Florida Volleyball Signs Three for 2012 Campaign
Wednesday, November 9, 2011 | Volleyball
The University of Florida volleyball team has signed standouts Dana Backlund, Gabby Mallette and Berkley Whaley to National Letters of Intent to join the Gator volleyball team for the 2012 season, head coach Mary Wise announced Wednesday.
Backlund is a 5-foot-10 setter from Murrieta Valley High School in Murrieta, Calif., while Mallette and Whaley are both outside hitters from the Sunshine State. Mallette is a 6-foot-2 outside hitter from The Bolles School in Jacksonville, Fla. and Whaley is a 6-foot-1 outside hitter from Lakewood Senior High School in Saint Petersburg, Fla.
"In Berkley, Dana, and Gabby, we bring in three athletic and skilled volleyball players,” Wise said. “Each of them has the potential to make a great impact on our program before they graduate."
2012 FLORIDA VOLLEYBALL SIGNEES
| Name | POS | HT | Hometown (High School) | Club Team |
| Dana Backlund | S/OH | 5-10 | Wildomar, Calif. (Murrieta Valley) | Encinitas WAVE |
| Gabby Mallette | OH | 6-2 | Orange Park, Fla. (Bolles School) | Jacksonville Juniors |
| Berkley Whaley | OH | 6-1 | Saint Petersburg, Fla. (Lakewood) | Pinellas Heat Elite |
Backlund, a double threat as a hitter and a setter, has 465 assists on the season thus far to go along with 122 kills. Her junior season, the Wildomar, Calif. native registered 245 kills while being named All-CIF (Division 1-A). Backlund was a setter for Murrieta Valley her first two seasons before moving to the outside last season. Her senior season is the first time she's played both positions. She was named to the Nfinity Top 50 2012 Recruits as a rising senior and honored by PrepVolleyball.com as an honorable mention selection to their 2008 Frosh 59 list and their 2009 Soph 79 list. Backlund was named one of The Californian's 2011 Players to Watch and is a talented high jumper. Backlund plays her club ball with Encinitas WAVE Volleyball Club and boasts a 3.765 GPA, while being named No. 43 on PrepVolleyball.com's list of Senior Aces.
Mallette, an Orange Park, Fla. native, is having an outstanding senior season, already eclipsing her kill total from a year ago. The powerful outside hitter has 404 kills as an outside hitter for The Bolles School this season and registered 358 kills in 2010. Her defense has improved as well, posting 193 digs on the year. Mallette was named a PrepVolleyball.com Honorable Mention All-American and an Nfinity Top 50 2012 Recruit in 2010, as well as Second Team All-Area in 2009 while also earning experience on the USA Select A1 team. Mallette was named an honorable mention selection to PrepVolleyball.com's 2008 Frosh 59 list and 2009 Soph 79 list. Mallette plays with Jacksonville Juniors for her club ball and is ranked No. 32 on PrepVolleyball.com's list of Senior Aces.
Whaley, an AAU All-American, is an outside hitter for Lakewood Senior High School in St. Petersburg, Fla. Her Pinellas Heat club team was the national runners-up at the 2010 AAU Nationals and she was named to the National All-Tournament team at Junior Olympic Nationals in 2011. Whaley was named the St. Pete Times' Pinellas County Player of the Year and a finalist for PrepVolleyball.com's National Sophomore of the Year, both in 2009. Whaley is No. 11 on PrepVolleyball.com's list of Senior Aces and a two-time member of the USA Select A1 team (2008, 2009). Whaley was named to PrepVolleyball.com's Frosh 59 and Soph 79 lists and was Second Team All-Pinellas County as a freshman.
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