Cowley College volleyball team names captains for 2023 season

Cowley College sophomore libero/defensive specialist Sadie Kabisch and sophomore setter Rossana Papa were selected team captains for the 2023 season by the Lady Tiger volleyball team.

Kabisch, a native of Henrietta, Texas, returns for her second season at Cowley after a solid freshman season. She played in 139 sets...recorded 180 digs at 1.29 digs per set, 15 assists, and two service aces. Her valuable defensive and passing skills were a big part of the success of the 2022 season.

"We have known Sadie for many years, having done camps that she attended and for her high school team in Henrietta. She is the daughter of two coaches and has a coach's mind with that experience. In watching her, during her high school years and at Cowley, we noticed that there was a leadership presence about her that players respected and coaches admire," Cowley head coach Steven Gream said. "Sadie tells it like it is but does it in a way that her teammates respect her for her input and holding them accountable. She is a mature leader whom the team has a high level of trust in, and so does our coaching staff."

Papa, a native of Brescia, Italy, returns for her second season at Cowley after an impressive freshman season and sitting out the 2022 season due to an injury. In her freshman season, she played in 130 sets…recorded 1,539 assists at 11.84 assists per set, 56 kills, a .395 hitting percentage, 268 digs at 2.06 digs per set, 95 aces, and 41 blocks. Her 1,539 assists placed her third in the nation, and her 11.84 assists per set were tops in the nation. She was also first in the region in total assists and assists per set, total aces, and in aces per set. Her 95 aces rank her third all-time in Cowley history in total aces in a season. Her 1,539 assists rank her fourth all-time in Cowley history in total assists in a season...Named NJCAA First Team All-American, AVCA Second Team All-American, Volleyball Magazine All-American, First Team All-District, KJCCC First Team All-Conference, KJCCC Freshman of the Year, KJCCC Setter of the Year, Five-time KJCCC Setter of the Week, named to the Cowley Invitational Tournament All-Tournament team, named to the Triton Invitational Tournament All-Tournament team, named Best Setter of the Triton Invitational Tournament, and Cowley College Athlete of the Month.

"Rossana is a natural leader who has her own style of leadership that players and coaches respect. She is a very mature leader in every aspect of her life, not just on the court. The team has a high level of trust in her, and so does our coaching staff," Gream said. "She played at a high level in Italy and was a big part of our success in our 2021 championship run. Rossana brings that experience of not only playing at that high level but also leading at that high level to our program in 2023. She is a competitor who is always training and working on her competitive edge. She will do what it takes to win at the highest level and push others to do the same in her own way. With her being an international player in our program, she will relate greatly to the good number of international players that we have."

Cowley posted a 40-5 overall record last season and went 9-1 in KJCCC play. The Lady Tigers finished sixth in the NJCAA national tournament and won the Plains B District championship.

Kabisch and Papa lead the Lady Tigers into their season-opening match action on August 17 against Pratt Community College.

"We are very excited on the overall depth of leadership and experience we have on our roster and in the selection of these two captains for the 2023 season," Gream said. "These two ladies have both shown to be outstanding leaders while earning the respect of their teammates and the coaching staff on and off the court. They are warriors who compete, they go hard, and they want to play and win at a high level. There is no doubt they will represent our program well and help lead us to a successful 2023 campaign."