UF VB: Gators Add Two Florida Natives to 2024 Roster

Florida welcomes one graduate transfer and one incoming freshman for the 2024 season.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The nationally-ranked Florida volleyball program added graduate transfer Erin Engel and incoming freshman Bella Lee two to the 2024 roster on Monday, as announced by head coach Mary Wise.

We’re excited to welcome both Erin and Bella to the program,” Florida’s Head Coach Mary Wise said. “We will certainly benefit from their experience and talents.”

Hailing from Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Engel returns to her home state in the fall after spending her last three seasons at Maryland. She comes to the 2024 roster as a setter and will be the third Gator in her family – her mom, Heidi, was an All-American setter and her brother, Kyle, was a quarterback on the football team.

From Tampa, Fla. Lee comes to the 2024 roster as a defensive specialist. She will join the team in the fall and already has experience playing with fellow freshman Taylor Parks, as they played together on the club volleyball team, OTVA.

Engel and Lee are the eighth and ninth addition to Florida’s 2024 signees<https://floridagators.com/news/2023/11/8/meet-florida-volleyballs-2024-signing-class.aspx> – Jaela Auguste, Lauren Harden, Taylor Parks, Alec Rothe and Ella Vogel and recent redshirt senior transfer Isabel Martin<https://floridagators.com/news/2023/12/16/gator-volleyball-adds-isabel-martin-to-2024-roster.aspx> who joined the team in the spring.

Below is a look at the achievements that the two signees bring to Gainesville.

Erin Engel | 5-9 | S | Prev. School: Maryland | High School: Saint Thomas Aquinas | Club: Tribe Volleyball Club

Career Honors

  *   2022-23 Academic All-Big Ten
2023

  *   One of four Terps to play in all 32 matches, appearing in 108 sets
  *   Tied for team lead with 0.29 aces per set and finished second with 31 service aces — both career-best marks
  *   Added 19 assists and 47 digs, a career high
  *   Recorded two service aces as part of a win over Utah Valley (9/2)
  *   Produced a service ace in a victory over Howard (9/10)
  *   Secured first two collegiate kills while tying a career-high four service aces in sweep over Le Moyne (9/15)
  *   Sparked 10-0 run to close out second set with three service aces in victory over Michigan (9/24)
  *   Served up a team-high three service aces in upset over No. 16 Minnesota (10/6)
  *   Produced a pair of service aces in win over Iowa (10/21)
  *   Tied career-best four service aces at Iowa (10/28)
  *   Led the Terps with three service aces in win over Ohio State (11/12)
2022

  *   Saw action in all 32 matches
  *   Totaled 27 aces, 22 assists and 42 digs on the season
  *   Career-high four aces against Sacramento State (9/9/22)
  *   Career-high 18 assists at Wisconsin (11/12/22)
  *   Career-high 10 digs at Wisconsin (11/12/22)
  *   Recorded aces in five of final six non-conference matches (9/9-9/17/22)
2021

  *   Finished first season with an ace and a dig in ten sets
  *   First career ace clinches first set vs. Hofstra (8/28/21)
Engels High School Accolades:

  *   Setter out of St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale, Fla
  *   Helped lead the Raiders to a 24-8 finish in 2019
  *   Amassed over 700 assists through two seasons, adding over 200 digs and nearly 50 aces
  *   Led St. Thomas Aquinas to a district championship, regional championship, and state runner-up finish in 2019
  *   Was named First Team All-County by the Sun Sentinel and the Miami Herald
  *   Also played for the Tribe Volleyball Club, where she was named a 2020 AAU All-American
  *   Named a 2020 Under Armour Honorable Mention All-American, just the 11th Under Armour AA in program history to commit to Maryland
Why Engel Chose Florida
“I chose the University of Florida because of the unique opportunity to receive a Masters from one of the top institutions in the country while playing volleyball at the highest level. I am super excited to come back home for my last year and to be a Gator.”

Bella Lee | 5-5 | L | High School: Plant High School | Club: Orlando Tampa Volleyball Club (OTVA)

Lee’s High School Accolades

  *   2023 Plant High School’s Team Captain
  *   Ranked No.1  in the state of Florida in season digs
  *   2022 Plant High School’s Team Captain
  *   2022 7A Florida District Champions
  *   2022 Max Preps Underclassman All-American Team
  *   Ranked No. 1 in the state of Florida and No. 2 nationally for most digs in the 2022 season
  *   2022 Nike Tournament Gold Champions
  *   2022 University of Tampa Volleyball High School Tournament Champions
  *   2022 All- Tournament Team Berkeley Prep and Academy of the Holy Names Volleyball Tournament
  *   2022 First Team Western Conference Hillsborough County
  *   2022 Max Prep player of the Regional Championship game
  *   2022 Hillsborough County player of the season.
  *   2021 7A Florida State Champions
  *   2021 7A Regional Champions
  *   Third place finish at 2021 Gold Division Nike Tournament of Champions
  *   2021 7A Max Preps Player of the Game for State-Semi game
  *   2021 7A Max Preps player of the game State Championship Week
  *   Three-time 2021 Hillsborough County player of the week.
  *   2020 7A Florida State Semi Finalist
  *   2020 7A Florida Regional Champions
  *   2020 7A Florida District Champions
  *   2020 Battle of The Bay Champions
  *   Three-time 2020 Hillsborough County player of the week
Lee’s Club Accolades

  *   Three-time All-American (2017, 2022-2023)
  *   2023 Club All-American 17U
  *   2023 Under Armour Volleyball Selection Camp
  *   17 Open AAU All-Tournament Team
  *   Triple Crown 16 Open All Tournament Team
  *   2023 17 Open AAU National Champions
  *   Second place at 2023 17 Open NIT Triple Crown Sports
  *   2023 17 Open Sunshine Classic Girls National Qualifier Champions
  *   Ranked #1 Florida Region USAV for Florida, Ranked 5th Nationally in 2023
  *   Third place at 2022 16 Open AAU Nationals
  *   2022 17 Open Champions Molten Pre-Qualifier,
  *   2022 16 Open Jacksonville Junior Volleyball Champions
  *   Third place at 16 Open NIT Triple Crown Sports
  *   Third place at 2022 Big South National Qualifier
  *   Third place at 2022 place Sunshine Classic
  *   Third place at 2022 Mid-East Qualifier
  *   2021 AVP National Beach Qualifier 2021 – 1st place 16s
  *   2021 Martin Luther King 15 Open Champions
  *   Second place at 2021 A5 Presidents Cup 15 Open
  *   Third place at 2021 Denver Crossroads
  *   Second place at 2021 Molten Pre
  *   Third place 2021 Sunshine National
Lee’s USA High Performance Accolades

  *   2023 USA Volleyball Team Florida – Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
  *   2023 2nd place Team Florida
  *   2023 USA Volleyball All-Tournament Team – Libero
  *   2021 USA Volleyball Team Florida – Orlando, Florida
Lee’s Off-the-Court Accolades

  *   2022-23 National Beta Honors Society
  *   2020-23 National Honor Society Member
  *   McKensie Herold Plant Scholars Club Secretary
Why Lee chose Florida
“I fell in love with Florida when I went to the College Prep Camp.  I chose Florida for the amazing Coaching Staff and how much I loved the girls on the team.  I knew that Florida would give me the competitiveness that I was looking for and I would be able to compete at the highest level. I am looking forward to growing and getting better with the coaching staff.”

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