WINTER HAVEN – After a successful 2023 season that culminated in a third-place finish in the nation's toughest region, 12 Polk State Volleyball players are moving on to play at four-year schools.

Polk State finished with a record of 14-10 before knocking off Daytona State College in the third-place game of the FCSAA Tournament. The Eagles finished ranked 16th nationally in the NJCAA Poll and knocked off six ranked opponents.

Libero Irene Mostardini and setter Madi O'Sullivan have already enrolled at their new institutions. Mostardini will play her final two seasons at Bradley University, an NCAA Division I program, in Illinois.

"I chose Bradley because it was the perfect combination of academics and volleyball," Mostardini said. "I wanted to go to a D-I school with great academics. Bradley was one of the top private schools."

A two-time All-Conference performer, Mostardini was named All-FCSAA this past season. The native of Italy averaged 4.94 digs per set – good for 19th in the entire country.

"My two years at Polk were the best of my life," Mostardini noted. "It's not just volleyball but the relationships I've developed. I still stay in touch with my Polk State teammates. I grew so much as a person."

O'Sullivan, an All-Citrus Conference selection as a sophomore in 2023, is now enrolled at Tusculum University, an NCAA Division II program in Tennessee.

"I liked the location in the mountains," she said. "The staff here reminded me of the staff I had at Polk, so I knew this would be a great fit."

Originally a walk-on at Polk State, O'Sullivan was a two-year starter for the Eagles. As a sophomore, the Ormond Beach native finished 15th in the nation, averaging 8.96 assists per set.

"I made relationships at Polk that will last the rest of my life," O'Sullivan added. "At Polk, I was able to grow a lot. It prepared me for my four-year school and helped me get to where I am now."

Keionna Mackey spent just one season at Polk State but earned first team All-Citrus Conference, All-FCSAA, and second team NJCAA All-America honors. A native of Tallahassee and transfer from Santa Fe College, Mackey has signed with Georgia State University, an NCAA Division I program in Atlanta.

 "The Sun Belt Conference is very competitive," Mackey said. "I like the resources there and the coaching staff. I felt like I was a good fit."

In her lone season at Polk State, Mackey averaged a team-best 3.87 kills per set – good for 11th in the nation. Mackey set a career-high with 27 kills at Daytona State College on Oct. 4, which was the most for a Polk State player in more than five years.

"I'll always remember these girls," Mackey reflected of her time at Polk State. "I'll never forget our performance at the state tournament, winning two matches against all odds."

Natives of the Dominican Republic, middle blocker A'lanae Margaritha and outside hitter Crismeyli Rodriguiez will remain teammates. The two will move on to the University of Arkansas-Little Rock, an NCAA Division I program.

"As soon as I got there, I felt welcomed," Margaritha said. "I loved the coaches. All the athletes, and not just the volleyball players, made me feel cared about. I felt like I fit in there. I know that's a place where I can get better."

Margaritha earned second team All-Citrus Conference honors as a sophomore this past season. Margaritha averaged 1.71 kills per set and a team-leading 1.14 blocks per set.

"As a team, we had a lot of ups and downs," Margaritha recalled of her time at Polk State. "We took the downs as an opportunity to get better and hungrier. This place will always be in my heart. I'll always remember the good times.

"My coaches always believed in me," she added. "They pushed me to get better. I came in with one mentality and now I feel like I'm leaving with another. I've grown so much as a player and a person. No matter what, I'm always going to be an Eagle."

As a sophomore for Polk State, Rodriguez ranked second on the team, averaging 2.47 digs per set. She ranked third on the squad in points per set (2.8) and kills per set (2.29).

"I'll miss our culture here at Polk," she said. "As international players, it was great to share what we knew from our home countries."

Margaritha and Rodriguez will join a program that finished in the middle of the pack in the Ohio Valley Conference this past season.

"On my visit, it felt like home," Rodriguez added. "The coaches were so helpful. I knew it was my place."

After beginning her college career at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Karolina Zubkova will play Division I volleyball in the Tar Heel State once again. She's signed with North Carolina Central University.

