If you’re tired of reading hard-hitting news about Jeff Driskel’s fate as starting quarterback and coach Will Muschamp’s confidence in him, you’ve come to the right article at the right time.
On today’s agenda: volleyball nicknames.
Yes, you heard that right ladies and gentlemen. I will be taking you through the inner workings of volleyball serving nicknames.
Now, if you’ve never been to a volleyball match, than first of all, shame on you. Second of all, anyone who serves has a nickname.
First up, senior libero Holly Pole. The fans call her Sweetness when she serves.
Why you ask?
I actually have no idea.
And neither does she.
"I had no idea what it was until like, actually a couple weeks ago," Pole said. "I remember asking somebody because I hear everybody else’s, but I don’t hear mine when I’m serving. And I have no idea what it means or why it’s sweetness. It’s funny, but I don’t get it."
Maybe it’s because her name is Holly, and Holly is often associated with Christmas and Christmas has candy, and candy is sweet?
Nope, you know what, I don’t know.
Next is Taylor Unroe, the 2013 Southeastern Conference Libero of the Year.
Anytime Unroe serves, I always look to the students that yell out the nicknames (you know who you are, people who sit by the band) because they have a makeshift rowboat picture they wave in the air as they yell, "row your boat."
It’s cute and funny and the crowd knows that one the best.
For the final senior, Maddy Monserez, she has the most comedic of the nicknames.
The senior is having a great year with only three service errors on 85 serves, so naturally I would talk about her nickname.
But, if I’m being honest it’s not really a nickname, just more like a parenthetical phrase after her name.
The announcer says, "Maddy Monserez to serve" and you hear 10 guys yell out, "huh, huh. Oui, oui," in the frenchiest-French accent they can create.
It’s clever, and Monserez likes it, so there’s that.
Leading the team in service aces (22) is junior Mackenzie Dagostino, or as the crowd likes to call her Mack ‘n’ Cheese. Which is amazing.
It’s not hard to figure out where her nickname came from, I mean, she’s awesome, mac and cheese is awesome, so clearly they would be synonymous.
Oh and her name is Mackenzie.
The newest, and my personal favorite, nickname is freshman outside hitter Carli Snyder.
Her nickname is "Goldilocks" because she has wild blonde hair that I am seriously envious of.
She’s only served in four matches so far, but it was enough to bring out a new nickname.
Continuing on with the newbies is freshman middle blocker Rhamat Alhassan, who has quickly become a fan favorite.
But despite that fan-favoritism she receives one of the lamest of all the nicknames. I’m actually very disappointed in the people that give these out because they lost an opportunity to make a play on her height.
Instead, she has been nicknamed "Awesome." I assume it’s because she is quite awesome on the court (I mean she’s chest high to the net when she jumps), but also because her last name – Alhassan – sounds a little teeny, tiny bit like awesome.
Finally, there is Nikki O’Rourke, who is called Nikki-Tikki-Tavi – a play-on of the children’s book, "Rikki-Tikki-Tavi."
It’s pretty funny, and actually rather clever.
And it’s Monserez’s favorite name.
"I think it’s pretty cool," Monserez said. "It sounds cool when they say it. It’s a lot of syllables."
Follow Eden Otero on Twitter @edenotero_l
Holly Pole serves the ball during Florida's 3-0 win against Ole Miss on Sunday.
