When Chandler Young came to Western Nebraska Community College from Ft. Collins, Colorado, he came to make a difference.

                There was no doubt that Young did make a difference.

Young, a pitcher for the WNCC baseball team, picked up three honors at the annual awards ceremony. Young’s biggest honor was an all-college award when he was picked as the Outstanding Student Ambassador.

                Not only was Young on the baseball team, his role as an ambassador of the college helped him help other students, current and future. He was honored to have received that honor.

                “I appreciate and accept this award,” Young said. “To be an ambassador I got to meet a lot of people. The best part about an ambassador was that I got to share my experiences that made me really like my time here at WNCC. I’d also like to recognize my fellow student ambassadors for being great colleagues and Jolene for being an awesome mentor. “

                Young said being an ambassador and part of the baseball team really exposed him to a lot of events.

                “Basketball games, soccer games, softball games, and volleyball games were of course the most common events to tend to,” he said. “I think the best was being a part of the WNCC Open House where I got to meet the future students of WNCC.”

                While he earned the all-campus Outstanding Student Ambassador award, he also picked up a couple new awards added this year. Young was a member of the athletic Unsung Hero Award along with soccer player Caroline Vieira, softball player Sam Davis, women’s basketball player Yuliyana Valcheva, and volleyball player Gabi Canavati.

                “It’s really an honor to be a part of this,” Young said. “Gabi, Yuliyana, Sam and Carol are amazing people and great role models for their team and community members. They have proven to be humble and caring people. To be an unsung hero means to me that we care more about the team and the sacrifices we make then about ourselves. It’s really an honor to be a part of this group with such incredible people.”

                That brings up the third honor that Young earned. He was named the baseball team MVP along with his teammate Q Miller. But he said the MVP is more of a team honor as any player could have received it or deserved it.

                “To be honest I never really saw myself as an MVP,” Young said. “In my mind, I see that there is always room to improve. No matter how good one thinks they are, they can always get better. Q Miller is an awesome guy to look up to. He shows up to practice early and stays late. It really is an honor to be apart of this award with him. “

                Both Young and Miller were sophomores this year and both also graduated. As freshmen, the two helped the Cougar baseball team to a Region IX runner-up finish. This year, the team was looking to finish that unfinished business slogan but never got a chance since springs sports nationwide were canceled March 12 because of the corona virus pandemic.

                Miller was batting .265 this season had had six RBIs with two home runs with 13 runs scored as an outfielder. Young only pitched in two games this season and had 16 strikeouts with a 7.20 earned run average through the first month of the season.

                Young said having the season end the way it did was hard to take and finishing up classes online from his home.

                “These past few months have been really hard. I have made great friendships the past two years, and there wasn’t really time to say goodbye,” he said. “As for baseball, it was a hard and sad time for all of us. We were on a mission to get back into the Region 9 championship game. It’s really sad to know that some guys will not be able to continue their baseball career and that they didn’t know that they just played their last game before the season started. Here, I learned a lesson, to play every game like it’s your last.”

                But while Young graduated with his associate degree on Saturday, he will return to redo his sophomore season since the NJCAA and other collegiate sports divisions decided not to charge spring sports athletes a year of eligibility.

                Young said he will return to aim for a regional title. Other Cougar sophomore baseball players that are scheduled to return as well according to head coach Mike Jones to redo their sophomore year are Michael Felton, Luis Alcantara, Dermot Fritsch, Matt Womack, and Joey Olson.

                “As for next year I will be using the COVID-19 no-eligibility rule to come back to WNCC,” he said. “I started something my freshman year and I plan to finish what I set out to do, which is winning the Region 9 championship game and continuing my degree in engineering.”

                Really, though, what this year has taught everyone is anything can change in a heartbeat.

                “We have all learned that life can change in an instant,” Young said. “It’s important to not take anything for granted.”

WNCC’s Canavati earns Cougar Award at WNCC all-campus awards ceremony

                Gabriela Canavati didn’t realize when she attended Western Nebraska Community College two years ago that she would finish her education at the college with much more than athletic honors.

                What Canavati ended with Cougar career with was many friendships and honors that go far and above the sports world.

                The WNCC all-campus award winners were announced last week without a ceremony like in past years and for Canavati, she was the big winner capturing two all-college awards and two athletic awards.

                Canavati spent two years on the volleyball team and was roommates with her volleyball teammate Adia Sherbeyn. The two roommates were much more to the college than just volleyball players, the two were actively involved in other organizations at the college, willing to help out wherever they could.

                “Adia and I were definitely busy,” Canavati of Larado, Texas, said. “We were roommates and we were in a lot of the same organizations so we both had a lot in our hands. But I think just being involved in as much as we were brought us that much closer and we fed off of each other’s energy! It was a great experience.”

                Sherbeyn, who was give the Student Body Leadership Award along with Canavati, said the two were busy, but it helped them grow together.

