Gator Volleyball Senior Holly Pole Named to SEC Community Service Team

Just two days before the Gators kick off the 2014 NCAA Tournament at home, and a week following UF's team Thanksgiving trip to UF Health, Florida's starting senior libero and the 2014 SEC Scholar Athlete of the Year Holly Pole picked up yet another accolade as a member of the 2014 SEC Community Service Team, announced by the conference Wednesday.

Not only a veteran leader on the court for the Orange and Blue, Pole has led the Gator volleyball team in community service hours this fall through a number of different volunteer activities in the Gainesville and surrounding communities. Pole, who ranked second through SEC play in service aces, has spent time at Girl's Place, Inc., a 'place' in the Gainesville community for girls to grow, play sports, be challenged and learn life skills -- as Pole and the Gators took part in a sports clinic prior to the start of the season.

On multiple occasions, Pole has volunteered at UF Health/Shands Hospital in Gainesville with Caleb's Pitch Syringe Art, where she spent time with pediatric patients filling medicine syringes with paint to decorate canvases. Caleb's Pitch supports efforts to help create a memento of a positive experience in the hospital for young children through art.

Holly additionally volunteered at Baby Gator Field Day, spent time at Bread of the Mighty Food Bank and took a trip to Duval Elementary School in Gainesville to help tutor students. Under Florida head coach Mary Wise -- who is very actively involved in the Gainesville community -- Pole and the Gators also took the program's 22nd straight trip to UF Health on Thanksgiving, Nov. 27, the morning after celebrating the program's 21st SEC title with an undefeated SEC schedule.

Pole and the No. 8 Seed Gators host Alabama State in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament Friday in Gainesville, with first serve slated for 7 p.m.

HOLLY POLE FILE

· 2014 SEC Community Service Team

· 2014 SEC Scholar Athlete of the Year

· Florida's third-ever SEC Scholar Athlete of the Year (last Kristy Jaeckel in 2011)

· 3.5 GPA as a double-major in Accounting and Sport Management

· Third student at the University of Florida in 20 years to be approved for a double major in the Accounting Department

· 2011-13 SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll

· Two-time SEC Defensive Player of the Week in 2014

· Ranked second in the league through SEC play in aces per set (0.42) and 10th in digs (3.56/s)

· Boasted the lowest amount of reception errors and most service aces among SEC Libero of the Year candidates

· Owns 864 career digs and 81 service aces entering the 2014 NCAA Tournament