Former Wyandotte volleyball star leads KCKCC honorees

By ALAN HOSKINS

With the first national tournament berth safely in hand, Kansas City Kansas Community College placed five players on All-Jayhawk and All-District volleyball teams for 2012.

Kenya Alexander, a 6-4 shot-blocking middle hitter from Wyandotte High School, made a sweep of top honors, earning first team berths on both the All-Jayhawk and All-District N teams and was named Jayhawk Conference Freshman of the Year.

Sophomores garnered the rest of the post-season honors. Outside hitter Lisa Angello of Lansing was named first team All-District and second team All-Jayhawk; right side Chelsea Sheldon-Medina of Waukesha, Wis., first team All-District and All-Jayhawk honorable mention; Tara Van Beek of Paw Paw, Ill., second team All-District; and libero Leah Oehm, honorable mention All-District and All-Jayhawk.

“I’m very happy,” said Mary Bruno, who is in just her second year as head coach. “It’s great to see our players get recognition for all the hard work they’ve put in. But they’re also team awards because of the way this team blended together and the success it has had”

KCKCC will take a 30-6 record into the Division II national tournament against No. 8 seeded Lincolnland Community College of Springfield, Ill., next Thursday at Owens Community College in Toledo, Ohio.

Seeded No. 9, the Lady Blue Devils will enter the tournament ranked eighth in the nation in the number of blocks, 22nd in kills with 1,315 and 33rd in digs with 2,067.

Nationally, Alexander ranks 14th in blocks with 1.44 per set with Van Beek 24th with 1.21 per set. Angello is 26th in kills (401) and 39th in kills per set (3.18) while Oehm is 33rd in total digs with 517.