Juco play helps Balza get acclimated

These days, when Fatima Balza says “yes, yes, yes'' to her new volleyball teammates at Penn State, she actually knows what's she's saying.

Even her rhetoric class seems a breeze compared to her first days at Western Nebraska Community College.

The 6-foot-3 Venezuelan middle blocker arrived in Scottsbluff two years ago not knowing any English. Yes, yes, yes was one of her standard responses, no matter the question.

“That was really, really, really tough,'' Balza said.

A hard worker on the court and in the classroom, she ended her two-year career there as a junior college All-American, and with a scholarship from the national champion Nittany Lions.

Those accomplishments have earned her The World-Herald's Midlands college female athlete of the year award. Schools sent nominations and the winners were decided by a committee of World-Herald staff members.

Balza came to Scottsbluff sight-unseen by then-coach Chris Green at the recommendation of Soriana Pacheco, now a setter at Kansas State.

Balza took English classes and thrived after a rough first semester adjusting to a new way of life in western Nebraska. She finished with 1,055 kills and helped the Cougars to a 115-6 record and two trips to the national tournament, including a first-place trophy her freshman year.

It's exactly that experience and her time training with the Venezuelan national team that impressed the Nittany Lions. Coaches like that she has the knowledge of an older player and will be able to contribute right away.

“She's not going to have to come in and be this big-gun savior for us — we still have some good kids on the team — but we hope we can mix her in and get her some time and get her comfortable,'' Penn State assistant Dennis Hohenshelt said.

Hohenshelt said Balza is a multi-dimensional player who can play in the middle or on either side. Plus, she has the skills to stay in during rotations to the back row.

Balza picked the Lions over programs such as Kansas State, Wisconsin and Arizona State. Nebraska entered the picture late — the Huskers had been looking at another middle.

“She was interested. She would have loved to go to Nebraska,'' Western coach Giovana Melo said. “But she'd already taken her visits, and she was just ready to make a decision.''

Melo doesn't expect Balza to have any trouble finding playing time despite the fact that Penn State returns four All-Americans. She'll be one of five former Cougars competing this season at the Division I level.

Besides Balza, Pacheco and outside hitter Jennifer Eichler at Tulsa, libero Nayka Benitez has signed with Creighton and outside hitter Paloma Alvarez picked Western Carolina.

Balza “has everything going for her,'' Melo said.

“She's talented,” the coach said. “She works hard. She's a great person and has a great heart. Everybody loves being around her.''

Balza admits she's a little nervous about being in such a big program.

“I just want to show them and myself that I can do it,'' she said. “That's my goal.''

She jumped right in.

After graduating May 16, she flew to Penn State on May 17 and started summer classes on May 18. She's also doing unofficial workouts.

Her typical day, she said, involves working out from 8 to 9, going to class, lifting at 3 and then at 5, just hitting the ball around.

“So far, I just love it. It's completely different,'' she said. “The workouts are completely different than junior college. A lot harder. The level is better.''

She said her relationship with her new teammates is different from when she started with the Cougars, because she can understand what they say and mean.

She was worried they might be a little cocky after winning the national championship, but she said she was completely wrong. They've become a lifeline for Balza, who is from Caracas.

“They are so nice,'' she said. “Great persons, all of them.''

Contact the writer:

444-1034, marjie.ducey@owh.com

Finalists:

• Lindsay Anderson, basketball, Doane College: NAIA Emil A. Liston Award winner and two-time All-American. School's all-time leading scorer (2,012 points).

• Candace Clow, volleyball, Bellevue: First-team All-American and MCAC player of the year. Bellevue's all-time assist leader (6,147).

• Lindsay Ducey, basketball, Hastings College: Piled up four double-doubles in five games at NAIA nationals as Hastings knocked off the No. 2- and No. 3-ranked teams to reach the title game. The two-time first-team All-American averaged 17.7 points and 9.1 rebounds.

• Katie Goetzinger, softball, Wayne State: Career leader in nearly every pitching category at Wayne as a sophomore. She was 31-15 this season with 347 strikeouts and a 1.55 ERA.

• Jade Meads, basketball, UNK: RMAC and Central Region player of the year. Averaged 18 points and 8.1 rebounds and was a third- and fourth-team All-American. Second-team academic All-RMAC.

• Setera Michaels, volleyball, North Platte Community College: Second-team All-America setter led team to 60-21 record in two years. Named to all-conference, all-region and all-region tournament team.

• Michelle Mullen, soccer, Dana College: First-team All-GPAC selection. Led the team in goals (13) and assists (eight). Now top 10 all-time in scoring as a sophomore.

• Pinar Saka, track and field, UNO: Division II indoor champion at 400 meters and member of the winning 1,600-meter relay team. Division II indoor track athlete of the year.

• Whitney Stichka, basketball, Concordia: Two-time All-American. Three-time first-team All-GPAC. Led Bulldogs to NAIA Elite Eight the past two years. Averaged 18.6 points per game, and finished just short of 2,000 for her career. GPA of 3.9.