League High Seven Bucs Named to All Citrus Conference Teams
On the eve of the 2025 FCSAA Championships at Suncoast Credit Union Arena, a league high seven Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers were honored by the Citrus Conference on Thursday as they were named to the 2025 All-Conference Teams.
FORT MYERS, Fla.- On the eve of the 2025 FCSAA Championships at Suncoast Credit Union Arena, a league high seven Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers were honored by the Citrus Conference on Thursday as they were named to the 2025 All-Conference Teams.
The Bucs had three 1st Team All-Conference selections, led by sophomore setter Irina Makinen. Makinen far and away led the conference in assists per set during league play, dishing out 10.93 while also finishing the regular season ranked third Nationally with 10.14 assists per set overall on the year. She became the first FSW player in program history to record back to back 50 assist games and parlayed that into a third straight game midway through conference play against Eastern Florida, Miami Dade, and Daytona State.
Joining Makinen on the 1st Team was her favorite target, Sara Gamboa, who ranked third in the league with 3.76 kills per set while leading all outside hitters with a .316 hitting percentage in conference play. She had double digit kills in all but three matches during the regular season including a season high 23 kill performance in a win over #2 Miami Dade on the road.
The Bucs third 1st Teamer was middle Aleksandra Lucic. Lucic ranked third in Citrus Conference play with a .366 hitting percentage while her .413 mark overall was second best in the NJCAA during the regular season. She had three matches with 10 or more kills on the year and recorded five or more blocks on nine different occasions.
Four Bucs dotted the 2nd Team All-Conference list.
A pair of second time recipients headlined the list as Giovanna Rocha and Magi Milicevic earned 2nd Team honors for the second consecutive year. Rocha led all Citrus Conference pin hitters and was fifth overall with a .319 hitting percentage in league play while averaging 2.11 kills and 1.89 blocks per set. Milicevic put up 2.05 kills and 1.77 digs per set during conference play for the Bucs and had six matches with double digit kills including an 18 kill, 11 dig double-double against Hillsborough.
Libero Sarah Webb joined the pair on the 2nd Team after finishing second in the conference with 4.07 digs per set during league action and also ranking in the top 10 in aces per set with 0.43.
The Bucs lone freshman to earn honors was outside hitter Letizia Okonofua who was also named to the 2nd Team. Okonofua ranked fourth in the conference with 3.38 kills per set during conference play, recording 10 or more kills in six of her final seven matches of the year.
The Bucs seven All-Conference selections were the most of any team in the Citrus Conference this season. Miami Dade swept the 2025 superlative awards with Luyeisy Marquez earning Player of the Year, Eduarda Fabricio picking up Freshman of the Year, and Kiko Benoit being named the Coach of the Year.
FSW returns to the court this weekend at home in Suncoast Credit Union Arena when they host the 2025 FCSAA Championships November 7-8. Their first action of the weekend will come in Friday's semifinal round when they take on the winner of the Daytona State/Polk State first round matchup at 7 PM.