Bradenton, Fla - The SCF volleyball team look to kickoff the 2023 season with a bang on the weekend. The Manatees will travel to Babson Park for a tri-match against Webber International University JV and Warner University JV Saturday afternoon, August 19 at 12 and 2 pm (12 vs Webber International; 2 pm vs Warner University).
Last Time Out:
The Manatees are coming off finishing last season 12-15 overall with a 5-8 record in the Sun Lakes Conference - South Division. They would finish second in conference play and secure a spot in the FCSAA DII Region 8 State Tournament as the #7 seed where they fell in three sets to Gulf Coast State. It was the Manatees' first playoff appearance since 2014. Additionally, this was their first year in division two.
The Manatees are lead by head coach Lynn Burnett. Burnett enters her fourth official season as head coach for the Manatees after being named the interim head coach during the 2019 season.
Burnett is assisted by second year assistant coach Craig Wolfe and first-year assistant coach Amanda Black.
Wolf, who joined the Manatees last season, was a high school head coach for Out-of-Door Academy and Riverview High School in Sarasota. He brings over 40 years of coaching experience to help Burnett out.
Black joins the Manatees after spending the last two seasons as the head coach for Amarillo College in Amarillo, Texas. A native of Georgetown, Texas, Black, the wife of former MLB pitcher, Vic Black, began her collegiate coaching career at Hill College in Hillsboro, Texas. After coaching for Adidas 15 junior volleyball club, she would become the head coach for Frank Phillips College in Borger, Texas before taking the head coach position at Amarillo College.
Prior to coaching, Black began her playing career as a setter at Temple College in Temple, Texas where she was an All-American honorable mention during her sophomore year and piled together over 1,600 assists to help lead the Leopards to the NJCAA National Tournament (2011). She then transferred to Stephen F. Austin University where she finished her collegiate career there.
Last Season 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)
5. Lake Sumter State (10-15, 3-10)
South -
1. Palm Beach State (11-6, 9-4)
2. SCF (12-15, 5-8)
3. South Florida State (8-11, 5-8)
4. St. Pete (8-11, 4-9)
5. Pasco-Hernando State (8-16, 3-10)
Passing the Torches:
With a new season comes a new team as the Manatees will lose six players from last season: Lana Sandanom, Lison Stoffel, Shelby McGee, Haley Rhoads, Kendall Steinert and Katarina McCall. McGee, Steinert and McCall have all transferred to the university level to continue playing collegiate volleyball.
Sandanom, a native of Toulouse, France, finished her sophomore campaign with 191 kills, 24 digs and 16 blocks before ending her season early due to a knee injury.
Stoffel graduated in the fall and will be attending Lunex University in Differdange, Luxembourg. The Alsace, France native finished her third season of volleyball with 43 aces, 42 kills and 86 assists. She finished her career with 534 assists (224 with SCF; 310 with Independence CC), 65 aces and 538 digs (336 with SCF).
McGee will be transferring to the Nicholls State University in Thibadoux, Louisiana with two years of eligibility remaining. McGee finished her sophomore campaign with 345 digs, 23 aces, 43 assists and 12 kills.
Rhoads departed from the team due to personal reasons. She lead the way offensively and defensively with 211 kills, 12 aces, 75 digs and 54 blocks (14 solo) in her lone season for the Manatees. Additionally, she was named a member of the All-Sun Lakes Second Team.
Steinert transferred to Webber International University to play indoor and beach volleyball with three years of eligibility for both. Steinert lead the way in assists in her lone season on the indoor team with 866 assists, 38 aces, 65 kills, 288 digs, 41 blocks and 17 double-doubles (assists and digs). Additionally, she was named a member of the All-Sun Lakes First Team and earned FCSAA DII Setter of the Week three times as well as earning NJCAA Offensive Player of the Week on one occasion.
McCall, who joined the Manatees after spending her freshman year at Penn State University - Beaver (USCAA), has transferred to Ave Maria University (NAIA) to play for both indoor and beach volleyball. She will two years of eligibility remaining. McCall played in six matches with the Manatees where she had 10 aces, 13 digs and four assists before parting ways.
Welcoming the New Bloods:
Despite the departures, Burnett was able to bring in 10 newcomers to join the indoor team. Five are international, three are transfers and four are local products.
Jaycie Sheean:
A middle blocker/right side hitter/setter from Rockford, Illinois, Sheean joins the Manatee as a transfer from Purdue University - Northwest (NCAA DII). She will have one year of eligibility remaining and will be the first NCAA DII player to join the Manatees' volleyball team. Sheean will sit out and redshirt for the 2023 season.
As a member of the Lions, she played in five matches (two starts) where she produced five kills, two digs and eight blocks.
