FORT MYERS, Fla.- The Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers have been unbeatable on the court this season, going a perfect 18-0 while dropping just one set on the 2023 campaign in route to a #1 NJCAA National Ranking for the first six weeks of the season. Impressive enough in itself, the Bucs take it one step further, able to achieve their chemistry and success while putting out a starting lineup with seven players from seven different countries across the globe.
The Bucs program, which was established in 2019, has featured rosters with players from 14 different countries on five of the six inhabited continents in it's first five years. This year's team alone is made up of eight different Nationalities. But their uniqueness doesn't stop there, as this year, the Bucs have featured a starting lineup of six players, and their libero, all hailing from different countries. Alondra Alarcon and Anica Bobic, the Bucs two starting outsides grew up over 7,000 miles apart from each other, Alarcon on West Coast of South America in Lima, Peru, Bobic in the hills of South Central Europe in Kula, Serbia. FSW's two middles have a similar split as sophomore Izzy Collier is one of the Bucs' two Florida natives on the team, coming South from Jacksonville to play for the Purple and Aqua the last two seasons while her positional mate Nina Boledovicova grew up 5,000 miles away on the banks of the Danube River in Bratislava, Slovakia. Sophomore right side Victoria Zibecchi hails from the small town of Villa Angela in Northern Argentina while All-American setter Roberta Purashaj grew up 5,000 miles away in the hustle and bustle of one of Europe's most happening cities in Milan, Italy. Rounding out the Bucs starting seven is freshman libero Clara Maidantchik who is one of three Brazilians on the FSW roster, coming to Fort Myers from the beaches of Rio de Janeiro.
"Our diversity is part of who we are as a program" FSW Head Coach Thais Baziquetto-Allen, a Brazilian-American citizen herself, said. "Our goal is not only to mold these young women into successful Volleyball players on the court, but to also set them up for success in the real world when they are done playing, whenever that happens to be, and being able to live and learn from people of so many different cultures, religions, and traditions helps them be more well rounded when that time comes."
Being a two-year college, just like the Bucs come to campus from all over the world, after graduating FSW with their Associate's Degrees, they have spread back out across the country to continue their academic and playing careers. The Bucs currently have 16 alumni playing in three different levels of collegiate Volleyball, everywhere from the furthest West state in the Union at the University of Hawaii, to the East Coast at Winthrop University.
No matter the distance between them, one thing that will never be separated though, is the connection that the Bucs players have after spending their time together in Fort Myers. "I came to FSW so nervous and scared because I didn't know anyone" 2023 FSW alumn Arianna Rossi from Bergamo, Italy said. "But two years later I left with American, Brazilian, Bulgarian, and German sisters that I will be friends with forever."
After winning the 2022 NJCAA National Championship with a 27-1 record, the Bucs are once again on the charge for a title this season, sitting at 18-0 on the year and ranked #1 in all six NJCAA National Polls this season.
The Bucs and their diverse roster begins a four game road stretch on Wednesday when they travel to Indian River for a Citrus Conference matchup with the Pioneers beginning at 5:30 PM.