Women's Volleyball | 8/26/2026 9:21:00 PM

The Cloud County Community College volleyball team swept Bethany College JV in its home opener Wednesday, August 26, winning by set scores of 25-11, 25-11, 25-15.

The T-Birds are continuing their best start to a season since 2023, improving to 4-1 overall.

Up next, Cloud County will close out non-conference play at the 2026 Wrangler Ranger Round Up, co-hosted by Ranger College and Cisco College. The T-Birds will open play against Dallas College-Eastfield and Ranger College on Friday, August 28, before facing Dallas College-Richland and Arizona Western College on Saturday, August 29.

Dallas College-Eastfield (5-0) is ranked No. 1 in the 2026 NJCAA Division III Preseason Volleyball Poll. The Harvester Bees begin a new era as Dale Starr takes over a program that has won three straight NJCAA Division III championships. They usher in the new regime with 12 straight matches away from home, including four wins last week at the Collin College Cougar Invitational.

Friday's meeting with the Ranger College Lady Rangers (0-4) will mark the third meeting between the two programs in the last three years. In 2024, Ranger inched past Cloud County in a highly-contested four-set battle at the Dallas College-Eastfield Invitational in Mesquite, Texas. At last year's Wrangler Ranger Round Up, Ranger College handed the T-Birds a three-set loss, 12-25, 15-25, 12-25.

Saturday's matches begin at Cisco College with Cloud County meeting up with Dallas College-Richland (1-2). The Thunderducks, under first year head coach Kelly Covert, went 15-20 in 2025 with a trip to the NJCAA Division III South District semifinals. Dallas College-Richland is scheduled to play Cowley College and Seward County Community College on Friday before squaring off with the T-Birds on Saturday.

Cloud County will wrap up Saturday at Ranger College against Arizona Western College (3-0). The Matadors put together a dominant start to the 2026 season, sweeping Chandler-Gilbert Community College, Glendale Community College and Scottsdale Community College in straight sets to finish 3-0 at the Chapman Automotive Volleyball Invitational last weekend in Yuma, Arizona. Freshman outside hitter Maria Maeda was named the Arizona Community College Athletic Conference (ACCAC) Offensive Player of the Week, while sophomore libero Nanami Nobuhara picked up ACCAC Defensive Player of the Week honors.

Fans can follow along through the entire 2026 Wrangler Ranger Round Up by visiting cloudtbirds.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow Cloud County Athletics on Facebook and Instagram and CCCCSports on X.