Winning national championships has become the standard for Florida Southwestern Volleyball. The Buccaneers have won back-to-back NJCAA titles. Now, Thais Baziquetto-Allen's squad is heading back to the national tournament as the one-seed for the third straight year, looking to hang its third straight banner.
“It’s so exciting," FSW setter Camilla Brandalise said.
“It’s a different journey every time with the same end goal," head coach Baziquetto-Allen said. "So I’m just excited.”
This year's journey featured a 22-1 record with 20 sweeps and numerous individual accolades. The Bucs were ranked number one in the country for the majority of the season and beat six of the other 15 teams that will be playing in the national tournament.
“This team is ready," Baziquetto-Allen said. "We have been playing some really good volleyball in the last month and a half or so.”
FSW has already won the Citrus Conference, the FCSAA state championship and the Atlantic District championship. The only trophy the Bucs don't have is the NJCAA national championship trophy... yet.
“We have to trust each other," FSW outside hitter Julija Grubisic Cabo said. "We have to trust the work. We have to trust the process. We always say, ‘Worry about the root, not the fruit.’”
However, the fruit this year is pretty fruitful. If the Buccaneers win it all, they will be the greatest dynasty in junior college volleyball history. FSW is trying to become the first and only program to ever win three straight Division I national titles.
“The pressure is going to be there always, but I feel like it’s a good pressure," Brandalise said. "It’s a pressure that makes us happier.”
As they say, pressure makes diamonds, which is exactly what the Bucs want some more of on their fingers.
“If we act like we’re going to win, we believe that we will, we’re going to win," Brandalise said. "I’m sure about that.”
The NJCAA National Tournament begins on Wednesday and concludes on Saturday. Top-seeded FSW defeated 16-seed Eastern Wyoming 3-0 in the first round.