Rings, trophies and banners — those are the standards for Florida SouthWestern Volleyball. The Buccaneers are officially back on the court and about to begin their 2024 season.
"It’s quite exciting," said FSW freshman outside hitter Magi Milicevic.
This isn't just another year for FSW. The Bucs have won back-to-back national championships and are now seen as the premier destination for junior college volleyball in the entire country. Head Coach Thais Baziquetto-Allen's goal is to keep her program in the limelight.
"We definitely want to go back-to-back-to-back, a three-peat," Baziquetto-Allen said.
This year's roster looks a whole lot different from last year's. The Bucs are only returning six players from their 2023 title run but still have some big names like Anna Marzella, Camilla Brandalise and Abby Toeniskoetter. FSW has also added three NCAA Division I transfers, including University of Maryland Baltimore County standout Julija Grubisic Cabo.
"It’s always a new team, always new challenges," Baziquetto-Allen said. "We have a lot of new players. I think we have a lot of new faces."
Despite the turnover, the new-look roster already looks like a family.
"All the girls are stuck together," Brandalise said. "They want to be together like a family even more than last year."
“I like that nobody stands in each other's way," Milicevic said. "We all try to build a strong team, and in order for that, we need to push each other, not stop each other."
That strong team will be needed because, as the back-to-back champs, everyone is coming for the Bucs. FSW went 31-1 last season and held on to the No. 1 ranking in the national polls all year long. Now, they are back atop the preseason rankings, which they understand comes with some added pressure.
“This is a good pressure for us to keep pushing and keep looking for another ring again," Brandalise said.
"I think it's more of a pressure we put on ourselves to be successful and set high standards than anything else around," Baziquetto-Allen said. "I think the outside pressure doesn't compare to what we set ourselves to do."
With the target on their back and a hunger for more bling on their fingers, the Buccaneers begin their 2024 season this weekend. FSW hosts the Battle at the Beach at Suncoast Credit Union Arena on Friday and Saturday. The Bucs will play four games in two days.