DCC Basketball and Volleyball Sign All Star Dual Athlete
pictured: Payton Petersen (sister), Travis Petersen (Dad), Elizabeth Petersen (Mom), Alexis Petersen (sister), Sylar Estes (Volleyball Coach), Maite Hernandez (Coach), Jesse Zamudio (Basketball Coach)
When Dawson women’s basketball coach Romeo Lagmay, Jr. went on a recruiting trip out west, he stumbled upon a gem that caught his eye quickly. That gem would be 6’1 post McKenzi Petersen of Lowry High School in Winnemuca, NV. Not only does McKenzi start in the paint for the basketball team, but it was soon found out she was an outstanding volleyball player as well. So Coach Lagmay introduced her to DCC Coach Dina Fritz.
McKenzi officially committed to Dawson, signing her NJCAA National Letter of Intent to play both sports.
Coach Lagmay stated, “I was really impressed with McKenzi’s skill set as a post player. She’s a strong rebounder and very physical around the rim. She can run the floor fast and is very active in protecting the rim with her shot blocking skills. I’m super excited to work with her and implement her into our style of play.”
In basketball, team captain McKenzi averaged 7.6 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.3 steals, finishing the season 27-3 overall and went undefeated (12-0) in the league, winning the Nevada 3A State Championship this past season. She was voted 1st Team East and North League and 2nd Team All-State.
Lowry girl’s basketball coach Jesse Zamudio commented, “Moe is a hard worker. She comes to practice every day with the determination to learn and improve. She is a leader and makes those around her better through example. But, most of all, Moe is tough! She doesn’t let anything stop her from completing her goals and helping her team.”
In volleyball, McKenzi also served as captain, was voted 1st Team 3A Northern League in 2022 and was 1st in blocking and 2nd in hitting in 3A Northern Nevada. She accumulated 78 kills with a .290 hitting percentage. With a total of 78 blocks, 61 of them were solo.
Dawson Volleyball Coach Fritz said, “I am excited to get an athlete like McKenzi on our roster next year. She is a big presence at the net and that will help us out defensively. McKenzi also works hard to make herself available for hitting and has shown that she can be an offensive threat as well as a defensive threat. This shows by how she finished the year in the rankings with her blocking and hitting. She will be a great addition to our team and I am excited to get to work with her this fall."
Lowry Volleyball Coach Skylar Estes said, “Moe is an extremely driven individual who is willing to do whatever is asked. The leader she was to her teammates was one who could motivate and drive everyone to their best. Moe keep spirits up and her hard hitting was a spark that we always could use to push us. She will be a great asset to the programs and we will be excited to see where she will go with her growth and play.”
Academically, McKenzi was voted 2019 Academic All-State for Track and 2021 Academic All-State for Volleyball. She is a member of the National Honor Society.
McKenzi shared her comments as well, “I chose Dawson Community College because going to Dawson will allow me to continue my education while also playing volleyball and basketball. Two sports that I am very passionate about. I plan to study Agriculture, and at Dawson they have a great program. I think Dawson is perfect for me and I can’t wait to get started.”
