Jones completes first season at Northeast

NORFOLK - Katy Jones continued her volleyball career this fall with coach Amanda Schultze and the Northeast Community College Hawks and was a part of the Hawks’ run to the Region 11 Championship match against the No. 3 team in the country.

“We came close to making it to nationals and we’re already talking about next year,” Jones said of her season. “I kind of rotated at libero and DS with another girl but then became the full time libero towards the end of the season.”

She was happy with her decision to attend Northeast.

“I knew all of the freshmen coming in on the team,” she said. “It was really comfortable and I like the environment, it’s close enough to home but far enough away.”

Her coach was happy to have her as well.

“She was a great addition to our team this year on the defensive end,” Schultze said.

“She brought lots of energy to the floor and pushed everyone around her.”

Jones said her career at Cedar Catholic really aided in her transition to college volleyball.

“My mom was my coach in high school and she and coach Buss expected you to be at the top of your game as far as effort,” Jones said.

“They expect that here in college as well and then some - everyone here was a star in high school so the competition for playing time can get intense.”

The highlight of her freshman campaign came late in the season.

“They put me in at libero against Iowa Western in the semifinals of the region and I played out of my mind,” Jones said. “It was a really good feeling, they had beaten us before in the conference so it felt really good.”

She is working toward her associates degree in business at Northeast and plans to continue down that road at least for another year.

“Right now, I plan on working hard in volleyball to get a chance to play at a four-year school after next season,” said Jones. “I’ll see how that goes and decide then.”

Her current coach is excited for her advancement within the Hawk program.

“I look forward to working with her this spring and seeing her progress,” Schultze said. “She could be a huge asset for our team next fall.”

The perfect ending for her career at Northeast is simple.

“We want to take that next step,” she said.

“We want to get to nationals.”