Cowley names Athletes of the Month for August and September

With the fall sports season underway, Cowley College recently named its Male and Female Athletes of the Month for August and September.

Volleyball captain Iva Halacheva was named the August Female Athlete of the Month, while tennis player Takeshi Taco was named the August Male Athlete of the Month. Halacheva is a two-time NJCAA All-American, AVCA All-American, All-Conference, All-Region, NJCAA player of the Week, and AVCA Player of the Week. She recently reached 1,094 kills placing her second all-time in kills in a career and is only the third Cowley player ever to reach 1,000 kills. The KJCCC Offensive Player of the Week has helped the Lady Tiger volleyball team to a No. 4 national ranking.

Taco is a sophomore who had an extraordinary freshman season while winning multiple national championships in singles and doubles. He was named NJCAA First Team Singles All-American, NJCAA First Team Doubles All-American, ITA Singles and Doubles All- American, ITA All Star Team and NJCAA Freshman of the Year. Taco finished last season ranked No. 1 nationally in doubles with partner Jack Clements and No. 6 nationally in singles.

The September Female Athlete of the Month is women's soccer player Natalia Lima, while the Men's Athlete of the Month is Adrian Diaz-Lopez.

Lima is a co-captain for the Lady Tiger soccer team. She was named an All American, All Conference, All Region, and two-time Offensive Player of the year in the KJCCC.

Diaz-Lopez of the Tiger men's cross country and track and field teams had one of the most successful seasons out of any men's distance runner in the last 10 years. He set the indoor and outdoor school record in the 5k and was the national champion in the 3,000-meter run.