Prior to Purdue Northwest, Sheean played at Lutheran High School in Rockford where she played all four years on varsity for the Crusaders and finished her career with 394 kills, 112 aces, 136 digs and 93 blocks (57 solo). Additionally, she helped the Crusaders to two appearances in the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) State Tournament, which included a fourth place finish during her sophomore year and was named a member of the All-Big Northern Second Team. Her senior year was her most productive as she finished with 163 kills, 23 aces, 54 blocks (14 solo) and 40 digs.
Katie Keefe:
An outside hitter from London, England, Keefe joins the Manatees for the fall semester after transferring from the beach volleyball team at Stetson University. She will then be transferring to the University of Tampa spring 2024 to play for their beach volleyball team. Historically, she will be the first volleyball player from England to play for SCF as well as the first NCAA DI transfer in program history to join the team.
As a freshman for the Lady Hatters beach team, Keefe played majorly in extra matches, but played one match at the #5 pair. Despite only playing that the one sanctioned match, she was named a member of the ASUN Academic Honor Roll while being a part of the Lady Hatters' run of winning the ASUN Conference Beach Volleyball Tournament and qualifying for the NCAA Beach Volleyball Championship as the #18 team in the nation.
Prior to Stetson, Keefe was enrolled at the London Oratory School. While doing that, she has competed in several indoor volleyball tournaments in Europe. She was named the best outside hitter at the 2019 NEVZA U17 Tournament and MVP three times for indoor while winning four gold and silver medals.
In beach volleyball, Keefe and her partner, Isabelle Tucker, have competed in five beach volleyball tournaments in Europe where they won a gold and silver medal in the European Championship and a gold in the NEVZA U19 Beach Volleyball Tournament.
Earlier this year, Keefe competed in the FIBV World Tour in Madrid, Spain (May 17-May 21) with Tucker with a 13th place finish, the CEV Beach Volleyball Nations Cup in Budapest, Hungary where they finished in fifth place and recently U22 CEV European Championship in Romania where finished ninth.
Aleksandra Wrobel:
A left-handed opposite hitter from Sosnoweic, Poland, Wrobel joins SCF after recently playing for her U20 club team, Trans-Ann Ptomein Sosnowiec in Sosnowiec, Poland. She will be the first Polish player for SCF volleyball.
With Trans-Ann Ptomein, she helped them to a 21-10 record in club play.
Elise Bakken:
A setter from Oslo, Norway, Bakken joins the Manatees after playing club volleyball for Koll IL II and Oslo Volley. She will be the first Norwegian to play for SCF volleyball.
During her tenures with Oslo Volley, she has competed in the Norwegian Cup and the Norwegian league Tournament during the 2020-21 year where her team finished in the top 10.
Theresa Briefeneder:
A middle blocker from Seekirchen, Austria, Briefender joins the Manatees after playing club volleyball for UVV Seekirchen. There, she helped them to a 7th place finish at the Austrian League II Tournament. Briefender will be the first Austrian to play for SCF volleyball.
Alannah McCaughey:
McCaughey, a local product and libero from Punta Gorda, joins the Manatees after graduating from Charlotte High School. As a member of the Tarpons for her last two seasons on varsity, McCaughey finished with 42 aces and 287 digs. During those last two seasons, she helped the Tarpons to two straight appearances in the regional semifinals of the FHSAA 5A State Tournament.
Additionally, she played on Charlotte High School's beach volleyball team and helped the Tarpons to the FHSAA Beach Volleyball Championship State Tournament in the program's second season.
Charlotte Herman:
Herman, a middle blocker and local from Venice, joins the Manatees after graduating from Venice High School. She played her last two seasons on the Indians' varsity squad where she accumulated 21 kills in her career.
During her senior year, despite playing in only four sets overall due to injury, Herman was still a part of Venice's run in FHSAA 7A as they went 22-4 overall a 3-0 record in districts. They were named the 7A District 12 Regular Season Champions before winning the FHSAA 7A State Volleyball Tournament after defeating Hagerty High School 3-1 to take the title for their fourth time in 7A.
Herman also plays beach volleyball and helped the Indians to two straight appearances in the FHSAA Beach Volleyball State Tournament.
Katrina Tallo:
A middle blocker and local product from Sarasota, Tallo joins the Manatees after playing her last year at the Classical Academy of Sarasota. As a member of the Patriots, Tallo finished her lone season with 101 kills, 27 aces, three blocks and 92 digs, while helping them to the the FHSAA 2A District Tournament. One of her best matches was in a 3-2 loss to Sarasota Christian where she finished with a double-double of 23 kills, 13 digs and eight aces.
Prior to Classical Academy, Tallo played her freshman year with the Gulf Coast Heat where she had four kills and 10 digs.
Like McCaughy and Herman, Tallo also plays beach volleyball for the Patriots in which she helped the them to an appearance in the FHSAA Beach Volleyball State Championship Tournament.
