Bradenton, Fla- After a long drought of not qualifying for the postseason for eight straight seasons, the SCF volleyball team (12-14) will turn their shining moment into a reality as they travel to Palatka for the two-day FCSAA/NJCAA Gulf District Tournament at the William H. Tuten Gymnasium Friday and Saturday, November 4-5, hosted by St. John's River State. The Manatees will be the #7 seed in the tournament and will face #19 Gulf Coast State College (24-7) in the first round at 2 pm.
Last Time Out:
The Manatees wrapped up their portion of the regular season after losing to Palm Beach State at home (3-2) at home before losing to #17 Hillsborough (3-0) on the road in the finale. They would finish in second in the Sun Lakes South Division.
Final Sun Lakes Standings:
North -
1. #19 Gulf Coast State (22-3, 10-3) #*
2. RV Pensacola State (24-7, 10-3) #
3. St. John's River (20-14, 9-4)#
4. Florida State College at Jacksonville (9-7, 7-6) e
5. Lake Sumter State (10-15, 3-10) e
South -
1. Palm Beach State (11-6, 9-4) #*
2. SCF (12-14, 5-8) #
3. South Florida State (8-11, 5-8) #
4. St. Pete (8-11, 4-9) e
5. Pasco-Hernando State (8-16, 3-10) e
# - Clinched Playoff Berth
e - eliminated
* Conference Champions
Historic Fact:
In 2014, the Manatees, who at the time were division one, went to the 16-team NJCAA Volleyball National Tournament in Casper, Wyoming after automatically qualifying after reaching the finals of the FCSAA State Tournament and finishing as the runner-up. They would be one of three teams in Florida to go to nationals (Miami Dade and Polk State were the other two teams that went).
The Manatees would finish in 10th place and finish the season 28-7 overall with a 7-1 record in conference where they had the third longest winning streak in program history (22 straight wins) while being ranked nationally.
The following names are the players on the 2014 SCF volleyball team:
JaNhea Beisner
Yamiana 'Yami' Ramos
Jessica Emile
Hannah Curtis
Kalli Collier
Lea Lieb
Katie Gathman
Taylor Lafavre
Jenny D'Alessandro
Holly Kabana
Maja Ristic
Kelly Stewart
Susanna Peonia
Tournament Breakdown:
The FCSAA DII/NJCAA Gulf District Tournament is single elimination where seven teams will compete. The team that loses their match is eliminated from the tournament and ends their season. The winner of the final match will win the tournament and represent the Gulf District as one of 16 teams for the NJCAA National Volleyball Tournament in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Six teams from Florida will be in the tournament with one team from Mississippi also joining. As a result of taking the tiebreaker in the north division, Pensacola State is the #1 seed in the tournament and will have a first round bye.
Lake Sumter State, who won the district tournament last year, did not qualify for the tournament this year as they finished this season in last place in their division.
There is a possible chance where one of the teams could get a spot in the national tournament as an at-large bid.
The following listed are the seven teams that qualified for the Gulf District Tournament and their seedings:
#1 (#19) Gulf Coast State (23-3)
#2 RV Pensacola State (24-7)
#3 St. John's River State (20-14)
#4 Palm Beach State (11-6)
#5 South Florida State (8-11)
#6 Northwest Mississippi CC (15-13)
#7 SCF (12-14)
Match 1: #4 Palm Beach State vs #5 South Florida State, 9 am
Match 2: #3 St. John's River vs Northwest Mississippi CC, 11:30 am
Match 3: #2 (#19) Gulf Coast State vs #7 SCF, 2 pm
Match 4: RV Pensacola State vs Match 1 winner, 4:30 pm
Match 5: Match 2 winner vs Match 3 winner, 7 pm
Match 6: Match 4 winner vs Match 5 winner, 1 pm (Gulf District Championship)
Award Winners:
Prior to the start of the district tournament, Steve Winterling, the chairman of the Sun Lakes Conference and athletic director to Pasco-Hernando State College, presented the yearly awards to the coaches and players.
Sun Lakes Player of the Year:
The Sun Lakes Conference Player of the Year was crowned to freshman outside hitter Allison Bryant from Palm Beach State. Bryant lead the Panthers with 269 kills, 34 aces, 210 digs and 25 blocks. She was also named a member of the All-Sun Lakes First Team and the All-FCSAA DII Team.