                “Gaby and I always seemed to be busy during the school year,” the Torrington, Wyoming, volleyball player said. “We would either be studying together, at a meeting together, in class together, working out together, or at practice together. However, we helped each other grow to be the best students, people, and players we could be. I’m very grateful to have gotten through this year with the help of her.”

                Sherbeyn was just as busy. Besides being involved with the volleyball, Sherbeyn was a student ambassador, involved in student government as well as Phi Theta Kappa.

Canavati’s year didn’t have any down time either that is for sure. And what Canavati did off the court helped her earn the prestigious all-campus Cougar Award, which is awarded to a Cougar athlete that excels on and off the playing field. Last year the Cougar Award was awarded to softball player Michaela Kelly and two years ago the honor went to baseball player Claude Bova.

                “A lot of my free time was dedicated to extracurricular activities in order to pass the time,” Canavati said. “Not only was I on the volleyball team but I was the parliamentarian of Student Government, I was a Student Ambassador, and I am a member of the National Society of Leadership and Success. Of course, while focusing on this, I also had to deal with my academics and I’m glad I had all the resources to be successful and that I can give credit to all my success.”

                The two volleyball teammates and roommates also were picked as Student Body Leaders.

                Sherbeyn said being a student body leader was special and her and Gaby made a good team.

                “Being a part of the student body leaders was pretty important to me. It is all about being a voice for all of our students at WNCC and it feels pretty good to be a part of that,” Sherbeyn said. “Me and Gaby make a pretty good team and I enjoyed the time I had with her during the meetings and retreats. I also enjoyed being around all of the other members as well!”

                Canavati earned two more honors as well, both were athletic honors that were new to the WNCC Awards Ceremony. Canavati was named as an Unsung Hero that is awarded to athletes from the college’s seven sports.

                Canavati joins four other Cougar athletes on the list including soccer player Caroline Vieira, baseball player Chandler Young, softball player Sam Davis, and women’s basketball Yuliyana Valcheva.

                Canavati said that hone was special.

                “This is a new award for me, but it just means that all of the hard work I put in to get to where I am now, definitely went unnoticed,” she said. “I am extremely grateful for what I have done and experienced during my time at WNCC.”

                Canavati earned another new award, earning MVP honors on the volleyball team along with her teammates freshman Karen Cordero and sophomore Ana Costas. The Unsung Hero and MVP awards had nominees submitted by college faculty and staff and voted on by the awards committee.

                “Like I said before, I worked extremely hard to get where I am now at this point, and I couldn’t be more proud of myself,” she said. “This is a great honor because everyone of the girls I play with is phenomenal and to be selected really meant that much more to me.”

                All three MVP winners had great volleyball seasons. Canavati finished her sophomore year with 232 kills, 80 digs, 40 blocks, and 12 ace serves.

Cordero was named Region IX Freshman of the Year where she hammered home 449 kills for a 3.43 per set average. She also had 275 digs, 28 blocks, and 55 ace serves.

Costas had a big year as the libero on the team. Costas finished with 547 digs and had 29 ace serves and 101 set assists.

Costas will be heading to Tarleton State University to play next year. Canavati signed to play at Cameron University in Oklahoma. Sherbeyn said that she is looking to continue her volleyball at another school as well.

For all the volleyball players, though, they didn’t get the proper farewell as their spring season was cut short in March because of the corona virus with spring matches canceled. The sophomores also missed out playing one more time with their teammates.

“I think since it all happened extremely fast and unexpected, we were all kind of confused,” Canavati said about the sudden change in learning and cancelation of sports. “It’s like I knew the goodbyes were coming but I wasn’t prepared for how soon they were gonna approach. It was hard to acclimate to these conditions but with the help of professors and faculty, they made it that much easier. It will be very hard, but it is a part of life and it was bound to happen, but never did I imagine so soon. I will miss everyone so dearly and will most certainly keep in touch.”

Sherbeyn felt the same way as she didn’t give the proper goodbye to her friends, coaches, and teachers as in past years.

“Something that I really struggled with was not being able to say goodbye to my friends, teammates, coaches, and teachers the proper way. I hope to someday get this time back with some of them,” she said. “There is social media and FaceTime that makes it a little bit easier but it’s really not the same. On the school end of it I feel like it has been a little easier just because I actually have time to get all my work done. It is definitely not ideal at all, but my teachers really worked very well for us students to make the transition more manageable!”

Both Sherbeyn and Canavati both will enjoy every bit of their sophomore year when they look back on it in future years.

“My sophomore year was definitely memorable,” Sherbeyn said. “It’s always tough thinking it was cut short, but I’ll always try to think about the good memories that I’ve had with my friends this year and all the good that has come out of it.”

Canavati echoed the same thoughts.

“The past year was definitely something to remember. It came and gone like no other,” she said. “Volleyball has opened many doors for me, and I will always be grateful. I wish everyone the best and for nothing but just success in their lives and future endeavors.”