Morgan McGuire:
A setter from Dover, Florida, McGuire joins the Manatees after graduating from Strawberry Crest High School. As a member of the Chargers, McGuire played her last two seasons on varsity where finished her career with 813 assists, 207 digs, 71 aces, 62 kills and 10 blocks. During her junior year, she helped the Chargers to an appearance in the FHSAA 6A State Volleyball Tournament. Her senior year was the most productive year as she finished with 526 assists, 146 digs, 43 aces and 55 kills.
Mailyenid Vazquez:
A defensive specialist and local product from Bradenton via Puerto Rico, joins the Manatees as a walk-on after transferring from Johnson University - Florida (NCCAA) in Kissimmee. She will have one year of eligibility remaining and will be the first transfer from an NCCAA university, but will sit out for the 2023 season.
As a member of the Suns during the 2021 season, Vazquez finished her lone season with 43 kills, 15 assists, 14 aces and 206 digs before leaving the team due to personal reasons. She did help the Suns to the 2021 NCCAA DII Volleyball National Championship that they hosted.
Prior to Johnson University, Vazquez played at Braden River High School (2020) where she helped them to the semifinals of the FHSAA 6A District Tournament.
Bringing Back Experience:
With the 10 newcomers joining the team, Burnett was able to bring back eight sophomores to rejoin the team: Bailee Perry, Rachel Carroll, Amee Beedle, Isabella Rebimbas, Caelan Cook, Kloe Pinto, Emily Lyons and Shelby Pillow.
Perry, who has been limited on playing due to injury, finished her freshman campaign with 48 kills, eight aces, 110 digs (sixth most on the team) and 11 blocks. She produce her first collegiate double-double against South Florida State (9/17/22: 10 kills and 18 blocks) and set a career-high 28 digs against Gulf Coast State (11/4/22) in the NJCAA Region 8 DII State Tournament.
Carroll, who rotated as starting libero and defensive specialist off the bench, finished her freshman campaign with 178 digs (fifth most on the team), 21 assists and 19 aces. She produced 10 plus digs in seven of her matches, which included 15 against Palm Beach State.
Beedle returns to the Manatees after redshirting last season. The native of Wheaton, Illinois joined the Manatees after transferring from Vincennes University (NJCAA) in Indiana during the 2022 season.
Rebimbas, the hybrid of the Manatees, finished last season with 190 kills (fourth most on the team), 16 aces, 292 digs (second most on the team) and 22 blocks. She was named a member of the All-Sun Lakes Second Team.
Cook finished her freshman campaign with 192 kills (third most on the team), 92 digs and 17 blocks, which included her first collegiate double-double against Moraine Valley CC (8/19/22).
Pinto finished her freshman campaign with five kills, three assists, two aces and 15 digs.
Lyons finished her freshman year with 14 kills, seven digs and two blocks.
Pillow, the leader in blocking, finished her first year with 172 kills (fifth most on the team), 23 digs and 73 blocks (23 solo). During the middle of the season, the native of Athens, Georgia was ranked in the top 100 in the nation kills and blocks.
Scouting Webber International JV:
Webber International represents the Sun Conference in the NAIA and are lead by first-year head coach Justin Dee. Dee joined Webber after spending his previous season as an assistant coach for Rollins College (NCAA DII)
The Lady Warriors are coming off of finishing their previous season 2-11 overall with a 2-4 record in the Sun Conference.
The Lady Warriors will look to bring back all 15 returners from the previous season. Additionally, they will have key returners which include former SCF Manatee Bailey Sikkema (2019-20). Former Manatees Kendall Steinert (2022) and Anna Chechelynska (2021-22) have also joined the Lady Warriors.
Scouting Warner University:
Like Webber International, Warner represents the Sun Conference in the NAIA. They are lead by head coach Linda Pai, who enters her second season as head coach.
The Lady Royals are coming off of finishing last season 4-21 overall with a 1-13 record in the Sun Conference.
Possible key returners include Karla Rodriguez (294 digs, 13 aces and 48 assists), Maja Auer (286 assists, 19 aces and 82 digs), Leah Cooley (122 kills, 104 digs and 19 blocks), Emily Via (100 kills and 53 blocks), TarriAnne Henry (124 kills and 19 blocks) and Talia Gonzalez (62 kills, 32 digs and 38 blocks).
Series History:
While it is the first time the Manatees play the Lady Royals, they are no strangers to the Lady Warriors as they hold a 6-1 record overall.
How to Keep Up:
All three matches will likely air on the Sun Conference Digital Network and fans can keep up with the Manatees on all forms of social media.
Livestream Link - https://thesundigitalnetwork.com/webberinternational/?B=547711
Social Media -
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/SCFvolleyball
Twitter - https://twitter.com/SCFVolleyball?s=09
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/volleyball_scf/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y%3D