"I fell in love with the school and the culture of the team," Zubkova said. "I felt like this was a place where I can enjoy the next two years and maybe stay after to get my master's."

A native of the Czech Republic, Zubkova averaged 1.48 kills per set in her lone season at Polk State. She ranked second on the team in blocks per set, averaging 0.81.

"I came to Polk with no expectations," she added. "I had a great time here. I wish it could have been for more than one year, but I made a second family here."

Six Polk State players will take their talents to the NAIA level. Carolina Guerreiro Cruz has signed with St. Thomas University in Miami Gardens.

"There were a lot of opportunities there," Guerreiro Cruz explained. "This gives me a chance to play both beach and indoor volleyball. It's my dream to be a professional beach volleyball player. On my visit, I fell in love with the place. Everyone was so nice and receptive. They have a great program. It's exciting to not have an offseason."

A native of Brazil, Guerreiro Cruz was named All-Conference as a freshman in 2022. She helped set the tone for a stellar 2023 when she was named to the All-Tournament Team during the Battle at the Beach Invitational in Fort Myers to open the year.

"When I got to the United States, I thought I knew volleyball," Guerreiro Cruz added. "I learned English. I learned so many things here at Polk. I love to learn new things."

Like Guerreiro Cruz, setter Faith Marquis and middle blocker Arianna Garcia will remain in state. Marquis will play at Keiser University in West Palm Beach.

"I really liked the scenery and the area," Marquis noted. "The campus is super nice. I felt valued and wanted by the coaching staff. They want to win the same way I do."

Another transfer from Santa Fe College in Gainesville, Marquis was a welcomed addition to Polk State in 2023. As a sophomore, she ranked third on the team in digs per set (2.36) and service aces (20).

"I'll always remember the people I met here and the different cultures that I learned so much about," Marquis reflected. "It was great the way people from all across the world came together as a team. I'm proud of what we achieved here."

Garcia will head to New College of Florida in Sarasota to be part of the first volleyball team fielded by the school. The school will field its first indoor volleyball team in the fall of 2024 with beach volleyball to commence in the spring of 2025.

"It's a new experience," Garcia said. "I liked the campus and the coach. When I arrived for my visit, everything went really well."

A freshman this past season, Garcia appeared in five matches. The Peru native averaged 0.67 digs and 0.67 blocks per set.

"I learned a lot here at Polk," she recalled. "When I arrived, I didn't know much English. I improved a lot as a player and made a lot of new friends."

Outside hitter Martina Gonzato will head to Central Methodist University in Missouri.

"It's a great opportunity," she said. "The team was super nice. They explained everything about the program. It felt like a family."

As a freshman for Polk State this past season, the Italian averaged 2.12 kills per set. Gonzato's .261 attack percentage was among the best on the team.

"I felt like I was home at Polk," she added. "It was like a family here. The practices taught me to work very hard."

Like Garcia and Gonzato, middle blocker Loes Peijnenburg has signed with a four-year school, following a sold freshman year. Peijnenburg will head to Park University in Missouri.

"I was looking for the right school," she said. "It sounded like the right fit academically. They have nursing, which is what I want to do and their volleyball program is one of the best in the NAIA."

In her lone season at Polk State, the 6-foot-1 native of the Netherlands led the team by averaging 0.85 blocks per set. Peijnenburg averaged 0.70 kills per set and led the team with 73 total blocks.

"My teammates and I went through a lot together at Polk and we became super close," Peijnenburg added. "I'm happy with my new school, but the friends I made here make it bittersweet to leave."

Setter Carleiny Morillo will be heading to Talladega College in Alabama. Morillo will try to help the Tornadoes repeat as Gulf Coast Athletic Conference champions.

"For my major (psychology), it's a great school," Morillo noted. "I love the culture. The people and the coaches are amazing. They won their conference, so they're a great program as well."

For Polk State as a sophomore in 2023, Morillo, a native of the Dominican Republic, averaged 1.58 digs per set. She added 10 service aces for the year.

"When I came to Polk, I was lost completely," she said. "I was so shy. Playing with other international players, I learned a lot about other cultures. I felt like a real student for the first time here. I felt so comfortable. I just loved everything. I'm really going to miss Polk."