 2024The Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team started slow but heated up as they had a team-effort 77-43 win over Lamar Community College in the last regular season home game. The win moved the Cougars to 23-6 on the year and it was their third straight. WNCC is 6-3 in the South Sub-region with one regular season game left which will be Saturday at Trinidad State. WNCC will then host a first-round Region IX game next week. Tuesday’s win was one where the Cougars might have started slow on offense, but the defense played well all night, holding Lamar to just 31 percent shooting on the night. The win was also sophomore recognition night as the six academic sophomores were honored after the game. The six sophomores included Amiyah Donaldson, Keyla Cervantes, Gal-La Font, Faith Walker, Jamie Caron, and Mackenzie Joseph. Joseph and Cervantes both agreed the night was special.
-
WNCC men, women host North Platte Tuesday in Alumni Night
February 20, 2024The Western Nebraska Community College men’s and women’s basketball teams have just two home regular season games left and the first of those is coming up Tuesday night when North Platte Community College comes to Cougar Palace. Tuesday’s action will be a Region IX South sub-region contest for the Cougar men, who are in the hunt to host the Region IX tournament. The women’s game with North Platte will just be a regular season game since the Knight women are NJCAA Division II. Tip-off is slated for 5:30 p.m. for the women’s contest with the men’s game to follow. Tuesday’s game is also WNCC Alumni Night sponsored by the WNCC Alumni Foundation. WNCC alumni get free admission to the contest.
-
WNCC women top North Platte 68-63
February 20, 2024The Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team received 15 points from Gal-La Font and 14 from Mackenzie Joseph in picking up their 22nd win of the season with a 68-63 win over North Platte Community College Tuesday night at Cougar Palace. The win moves the Cougars to 22-6 on the season with just two regular-season games left. WNCC will host Lamar Community College on Tuesday in sophomore recognition night before wrapping up the regular season with a road game at Trinidad State College on March 2. Laura Montiel, who had four steals to give her 100 on the season and only one of 11 Cougars to record 100 steals, said the team needed the win to get back on track of winning.
-
WNCC women fall to NJC 90-71
February 06, 2024STERLING, Colo. – The Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team got 27 points from Gal-La Font but it wasn’t enough as the No. 25 Northeastern Junior College Plainswomen used a strong start to the third quarter in earning the 90-71 Region IX South Sub-region win Tuesday night in Sterling, Colorado. The Cougars drop to 20-5 on the season and 4-2 in sub-region play while NJC moves to 23-3 overall and 5-1 in conference play. WNCC will next be in action Monday when they host Northeastern Junior College at 5:30 p.m.
-
WNCC women fall to Otero on the road
February 02, 2024LAJUNTA, Colo. – The Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team were out-scored 26-7 in the fourth quarter in falling to Otero College in a Region IX South sub-region contest Friday evening in LaJunta, Colorado. The loss stops a 5-game win streak and moves the Cougars to 20-4 overall and 4-1 in the south sub-region. WNCC will be back in action on Tuesday when they travel to Northeastern Junior College for a South Sub-region contest. WNCC didn’t have the best shooting night in shooting 37 percent from the field while Otero was 44 percent. Both teams buried six 3-pointers.
-
WNCC women get 20th win, top McCook
January 26, 2024It was a tale of two halves for the Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team, but the first half scoring spree and a solid defensive effort helped the Cougar women to a 66-50 South Sub-region win over McCook Community College Friday at Cougar Palace. The win keeps the Cougars unbeaten at 4-0 in South Sub-region play. WNCC also captured their 20th win of the season in the game they led from start to finish.
-
WNCC lead from start to finish in 61-47 win over Otero
January 20, 2024The Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team never trailed and pulled down 52 rebounds in earning the 61-47 South Sub-region win over Otero College Saturday afternoon at Cougar Palace. A big win in the win for the Cougars was allowing Otero to get back-to-back buckets twice and that was it. WNCC head coach Isaac Lu said he didn’t realize that his team did that, but when you can limit your opponent to not making those mini-runs, you will win most of your games.