In addition to the Sun Lakes Player of the Year accolade, Bryant won the Dulcie 'Cookie' Stevens Award for being named the DII Player of the Year.
Sun Lakes Coach of the Year:
The Sun Lakes Conference Coach of the Year would be awarded to Pensacola State head coach Patricia Gandolfo. Gandolfo enters her first season with the Pirates after spending her last two seasons as an assistant coach for the University of West Florida. She helped the Pirates to the playoffs after their run last season where they fell in the semifinals to Lake Sumter State.
All-Sun Lakes First Team:
For the Manatees, freshmen Kendall Steinert was named to the All-Sun Lakes First Team. Steinert, who is ranked #27 in the nation in assists, is a three-time FCSAA Setter of the Week (9/6, 9/20 and 10/25) and one-time NJCAA Offensive Player of the Week (9/22). The setter from Englewood, Florida currently has 846 assists, 280 digs, 37 aces, 37 blocks (six solo) and 61 kills while producing 16 double-doubles in the season.
Additionally, Steinert recently surpassed Ewine Guscetti (824, 2018) for sixth all-time in career assists in the match against South Florida State and needs 14 to surpass Gracee Carpino (859, 2019-20) for fifth all-time.
Members from the other teams are as listed:
Gulf Coast State - Jenna Schuliger and Annabell Chancey
Pensacola State - Anyaliz Rodriguez
Palm Beach State - Allison Bryant and Nina Vellesi
South Florida State Yeishlanie Reyes and Isabella Hurtado
St. Pete College - Bianca Johnson
Florida State College at Jacksonville - Ava Pringle
St. John's River State - Cassidy Casey
All-Sun Lakes Second Team:
Representing the Manatees on the All-Sun Lakes Second Team is freshmen Haley Rhoads and Bella Rebimbas.
While she sat out the last two matches to rest, Rhoads lead the offense with 203 kills, 12 aces and 50 blocks (14 solo). She is ranked #197 in the nation.
Rebimbas, who is the hybrid player for playing both offensively and defensively, finished the regular season with 188 kills, 16 aces, 280 digs and 21 blocks. She also produced four double-doubles on the season.
Members from the other teams are as listed:
Gulf Coast State - Erica Irby
Pensacola State - Brooke Sproat
Palm Beach State - Dena Otte and Ashlyn Banton
Pasco-Hernando State - Elena Castillo-Wetzell and Isabella Greifenstein
Florida State College at Jacksonville - Althea Sandoval
Lake Sumter State - Yarelis Lopez Osorio
St. John's River State - Julianne Lindsay
All-FCSAA/NJCAA Region 8 Team:
Along with being named on the All-Sun Lakes First Team, Steinert was named a member of the DII All-FCSAA/NJCAA Region 8 Team.
Members from the other teams are as listed:
Gulf Coast State - Annabell Chancey and Jenna Schuliger
Pensacola State - Julia Neveu and Anyaliz Rodriguez
Palm Beach State - Allison Bryant and Nina Vellesi
Florida State College at Jacksonville - Ava Pringle
St. John's River State - Cassidy Casey, Hope Harrington
St. Pete - Bianca Johnson
South Florida - Yeishlanie Reyes
Big Helps:
Alongside Steinert, Rhoads and Rebimbas, sophomores Shelby McGee and Lison Stoffel and freshmen Caelen Cook and Shelby Pillow play big roles in the rotation.
McGee leads the back row for the team with 338 digs, 23 aces and 42 assists. She has made the FCSAA 25 Dig Club three times this season.
Stoffel, who has played at three different positions, currently has 252 digs, 42 aces, 84 assists and 42 kills. In assists, she has 532 career assists (310 with Independence CC) and needs 65 to surpass Sanja Vojnovic (596, 2015) for 10th all-time.
Cook has rotated around between front row block and attack. Currently, she has 187 kills, 90 digs and 15 blocks in her name.
Pillow, the lead blocker in the front row, currently has 168 kills and 70 blocks (23 solo). She is currently tied at #102 in the nation in total blocks.
