The FSCJ Bluewave Volleyball team will kick off its 2019 campaign on Friday August 23rd at Hillsborough Community College in Tampa, Florida.
This year's team features three key returners, Redshirt Freshman Jhoana Elizabeth Sandoval, (Uruapan Mexico/ Liceo Uruapan HS), a 6'0" pin hitter who is expected to carry a lot of the load this season; Jane Cuk, (Valjevo, Serbia / Valjevska Gimnazija HS), a 6' 3" middle blocker who posted a .239 hitting percentage with 35 total blocks last season; and libero Krystal Santiago,( Corozal, PR / Academia Santa Teresita High School) who led the team in digs at 4.14 per set last season. Two key newcomers are transfers Marine Angely (Sivry, France / Lycee Arthur Varoquaux HS) and Camille Esselin (Thionville, France/ Lycee Arthur Varoquaux HS). Angely is a 5' 11" transfer from Xavier of Louisiana. She helped lead them to a conference championship and was 3rd in total kills as a freshman. Esselin transferred from Western Nebraska Community College, where she helped the team to a 28-9 overall record and capped the season with 192 digs and 19 aces.
FSCJ has two strong freshman setters from the local area; 5' 9" Freshman setter Nadia Ball-Starks (Kingsland, GA / Camden County HS) and 5' 9" setter, Leah Mortensen (Jacksonville, Fl. / Beaches Chapel HS). Ball-Starks also has hitting capability and Mortensen has a strong court awareness. Rounding out the freshman class are; 5' 11" outside hitter, Britt Klein Lankhorst (Gronigen, Neitherlands/Talent School), and 5' 10" outside hitter Ketura Margaret (Paramaribo, Suriname/Henry Dahlberg School). Both Lankhorst and Margaret are strong offensive hitters.
FSCJ Volleyball will be hosting the 2019 FCSAA (Florida) Volleyball Championship Tournament at the South Campus Gym November 1-3, 2019. Last year the team finished 3rd in the state, narrowly missing an opportunity to qualify for Nationals.