Maddy Monserez’s entire family sat in the stands. Her sister stood on the court.
She hardly noticed.
"I’m the kind of player who needs to be focused," Monserez said.
While South Carolina’s setter Allie Monserez ran out onto the O’Connell Center floor with a wide smile to greet her friends and relatives in attendance, her sister, Maddy, didn’t.
"I have a game to play," she said. "I have to get ready."
It was senior night, and Florida defeated South Carolina 3-0 last Wednesday in its final conference match of the season. UF’s Monserez finished with 12 digs, tied for a team high.
Three days later, in Florida’s 3-2 win over No. 3 Texas, she finished with nine digs, one service ace and an assist.
But Monserez’s impact on the team can’t be measured in statistics.
"Their names and numbers aren’t going to jump out in the box score," coach Mary Wise said of UF’s three back row seniors: Holly Pole, Taylor Unroe and Monserez. "But if you’re inside our house, if you see how we work, you will know that they are the centerpiece of this team right now."
Monserez, as well as Pole and Unroe, provides leadership and guidance to a front row consisting largely of undergrads. And while Monserez may not be the most talented player on the court at any given time, she is one of the most valuable.
Since her freshman year, she has exemplified the type of gritty, grind-it-out player that is the trademark of Wise’s coaching style.
"(She’s grown) as much if not more than any player I’ve ever coached," Wise said. "A year ago at this time, Maddy was not playing… and fast forward to the end of the season and the person who had the best match was Maddy.
"What that did, that lesson that we were able to describe to the rest of the team in January, really has become a part of the theme."
It’s the same theme that Wise implants into all of her players, starter or benched: Be ready when your name is called.
Over four years, Monserez has embraced it.
"I think that’s been (my) biggest progression, just seeing the big picture," she said.
Her job is to provide digs in the back row when they are needed, and to ensure her teammates are doing their jobs as well.
She applauded her teammates’ increasing volleyball intelligence, which is at its highest point of the season riding a 20 match winning streak entering the NCAA tournament.
Most of Florida’s success would not have been possible without Florida’s veteran defensive specialists providing leadership and communicating Wise’s message: there is always room for improvement.
"I think it’s exciting for us because we’ve improved so much and it’s just really nice to be tested before the NCAA’s," Monserez said. "We’re really excited to put that to use and get to see where we are at the end of the season."
Does the senior have a prediction for the NCAA tournament, the fourth one with teammates Pole and Unroe and the last one of her collegiate career?
"I have the utmost faith in my teammates," Monserez said. "And I think that no matter what, they’re gonna fight as hard as they can."
Then, she paused.
"These girls, you know, its really crazy if you just knew them. The whole team, all 17 of them. They’re the most amazing group of people I’ve ever been around. And I think everyone on this team, no matter what they do with their life, no matter what goals they have for themselves, on this team and after, they can do it."
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Of the three seniors, Monserez is usually the one who flies under the radar.
Most of her contributions have come off the bench in relief for Pole and Unroe.
But the Orlando native became an integral cog in Florida’s defense during her four years.
Highlights such as a 23-dig outing against Tennessee during the 2012 season, digging a ball over press row during a match and setting up service runs are just a few of Monserez’s best moments during her time with Florida.
In her final season with UF, Monserez is averaging 1.89 digs per set and set a career-high with 15 service aces while assuming the role as Florida’s main backup defensive specialist. She’s second on the Gators’ roster in reception attempts (496), and her .986 reception percentage this season is the highest among Florida’s backline players.
