Monserez Sisters Add Memorable Twist to Senior Night
Thursday, November 27, 2014 | Volleyball, Scott Carter
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Mary Wise knows Senior Nights.
The veteran Gators volleyball coach has been doing her thing on the Florida bench for 24 seasons and has shared Senior Night memories with lots of players over the years.
But on Wednesday night at the O'Connell Center, even Wise took notice of the scene on the court after seniors Holly Pole, Taylor Unroe and Maddy Monserez went out winners in their final regular-season home match.
Shortly after the Gators accepted the SEC championship trophy and gathered for a team photo following a 25-19, 25-9, 25-20 sweep over South Carolina, Monserez got in position for another photo.
"Not all of them were wearing orange and blue,'' Wise said. "It looked like a house divided."
Once everyone got in position, more than 70 people gathered around Monserez, a walk-on defensive specialist who has developed into one of Florida's most consistent players.
Gators senior Maddy Monserez and her sister, Allie, had a large rooting section.
Her parents Patty and Mathew were in the photo. So was her younger sister Allie, a freshman setter for South Carolina. Older cousin Nick Monserez was there, too.
He's the reason Maddy decided to wear No. 11. Allie wears the number, too. So does youngest sister, Marlie.
A former walk-on basketball player at Lehigh -- older brother Mike was on Butler's Sweet 16 team in 2003 -- No. 11 was Nick Monserez's jersey number when he played in college from 2001-05 and his young cousins watched in awe.
Some wore Florida colors. Others wore Gamecocks gear. They all smiled.
They smiled all the way from Orlando as the group traveled to Gainesville on a chartered bus for a night that will be talked about the rest of their lives.
"A really long time," Maddy responded when asked how long the date had been marked on her parents' calendar. "They have been so excited about it."
Soon after the doors to the O'Dome opened on a cool Wednesday night the place began to get loud. That was when the Monserez Band arrived. Mom and dad, uncles and aunts, cousins and friends, all on hand to watch Maddy be honored on Senior Night and Allie play for South Carolina.
Maddy tried her best to keep her normal routine.
"I'm the kind of player who really needs to be focused,'' Monserez said. "My sister runs out and she's waving at the crowd. I'm not looking over at all."
Once the match started the Monserez sisters locked in like they always have. They have faced each other on club teams in the past and even spent a season as teammates at Bishop Moore High when Maddy was a senior and Allie a freshman.
They met earlier this season in South Carolina but their final meeting as college players came Wednesday as the Gators capped a perfect 18-0 run through the SEC with a convincing victory.
"I don't think we made eye contact at all throughout the whole game,'' Maddy said. "We are both very focused on what we're doing."
Maddy's Gator teammates sensed early what the night meant to her.
"It was a special night. That was really cool for her,'' junior setter Mackenzie Dagostino said. "You could see because she was kind of all over the place at the beginning but she really calmed down.
"That was special for all three of them. This was their night."
No doubt about it.
Senior Taylor Unroe holds the 2014 SEC Championship trophy on Wednesday.
Unroe (six digs), Pole (12 digs) and Monserez (12 digs) had their teammates' backs as always on the back row.
Florida won its 19th consecutive game and finished perfect in the SEC for the 13th time in program history, first since 2010. The victory was the 106th of their careers.
On Thursday they plan to gather at Pole's home in Ocala for Thanksgiving dinner.
"There are about 40 or so,'' Pole said. "My mom has had a fun week."
The seniors have had a fun season. They hope it lasts a while longer. The Gators close the regular season on Saturday at Texas and then will enter the NCAA Tournament.
Between now and then Monserez will have time to watch some of the videos her family and friends were sending to her smartphone as they made their way to Gainesville on that big bus.
As Senior Nights go, Wednesday was a winner.
Wise grabbed a microphone at the end and thanked everyone for coming.
"I just think that's one of the coolest things that I've seen,'' Wise said of the crowd of more than 2,300. "The night before Thanksgiving -- we wouldn't have any students -- I didn't know what the crowd would be like. It was the community. That was just awesome."
You can bet they smiled all the way home as the Monserez Band headed back to Orlando on that chartered bus.
