Western Nebraska Community College athletics welcomed four new assistant coaches to the college in August including two former Cougar players.
                Joining the Cougars after playing for WNCC include soccer assistant coach Alex Alarcon, who played for the Cougars from 2021-23, and Jayla Brehmer as the new assistant volleyball coach. Brehmer played for the Cougars from 2021-23.
                The other two new assistants include men’s basketball assistant Trey Winkler, a Gering High graduate, and softball assistant Nadia Almanza, who played softball in Texas.
                Let’s meet each assistant coach.
 
Trey Winkler, men’s basketball assistant coach, comes to WNCC after serving two years as the head coach at Gering. Winkler said that working alongside WNCC head coach Roybell Baez is a perfect fit for him.
“It was very easy to join Roybell as all he cares about is seeing other people win!,” Winkler said. “It’s not about him but about how he can help the next person out.”
Winkler’s goals at WNCC are simple, just help the Cougars win.
“My goals are to continue to learn and develop as a coach and person, help players get to the next level, and help Coach Baez continue to win,” he said.
Basketball has always been in Winkler’s blood since growing up.
“Too much basketball is in my blood!,” he said. “I can’t get enough of it and have loved it since as long as I can remember. My family loves basketball, my friends love basketball and it’s been an important part of my life that has shaped me.”
Winkler, a graduate of Gering High School, played at three colleges during his collegiate playing days.
“I’ve played basketball since I was very little and have worked at it since day one,” he said. “I spent countless hours in the gym hoping to play college basketball, which I did at Black Hills State, Rainy River Community College, and Doane University. All three colleges played a big part in my development as a player and as a person and if I went back I wouldn’t do it any other way.”
After spending the last two years at Gering as the head coach, Winkler found the perfect opportunity to give back to the young athletes as an assistant with Roybell Baez. And, it wasn’t hard to move to the college level.
“It means a lot to get to coach at WNCC as I grew up going to many games and was always excited to be in the Cougar Palace,” he said. “I’m also excited to get back to college basketball as I have missed that high energy environment.”
Winkler does instruction of basketball on the side and spent this summer going to coaching clinics, including a big one in Arizona.
“This last summer I spent time in Phoenix interning for NBA trainer Phil Beckner,” Winkler said. “I got to work with players like Jarred Vanderbilt, Quentin Grimes, Boogie Ellis, Nassir Little, and many more!”
Basketball is definitely in Winkler’s blood and it will always be. For the time being, he is happy being an assistant and not interested in being a head coach, but that could change down the stretch.
“Too much basketball is in my blood! I can’t get enough of it and have loved it since as long as I can remember. My family loves basketball, my friends love basketball, and it’s been an important part of my life that has shaped me.,” he said. “I don’t have plans to be a head coach one day but that could change. I love that process of skill development and hope I can make that my everyday life. Right now, I just want to learn from Coach Baez and help develop high level basketball players.”
Winkler said this year’s team will be fun to watch as they are athletic.
“I know we got some really good players coming in ready to compete at a high level,” he said. “We will need that as we have some tough teams on the schedule this year. Region 9 is a great conference to compete in!”
 
Alex Alarcon came to WNCC in 2021 to play soccer from Louisville, Colorado, and after two years at WNCC, he transferred and played soccer at Kansas Wesleyan University. After graduating in 20025 from KWU, Alarcon is back at the college to help soccer coaches Eseah Ingram and Todd Rasnic with the Cougar soccer teams.
Alarcon is excited to be back at the college to help the players as they aim for another Region IX title.
“I am very excited to be back and help both coaches,” Alarcon said. “They helped me throughout my career and I am thankful for that. Once a Cougar, always a Cougar.”
His goal at WNCC is simple, to help the team get better and he has a lot to offer having played four years of college soccer.
“I am here to help all the players to be better, not just a soccer but in life,” he said. “Now I see everything from outside the pitch and it is just weird for me because a few months ago I was still on the other side.”
His approach to this season is that he is just out of college so he can bring a different prospect to college life.
“Last season I was still playing so I think I am very fresh and I hope to bring my experience to the players and guide them to success,” he said.
As for his goals, it is simple, he wants to see the team win another regional title.
“My goals are to help players, in all aspects, create a family for all the players,” he said. “And I want to get a championship.”
 
