In Mackenzie Dagostino’s three years playing college volleyball she hadn’t experienced a winning season in which she was the starting setter.
But in her first year starting consistently for Florida, she’s hit her stride with one of the strongest teams in the country.
After spending her first year of college volleyball at Maryland where she played a 6-2 offensive scheme and split time with then-senior setter Remy McBain, Dagostino transferred to Florida so she could be closer to her hometown, Tampa, and play for a team that shared the same goals as her.
As Dagostino sat the bench in her sophomore year — a year Florida completed the season 28-4 — she waited patiently for her number to be called to lead Florida through a winning season. Florida (21-3, 15-0 Southeastern Conference) has seen its fair share of success in conference play, but the difference-maker has been Dagostino’s quick and offensive approach on the court.
"We’ve always said it’s the second year of the transfer that they really have that opportunity to make a difference because the first year you’re just getting used to all the changes and new terminology..." Wise said on Sept. 24. "She’s making plays from the setter position that we’ve had very few setters -- and we’ve had some very good ones come through here -- that have ever made because of how quick she is. She’s an elite level athlete."
Dagostino’s pace — which Wise said exemplifies the setters elite level of athleticism — has given her 934 assists and 61 kills.
But what Dagostino does best is scouting and exploiting open spots to help offensive players like Carli Snyder, Alex Holsten and Rhamat Alhassan make kills.
However, even with a successful season so far, Dagostino isn’t about to let down her guard.
"It’s not done yet, there’s still three games," Dagostino said. "Regardless of if a share (of the SEC) is clinched or not, we have to finish the season. It’s amazing to be able to clinch half of it, but it’s not done until we play that last match at home against South Carolina."
Her consistency on offense has made her the 18th best setter in the country with 11.25 assists per set and ninth in the country in service aces per set (.49)
But even with a starting position and a winning season, Dagostino said it’s no different from her previous two years.
"It’s no different than volleyball has ever been for me," Dagostino said. "It’s just a challenge always, as it’s supposed to be. It’s been fun, this is a fun team to work with. It’s a very hard working group, so everything that we’ve accomplished is something that we’ve expected to accomplish and we’re hoping to just keep doing the same thing through the tournament."
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Mackenzie Dagostino sets the ball during Florida's 3-0 win against Alabama on Friday in the O'Connell Center.