-
WNCC women top Trinidad in sub-region contest
January 19, 2024The Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team put four players in double figures and trailed just once in the Region IX South Sub-region contest with a team-like 84-54 win over Trinidad State College Friday night at Cougar Palace. What made this win special is different people stepped up and scored in double figures and the team went on three big runs to get the win and moved to 17-3 on the season and 2-0 in sub-region play. Laura Montiel led the team with 14 points followed by Jamie Caron with 13, Adelina Urtane with 12, and Keyla Cervantes with 10.
-
WNCC women top Lamar for conference win
January 15, 2024LAMAR, Colo. – The Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team put four in double figures and held Lamar Community College to just four third-quarter points in picking up the 76-45 South Sub-region win Monday night in Lamar, Colorado. The win moves the Cougars to 16-3 on the season and stopped a 2-game losing skid. The win was more important since it was the opening of the conference games and the Cougars are now 1-0 in the South Sub-Region with two home sub-region games this weekend when they host Trinidad State on Friday and Otero College Saturday afternoon.
-
Western Wyoming stops WNCC's 12-game win streak
January 10, 2024The Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team’s 12-game win streak came to an end as Western Wyoming outscored WNCC 43-27 in the second half to pick up the 75-67 win Wednesday afternoon at Cougar Palace. WNCC, who came into Wednesday’s contest ranked 24th and winners of their last 12, shot just 36 percent from the field including making just 5-of-23 3-pointers. Western Wyoming made 44 percent from the field and buried seven treys. WNCC head coach Isaac Lu said it was a tale of two halves for the Cougar women.
-
No. 24 WNCC earns 78-67 win over EWC
January 08, 2024TORRINGTON, Wyo. – The 24th-ranked Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team put four in double figures in racing to a 78-67 win over Eastern Wyoming College Monday evening. The win was the Cougar's 12th straight win and pushed the Cougars to 15-1 on the season. The Lancers drop to 6-11 on the season. Gal-La Font and Ebere Egbirika paced the Cougars with 15 points each while Faith Walker pumped in 14, and Mackenzie Joseph finished with 10.
-
WNCC women pick up 11th straight win
January 06, 2024The 25th-ranked Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team returned from the holiday break and opened the second semester with a team-like win, registering the 81-47 win over Central Wyoming College on Saturday. The win was the Cougar's 11th straight as WNCC moved to 14-1 on the season with three big contests next week when they travel to Eastern Wyoming College on Monday before hosting Western Wyoming Community College on Wednesday afternoon. Western Wyoming handed the Cougars their only defeat on the year when they Mustangs won 73-56 at Rock Springs, Wyoming.
-
Walker’s block secures No. 25 WNCC over LCCC 66-64
December 14, 2023Faith Walker gave her teammates an early Christmas present as the sophomore had a double-double of 13 points and 17 rebounds, but it was her five blocks that came up big and the block with five seconds left was the game-saver giving the No. 25 Western Nebraska Community College a 66-64 win over Laramie County Community College Thursday evening at Cougar Palace. The win was the Cougars’ 10th straight and move the Cougars to 13-1 heading into the holiday break. WNCC will return to action January 6 when they host Central Wyoming College.
-
WNCC women crack NJCAA Top 25 at No. 25
December 12, 2023The Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team is making some noise in the NJCAA national polls, cracking the Top 25 at number 25 after capturing their 9th straight victory over the weekend. The Cougars, who were last in the ranking to end the 2021-22 season at No. 4, made a return to the rankings with their 12-1 record after the NJCAA polls were released Monday afternoon. WNCC freshman Kiley Smich said the national rankings mean a lot for the Cougar women as they get prepared to face Laramie County Community College at 5 p.m. Thursday to wrap up the first semester.
-
WNCC women register ninth straight victory in win over Miles
December 09, 2023GILLETTE, Wyo. – The Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team used a strong second quarter in registering their ninth straight victory with a 69-40 win over Miles Community College to wrap up the Border Wars Classic in Gillette, Wyoming, Saturday afternoon. The Cougars move to 12-1 on the season as they get set to host Laramie County Community College on Thursday at 5 p.m. at Cougar Palace in the final game before the holiday break.
