McCook Community College freshman volleyball player Relebohile Phamotse has been named the Region IX Player of the Year as well as Freshman of The Year. The announcement came at the close of the Region IX Tournament which finished up Saturday in Casper, Wyo.
“We are very grateful to have an impact player like “Relo” on our team,” said MCC Coach Hayley Kobza. “It is pretty awesome to have a player come away with both of those awards.”
Phamotse, from Maseru, Lesotho, compiled 414 kills (3.42 per set) and hit .294. Those all led the team as well as being second in the Region IX South in hitting percentage and kills per set while being ranked third in total kills.
In Region IX play, she had more kills, 214, than any other player, averaging 3.96 kills per set (second in the region), and a .270 hitting percentage (sixth). She scored 489.0 points, with 243.5 of those coming against Region IX teams, which was also most among any Region IX player.
For the year, Phamotse produced double-digit kills 27 times in 32 matches and four times she topped the 20-kill mark with her best effort coming Sept. 25 at home against Lamar.
“I wish I would have started the season with her as an outside, because I believe she would have set some records here at McCook within our program,” said Kobza. “But she played wherever she was needed and did her very best.”
From the service line, she had 38 aces for the season, (eight in Region IX South) with 20 of those coming during the region schedule, which was fourth most among all servers in the south. She had 122 digs and 71 total blocks on the year.
“This is just the beginning for “Relo” and her success in volleyball,” said Kobza.
Joining Phamotse on the Region IX South First Team were: Northeastern Junior College outside hitters Olivia Moore and Milena Rey, as well as Western Nebraska right-side hitter Keira Zelada. NJC’s setter Stella Carrer and libero Evie Gavette were named first team along with Western Nebraska libero Gaia Foramiglio.
Carrer was named the Region IX South Setter of the Year, Foramiglio received the Libero of the Year and NJC Coach Mackenzie Nelson was named the south’s Coach of the Year.
On the court, Western Nebraska went through the championship bracket to win the Region IX tournament Friday night and as Northwest Plains District A champion, qualifies for the NJCAA National Tournament. They beat Eastern Wyoming in the opening match, defeated Trinidad State in the second round and topped Northwest College Friday to claim the automatic trip to Hutchinson, Kan. Nov. 18-21.
Regular-season champion Northeastern Junior College went through the “second-chance bracket” to claim the Northwest Plains District B Championship Saturday and also qualifies for the national tournament.
2026 Region IX South - All Region Teams
FIRST TEAM
Relebohile Phamotse, freshman outside hitter, McCook CC
Olivia Moore, freshman outside hitter, Northeastern JC
Milena Rey, freshman outside hitter, Northeastern JC
Keira Zelada, sophomore right side, Western Nebraska
Stella Carrer, sophomore setter, Northeastern JC
Gaia Foramiglio, freshman libero Western Nebraska
Evie Gavette, sophomore libero, Northeastern JC
SECOND TEAM
Khloee Wright, sophomore outside hitter, North Platte
Emma Berkhof, sophomore outside/right side, Trinidad State
Sage Tash, freshman middle, Western Nebraska
Kiley Kearney, sophomore setter, North Platte
Liis Auvaart, freshman setter, Western Nebraska
Dafne Diaz, freshman libero, Trinidad State
Marisa Carinci, freshman libero, North Platte
Player of the Year: Relebohile Phamotse – McCook
Libero of the Year: Gaia Foramiglio – Western Nebraska
Setter of the Year: Stella Carrer – Northeastern
Freshman of the Year: Relebohile Phamotse – McCook
Coach of the Year: Makenzie Nelson – Northeastern Junior College
Up-to-date information about MCC volleyball including rosters, photos, statistics and more can be found on the MCC Athletics website,
www.mccindians.com