The Wild Ones:
Alongside the players who made the conference teams, freshmen Bailey Perry and Rachel Carroll have been the wildcards for the team, despite some nagging injuries (Perry: ankle; Carroll: concussion).
Perry currently has 45 kills and 96 digs, while Carroll has 19 aces and 175 digs this season.
Scouting #19 Gulf Coast State:
The Commodores, who are ranked #19 in the nation, are the #2 seed in the tournament after finishing in first in the north division.
Sophomore Evyn Peddie leads the offense with 178 kills and 35 blocks, while freshman Erica Irby (All-Sun Lakes Second Team) follows with 172 kills, 138 digs and 18 blocks and classmate Lauren Marien rounds the order with 160 kills, 39 aces and 18 blocks.
Defensively, sophomore Aliyah Baker leads with 48 blocks (21 solo) to go along with 78 kills and 25 aces, while sophomore Jensen Diggs leads with 208 digs and 14 aces.
Scouting RV Pensacola State:
The Pirates are receiving votes in the NJCAA National Polls after finishing second behind Gulf Coast State, with the help of Sun Lakes Coach of the Year Patricia Gandolfo. They will be the #1 seed and will have a first round bye while awaiting the winner between #4 Palm Beach State and #5 South Florida State.
Freshman Anyaliz Rodriguez (All-Sun Lakes First Team - North Division) leads the offense 369 kills (3.32 kills per set), 32 aces, 416 digs and 52 blocks, while sophomore Brooke Sproat (All-Sun Lakes Second Team) follows with 309 kills and 70 blocks.
On defense, freshman Paige Patterson leads the front row with 98 blocks (85 block assists) and 151 kills, while sophomore Julia Neveu leads the back row with 515 digs and 40 aces.
Scouting St. John's River:
The Vikings earned the #3 seed after finishing in third place in the division.
Sophomore Cassidy Casey (All-Sun Lakes First Team) leads the offense with 310 kills, 15 aces and 80 blocks (70 block assists), while classmate Emma West follows with 214 kills and 41 blocks.
Defensively, freshman Alina Schneider leads the back row defense with 448 digs and 53 aces (#71 in the nation).
Scouting Palm Beach State:
The Panthers claimed the Sun Lake South Division Regular Season Championship while securing the #4 seed in the tournament.
Aside from Bryant (Sun Lakes Player of the Year, Region 8 DII Player of the Year and All-Sun Lakes First Team), sophomore Nina Vellesi (All-Sun Lakes First Team) has 117 kills, 23 aces and 31 blocks, while Otte (All-Sun Lakes Second Team) has 129 kills and 24 blocks.
On the back row defense, Banton (All-Sun Lakes Second Team) leads with 278 digs and 22 aces.
Scouting South Florida State:
The Panthers are the #5 seed in the tournament after finishing third in the south division.
Sophomore Isabella Hurtado (All-Sun Lakes First Team) leads the team offensively with 171 kills and 52 blocks, while freshmen Jayleen Santiago (144 kills) and freshman Allie Shaffer (123 kills, 23 aces and 150 digs) follow along.
On defense, sophomore Yeishlanie Reyes (All-Sun Lakes First Team) leads with 342 digs.
Scouting Northwest Mississippi CC:
Northwest Mississippi CC is lead by Allison Burchyett, who enter her third season as head coach.
The Rangers are coming off of finishing the regular season at 15-13 overall with a 3-1 record in conference play. They qualified for the Gulf District Tournament after defeating Pearl River CC 3-0 in the NJCAA Region 23 Play-In Championship.
On offense, freshman Micah Swift leads the way with 211 kills, while classmates Kennedy Smith (185 kills and 13 aces), Jacie Hayes (161 kills)
On defense, sophomore Kayla Beal leads the way with 305 digs and 34 aces, while Swift and Hayes lead with 70+ blocks (Swift: 73; Hayes: 75).
How to Keep Up:
All the matches will air livestream on the FCSAA Digital Network and fans can keep up with the Manatees on all social media platforms.
Social Media Links -
Instagram: @volleyball_SCF
Twitter: @SCFVolleyball
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SCFvolleyball
FCSAA Livestream Link - https://team1sports.com/fcsaa/
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