Karen Cordero's sophomore season at Western Nebraska Community College is off to a good start.

                Not only does the 5-foot-8 outside hitter lead the NJCAA in total kills with 216 but earlier this month, Cordero signed to continue her playing at the Division I level, inking with Delaware State University in Dover, Delaware.

                Cordero said it has been a dream of hers to play at the Division I level and now she gets to spend three years playing for the Hornets.

                "I am really happy and it [going Division I] has been my dream and it finally came true," she said. "I will be working so hard in every practice and the school. I am truly blessed."

                It was pretty easy to select Delaware State even though she is going further from home. Cordero graduated from Otay Ranch High School in Chula Vista, California. After spending two years at WNCC, which is in the middled of the United States, she is going even further from home. She said  

                "I am ready," she said. "It will be hard and I will be far from my family and friends, but I am ready for my future."

                But the decision to go to Delaware State was easy after making good connections with the coach and her future teammates. Also, she will be playing in the same conference as Andrea Tsvetanova, current WNCC setter, who signed earlier to play at Coppin State in Baltimore.

                "I had good connections with my new teammates and the coaches," she said. "I really liked the volleyball program and the school. The coach has done really good things and that is why I choice Delaware State."
                Cordero, who competed for Coast Volleyball Club, a top five national program, earned a bid to compete in the 2019 Junior Olympics. Delaware State coach Bruce Atkinson is excited to get someone of Cordero's caliber to his program.

                At Otay Ranch High School, Cordero was the 2019 Mesa Conference Player-of-the-Year and a Top 20 San Diego Area selection. She is the school's record holder in kills and digs, surpassing the 1000 mark in each category.

"We are extremely excited to have Karen join our team," said Atkinson. "She is a strong six rotation outside hitter with the ability to terminate the ball and the talent to immediately strengthen our team both on the front and back rows."

So, when Cordero shows up on campus in the fall, she will bring plenty of firepower to the team as well as the ability to play all six rotations. Cordero leads the NJCAA with 289 kills and leads the nation in kills per set at 5.16. Her Cougar teammate Anuhea Kaohi is second in total kills with 210. Cordero also has 158 digs this season.

                Her freshman season in 2019, Cordero was named the Region IX South Freshman of the Year. Her freshman year she finished with 449 kills and 275 digs. So far, for her 2-year career, Cordero has 738 kills and 433 digs. She needs 262 more kills to become one of 12 Cougar volleyball players to notch 1,000 kills in her career. She also needs 318 kills to pass former Cougar and Penn State Nittany Lion Fatima Balza's 1,045 kills. Balza won two national titles at Penn State.

                This season, after 16 matches, Cordero has recorded double-figure kills in every match and had double-doubles in seven matches. Her season-best kill total this spring came Jan. 23 when she pounded down 29 kills in a five-set win over Utah State-Eastern. She also had a 28-kill performance against Casper College.

                Cordero said a lot of her success on the volleyball court goes to her coaches and her teammates.

                "It is great and it is very cool [to be leading the nation]," Cordero said. "Thanks to coach Binny and for everyone for supporting me. I have been working so hard."

                But the team is just 11 matches into the season the key is to stay up there at the end of the year. The big goal for this year's team is to get back to the national tournament, which will be played in April in West Plains, Missouri.

                Cordero said they are working hard to accomplish that goal.

                "We are working so hard in every practice. We are so ready to be going to regionals and hopefully nationals," she said. "Every practice we have to work hard and be disciplined so we can get to nationals."

                The hardest part for Cordero, though, is leaving all the friends she created while attending WNCC the past two seasons. It will be hard leaving in May when she graduates.

                "I am sad that I will leave my friends, coaches, but I have to keep going," she said. "I am so thankful, blessed and everyone here thank you for coming."