Seacrest volleyball celebrates fourth straight state title

The Seacrest Country Day School volleyball team was honored on campus Tuesday after capturing the team’s fourth straight state championship.

“Each year its gotten almost more enjoyable,” libero Alexa Haley said. “Maybe it’s because I’ve gotten older but yeah it’s such a special feeling.”

Seacrest volleyball head coach Andy Wimmer said, “four in a row. Never been done in Southwest Florida before.”

“Doing it for the fourth time means so much, outside hitter Sami Soderlund answered. “Especially because This is my home. I’ve grown up at this school.”

The Stingrays completed the 4-peat last week when they beat Boca Christian in four sets.

“I told them from the very get go that week if we play our best, we can do this in three,” Wimmer said. “And to be as close as we were do doing it in three for the outcome to be what it ultimately was, it was everything we could’ve wanted. Everything we worked for.”

“It didn’t hit me until a couple days after,” Soderlund recalled the moment they won. “During the point, I was like no we still have more games. Our season is not over. And then even now I still feel like it’s so not real.”

The school was celebrating more than just the championship on Tuesday. Five seniors on the volleyball team signed their letters of intent for where they will play in college.

Soderlund said she chose Georgetown because, “it gives me a similar vibe to Seacrest because how close knit the community is.”

Haley is playing for the hometown team, Florida Gulf Coast, and fulfilling a long time dream.

“Since I was little I was an Eagles fan, I always went to their games,” Haley explained. “I always looked up to their players. My cousins were the ones who got me into volleyball. And I would always go to games with them. And I’ve always wanted to be close to home since I’m close with my family.”

The rest of the signings from Tuesday’s ceremony include: Milena Lopez is heading to Charlotte, Ellie Joffe signed to play for Loyola Maryland and Klaudia Beach is off to Covenant.