Volleyball

FCSAA announces DI Volleyball All-FCSAA team; Purashaj voted Player of the Year

L-R: Luiza Da Cruz, Keionna Mackey, Matilda Dahlstroem, Gaia Reidmuller, Emma Testi, Julia Rienks, Irene Mostardini, Alondra Alarcon, Roberta Purashaj, Victoria Zibecchi, Izzy Collier, Ava Tevdoradze
L-R: Luiza Da Cruz, Keionna Mackey, Matilda Dahlstroem, Gaia Reidmuller, Emma Testi, Julia Rienks, Irene Mostardini, Alondra Alarcon, Roberta Purashaj, Victoria Zibecchi, Izzy Collier, Ava Tevdoradze
Posted: Nov 02, 2023

FORT MYERS, Fla. -  The top 12 players in the state of Florida were honored by the FCSAA on Thursday as the 2023 FCSAA All-State Team was announced at the State Tournament Banquet in Fort Myers.

Leading the way was FCSAA Player of the Year Roberta Purashaj who led Florida SouthWestern to a Citrus Conference Championship and a #1 National Ranking from start to finish of the 2023 regular season.  Purashaj ranked second in the state with 10.81 assists per set and fifth with 0.49 aces per set while quarterbacking FSW to the top team hitting percentage in the country at .318. 

Three of Purashaj's FSW teammates joined her on the All-State Team as Alondra Alarcon, Victoria Zibecchi, and Izzy Collier were selected by the coaches in the top 12.  Alarcon ranked third in the state in both kills per set and hitting percentage this season, averaging 4.03 kills per set while hitting at a .323 clip. Zibecchi was right behind her in both categories, finishing the regular season ranked 7th in kills per set with 2.94 and 5th with a .278 hitting percentage. Collier finished as the state blocks leader during the regular season, putting up 1.26 per set while also chipping in 1.59 kills per set and hitting .423 on the offensive side of the net for the Bucs. 

Miami Dade was one of three teams with a pair of All-Staters, led by sophomore Ana Tevdoradze who finished 2nd in the state  and 4th Nationally with 4.14 kills per set while ranking 4th in hitting percentage at .313.  Joining her was the lone freshman on the All-State team, Shark setter Luiza Da Cruz who not only led all FCSAA setters, but also all NJCAA setters with 11.68 assists per set during the regular season. 

Keionna Mackey and Irene Mostardini were Polk State's two selections. Mackey finished 4th in the state with 3.86 kills per set this season including a pair of 20+ kill performances in Citrus Conference action while Mostardini finished 3rd in the state with 4.92 digs per set while passing at a .940 clip from her libero position. 

The Falcons of Daytona State were the third team to have two All-State picks.  Emma Testi finished 2nd in the state with a .372 hitting percentage during the regular season while ranking 6th in the state in blocks per set at 0.94.  Julia Rienks ranked in the top 10 all season in kills per set with 2.61 for the Falcons, notching 10 or more kills in five of her final six games of the regular season.

Hillsborough's Matilda Dahlstroem led both the state and country wire to wire in kills per set, racking up 4.79 per set on the season.  She had 11 matches with 20 or more kills including a pair of 30+ kill matches.

Eastern Florida libero Gaia Riedmuller finished 4th in the state in digs per set with 3.97 while passing a sparkling .946 throughout the season. 

All 12 of the FCSAA All-State selections will be participating in this weekend's FCSAA Division I Volleyball Championship at Suncoast Credit Union Arena in Fort Myers with a pair of bids to the NJCAA National Tournament on the line. They were also recognized as part of the Citrus Conference Awards, also announced on Thursday.