Jayla Brehmer came to WNCC from Gordon-Rushville High School to play for the Cougar volleyball team and she returns as the assistant volleyball coach after two years away from the game. Brehmer played for the Cougars from 2021-23, helping the Cougars to a Region IX title in 2022.
                For Brehmer, she realized she missed volleyball after graduating WNCC in 2023 and when the opportunity arose, she had to give her hand at coaching, which she said, is something she wouldn’t mind doing.
                “I am so excited to have volleyball back in my life. I have a lot of love and passion for this sport so having it in my life again everyday means the world to me,” Brehmer said. “It feels great being back in the Cougar Palace, it honestly feels like I never left. It is super exciting having this new role as a coach, and also getting the coaching experience under such a skilled and talented head coach.”
                Brehmer said she loves working alongside head coach Fatima Balza.
                “Fati and I get along great! One of the main reasons I took this job is because I was going to be under Fati,” she said. “She is a phenomenal player, and as her assistant, I am just trying to learn and take in as much information as I can from Fati. She is a great role model, but is also very open minded to hear my thoughts and opinions on everything. We work really well together, and I think make a pretty good team!”
                Stepping into the coaching side is something different from playing. When Brehmer played at WNCC, she appeared in 42 matches in her 2-year career with 67 kills, 17 digs, and 11 ace serves.
                “It has been a totally different experience so far going from player to coach,” Brehmer said. “You know you have to change your whole mindset from focusing on how you can use your knowledge and skills from playing, and try and use that to your best ability to help all the girls on the team! I actually have played every position except libero, so I have a good background on the sport!”
                Brehmer said that this team could be just as good as her team that won a regional title in 2022.
                “You know since day one, all the girls on the team have gotten along great,” she said. “We are only two weeks in and it has been really remarkable to watch these girls bonds and connections grow day by day. You can also really see how much these girls love this sport and also their ambition to win. I personally think the team bond plays a huge factor in winning or losing games, and right now I think that is one of our strengths. These girls are also very competitive, so I am excited to see how this season plays out.”
                Coming from the small town of Rushville and playing for Gordon-Rushville has been a blessing for Brehmer. After taking a couple years off from playing, Brehmer realized that volleyball is in her blood. That being said, she is going to take this year to see how far she wants to take volleyball coaching, but she isn’t ruling out being a head coach one of these days.
                “You know I have always thought about being a coach and making a difference for the players! I know that some players end up hating the sport or can often quit playing because they hate their coach,” she said. “I want to be the coach who brings the love back into the sport and also just helps the players become not just the best athletes but also overall people as well.
“Overall, I am waiting to see how everything plays out after my first year, and then will decide if this is something that I want to do long term! If I like it, then yes, my long-term goals would then be to eventually make my way up to a head coach position.”
 
Nadia Almanza, the new softball assistant coach, just finished her collegiate playing after playing two years at Navarro College and then East Texas Baptist University, where she won the NCAA Division III softball championship.
                Now, she is ready to lend her softball playing to the college players at WNCC.
                “It means a lot to me. I have played softball for 16 years and from early on I knew I wanted to coach and help shape the lives of young athletes,” Almanza said. “Being part of a college program gives me the opportunity to make a positive difference, both on and off the field.”
                In fact, when she came to WNCC in August, it was the first time she had been to Nebraska. But, at the same time, she heard a lot about WNCC.
                “I have not had the chance (to come to Nebraska), but I am excited to experience the area, connect with the community, and make it feel like home,” she said. “I have known that WNCC has a tradition of working hard and competing and I am excited to contribute to their success.”
                What Almanza is excited for is continuing the softball tradition at WNCC and help them go to the national tournament.
                “This team has so much potential,” she said. “They are willing to work hard and follow the culture here at Western Nebraska. They trust each other and I believe we can compete at a high level and continue the strong and united culture that pushes us towards success.”
                Almanza’s softball playing started when she was five years old. She then spent one year at Navarro and transferred to East Texas Baptist. She hopes to help develop the players into softball players that can enjoy the game for many years to come. She describes herself as a dedicated softball player.
                “I was a dedicated and competitive player who led by example,” she said. “I took pride in my work ethic, my ability to support my teammates, and my willingness to do whatever the team needed to succeed.”
                She was drawn to WNCC because of the program’s culture.
“I was drawn to this opportunity because I believe in the program’s culture,” Almanza said. “Coaching here allows me to continue my passion for the game while helping student-athletes reach their goals and potential. My long-term goal is to continue coaching at the collegiate level, constantly growing in my knowledge of the game and leadership skills, while helping young athletes reach their potential.”
She also believes this team has all the makings to do something special this season.
“I know this team has a challenging schedule ahead that will test our resilience,” Almanza said. “It is an exciting opportunity to compete against strong programs, and it will help us grow both individually and as a team. My goals are to develop players’ skills and build their confidence,” she said. “I also want to help each athlete grow as a person, not just a player, preparing them for success in life beyond the field.”