Gillette College Snags Four from East Coast: Fabiola Acety, Valerie Rodriguez, Jennifer Santana and Daliana Garcia
GILLETTE COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT DEPARTMENT OF ATHLETICS
July 31st, 2023
Julia Machin | Head Women's Volleyball Coach
Fabiola Acety is a 5'4 setter who is joining us from Tohopekaliga High School in Kissimmee, Florida. Acety will be joining the Gillette College team with 13 years of volleyball experience under her belt, her combination of skill and volleyball knowledge makes her a fantastic addition to the team. Fabiola has had an impressive career so far, earning honors such as an Honorable Mention in the Orange Belt Conference, Player of the Match accolades, and even leading her team to a District Championship her junior year. This comes as no surprise when you see Acety's stats from her senior season where she accumulated 261 assists, 127 digs, 33 aces, and 13 kills. When it comes to Fabiola's academic plans at Gillette College, she has chosen to pursue a career in Physical Therapy. When asked about her decision to come to Gillette College, Acety responded " The reason why I chose Gillette College is because once I visited, I instantly felt at peace. I felt like it was a great place for me to continue my volleyball career and studying. I felt like I had a great support system with every single person I talked to while I was on campus."
Valerie Rodriguez is an accomplished Setter/Libero out of Kissimmee, Florida that will be joining us at Gillette College this fall. Rodriguez is excellent on and off the court, through her hard work in the classroom she earned the Academic Excellence Award, the Leadership Award, and Academic/Athletic Honors. With a handful of academic accomplishments, Valerie is looking to pursue a career path in Criminal Justice during her time at Gillette College. On the court, Valerie has garnered an impressive number of accolades throughout her high school career. The 5'2 setter/libero was awarded the Golden Ball Award, FHSAA MVP-All District Team, All Season MVP, Most Assists, Player of the Year, and received the Captain Award. During her senior year, Rodriguez accumulated 187 assists, 28 digs, 19 aces, and 22 kills which helped lead her team to the CFCAC State Volleyball Championship and the NACA D2 Volleyball National Championship. With a multitude of academic and athletic accolades, Valerie is truly a well-rounded player and will make a great addition to the team. Valerie states "I choose Gillette College for the experience and for the amazing opportunity they gave me to expand my academic journey. Outside of volleyball, the amazing programs, and the opportunities Gillette offers, I chose this college because it feels like home! Although I haven't experienced it yet, I can tell it's gonna be an amazing journey with amazing people. I want to be able to grow not just academically, but in all aspects of life."
Jennifer Santana Troncoso is a 5'8 Outside/Middle Hitter joining us all the way from San Juan, Puerto Rico. Jennifer attended Academia Adventista Metropolitana and earned a number of accolades during her time there. On the court, Jennifer is a well-rounded athlete who has experience playing multiple positions including outside, middle, and being a setter. During her high school career, she earned honors such as Best Hitter and Best Receptionist multiple seasons in a row. With Jennifer's impressive accolades, it comes as no surprise that she helped lead her team to two championships in Puerto Rico. Off the court, Jennifer was involved in Chess Club and took numerous honors classes such as Math, Science, Social Studies, and Health. The Puerto Rico native is looking to kick off her journey to being a Veterinarian here at Gillette College this fall. Here is what Jennifer had to say about her decision to come to Gillette, "I chose Gillette College because it seems like a very good fit for me. The volleyball program here is one of the best I have seen throughout my college search and the recruiting process. The people here seem very nice and the athletic facilities at Gillette are just what I was looking for."
Daliana Garcia, a 5'4 libero out of Deltona, Florida will be joining us at Gillette College this fall. The Titans Volleyball star lettered in volleyball all four years during her time at University High School. Garcia stands out on the court due to her versatility as a player and her experience as a leader throughout her high school career. Daliana was a captain for her team for the 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022 volleyball seasons. The Florida native also has the ability to take on many roles on the court with her experience as a setter, an outside, and a libero. Garcia will be studying Exercise Science during her time at Gillette in order to pursue a career in Physical Therapy. Daliana has also been running her own business for quite a while so she brings a unique blend of real world experiences and professional knowledge to Gillette. We asked Daliana why she chose to come to Gillette and she responded, "I knew it would be a very good experience because I love to meet new people and I love volleyball! I am definitely ready to be a member of Gillette College!"