-
WNCC women top Dawson for 8th straight win
December 08, 2023GILLETTE, Wyo. – The Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team buried 12 3-pointers on their way to a commanding 91-45 win over Dawson Community College Friday in the second day of the Border War Classic in Gillette, Wyoming. The win was the Cougars’ 8th straight win and pushed the WNCC women to 11-1 on the season. WNCC will wrap up the Border War Classic Saturday when they face Miles Community College. The Cougars buried 11 of their 12 treys in the first half as six different players connected on a 3-pointer, led by Keyla Cervantes with three triples.
-
WNCC earns big win over Williston State 71-59
December 07, 2023GILLETTE, Wyo. – Western Nebraska Community College and Williston State College entered Thursday’s Border contest with a combined 20-1 record and the contest lived up to its billing as the Cougar women handed the Williston team their first loss of the season with a 71-59 win. WNCC moved to 10-1 on the season while Williston dropped to 11-1. The Cougars will now face Dawson Community College on Friday before finishing up the classic against Miles Community College on Saturday. WNCC, in getting the win, finished with 11 3-pointers in the contest as Helena Kuck buried six treys while leading the Cougars with 18 points.
-
WNCC women upset No. 11 College of Southern Idaho
December 02, 2023After a slow start, the Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team put together a team effort in knocking off NJCAA No. 11-ranked College of Southern Idaho 82-77 Saturday afternoon in the final game of the Fairfield Inn Classic at Cougar Palace. The win was the Cougars' sixth straight and moves WNCC to 9-1 on the season. CSI drops to 9-3 on the season. WNCC, which trailed by as much of nine points in the second quarter, ended up outscoring the Golden Eagles in the last three quarters.
-
WNCC women earn win over Casper College
December 01, 2023Mackenzie Joseph finished with 26 points and six 3-pointers and the Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team earned a team-like win over Casper College 75-69 in the first day of the Fairfield Inn Classic Friday night. The win moves the Cougars to 8-1 on the season and a match-up with NJCAA No. 11-ranked College of Southern Idaho at 4 p.m. at Cougar Palace. The other women’s game on Saturday will pit Casper against Otero. CSI topped Otero 63-43 in the earlier game on Friday. WNCC head coach Isaac Lu said it was a good team win for his squad.
-
Big first half propels WNCC women past EWC 85-46
November 28, 2023A big first half was all the Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team needed as they earned an 85-46 win over Eastern Wyoming College Tuesday evening at Cougar Palace. Amiyah Donaldson scored 14 points to lead the Cougars, followed by 14 from Faith Walker and 10 points each from Gal-La Font and Mackenzie Joseph each with 10 points. The win moved the Cougars to 7-1 on the season as they get ready to host the Fairfield Classic on Friday and Saturday when WNCC plays Casper and the College of Southern Idaho.
-
WNCC set to host EWC in Highway 26 battle Tuesday night
November 27, 2023Records mean very little when the Highway 26 battle between Western Nebraska Community College and Eastern Wyoming College takes place. That is the case Tuesday as WNCC will host the other team from Torrington, Wyoming, in a men’s and women’s doubleheader beginning at 5:30 p.m. at Cougar Palace. Of the four teams that will be at Cougar Palace on Tuesday, the Cougar women are the only ones that had the weekend off. The week break was needed as the Cougars have a tough week ahead.
-
WNCC women top Central Wyoming to move to 6-1 on the season
November 18, 2023POWELL, Wyo. – The Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team received 18 points from Amiyah Donaldson as the Cougars registered an 80-68 win over Central Wyoming College in the final day of the Coach Collins Heart of a Champion Classic in Powell, Wyoming, Saturday morning. The win moves the Cougars to 6-1 on the year as they will have a week off before getting back in action the week after Thanksgiving with three home games beginning November 28 against Eastern Wyoming College followed by home contests against Casper College and the College of Southern Idaho on December 1 and 2.
-
Walker’s double-double paces WNCC women to victory
November 17, 2023POWELL, Wyo. – Faith Walker finished with a double-double and the Western Nebraska Community College women’s basketball team finished with 41 second-half points for a74-65 win over Northwest College at the Coach Collins Heart of a Champion Classic Friday evening. Walker finished the game with 25 points and 13 rebounds. Walker also had four steals to help move the Cougars to 5-1 overall as they wrap up the Collins Classic Saturday morning at 10 a.m. against Central Wyoming College.
