To the left and slightly above Mary Wise’s head, Kelly Murphy winds back her left arm, preparing to slam a ball across the net.
To the right, Chloe Mann’s full attention is on the block she’s about to make.
Behind her, Taylor Brauneis sets a ball. Next is Kristy Jaeckel, her fists pumping, her face the epitome of joy as she screams in celebration.
They hang as posters on the walls of the Gale Lemerand gym, each portrait a permanent homage to the former Gator it depicts.
Without turning around, Wise pointed to the image of Murphy behind her and made a severe understatement.
"We’ve been very lucky," she said.
Her luck hasn’t run out.
***
In terms of inches, she’s the tallest signee in Florida volleyball history.
But in terms of her voice, she’s rather small.
When 6-foot-4 freshman Rhamat Alhassan meets with reporters after a match, she’s humble, though she doesn’t have much reason to be.
Nearing the end of her first season of collegiate volleyball, Alhassan leads the Southeastern Conference and is ranked second in the nation in hitting percentage (.468).
She also became the first freshman since 2012 to be named AVCA National Volleyball Player of the Week.
With her accolades and league-leading statistics, it’s easy to forget Florida’s promising young talent is only in her third year playing the sport.
Wise converted Alhassan from a shot-blocker on her high school’s basketball team to a middle blocker for one of the NCAA’s top volleyball programs.
"I was burnt out on it," she said of her short-lived basketball career.
During the recruiting process, it was hard for Wise to judge exactly where Alhassan’s ceiling was only because there were so few opportunities to scout her.
"When the rest of her (club) team was practicing, she was at a basketball tournament," UF volleyball coach Mary Wise said. "So she didn’t even touch a volleyball and then she shows up there on a weekend and plays."
But for Wise, Alhassan’s upsides were obvious: a rare, athletic talent with a strong desire to learn.
Still, there were questions. Could Alhassan’s eagerness to learn translate into success on the court? How quickly could she adjust to the speed of the college game?
A week into the season, Wise had her answers.
While reviewing video of an early season practice, Florida’s video coordinator caught Alhassan leaping chest high above the 7-foot tall net.
"There are so few women in the country who can make that play," Wise said. "You could argue there aren’t that many in the world."
There’s optimism from her coaches that Alhassan could develop into one of the nation’s most dominant players before her time at UF is over.
"My guess is there will be a lot of people that will be able to say with great enthusiasm that they were in school when Rhamat was here," Wise said.
UF setter Mackenzie Dagostino agrees.
"Rhamat’s been awesome. Coming in as a freshman and having to work with an offense she’s never seen before, a fast offense," Dagostino said. "She’s doing a great job. She’s making herself relevant and being there for us."
Indeed, it seems as if Alhassan is always there — at the net and in the air during matches and occupying the topic of conversation in press conferences afterwards.
"It never gets old," Wise said.
Good. She’s got three more years.
***
It was the first round of the 2012 Maryland State Volleyball Playoffs, and Alex Holston was still on the court.
She was a senior right-side hitter at Olney (Md.) Sherwood High, but one glance at her stat line would suggest otherwise.
42 kills, 22 service aces, and four sets played.
Her team would win that night.
Four days later, they would win it all.
That year, Holston was one of the most sought after recruits in the nation.
Her options included Texas, UNC, Kentucky, LSU, Miami and 42 others. They all came knocking.
"But Florida had always been my top school," she said.
The feeling was mutual.
Holston had just won three straight state championships, recorded a 71-8 high school record and was named the Maryland Gatorade Player of the Year for the second consecutive year.
As a freshman at Florida, Wise set the expectations high.
Holston admitted that she struggled with nerves during her first season.
From time to time, she still does today.
"I know when I first start off, I’m always nervous," she said. "How are people going to think I play? How are people going to, I guess, judge my play?"
With time, she learned to relax. And then, she said, everything clicked.
"Once I get more comfortable, I don’t think twice about making a play," Holston said.
She finished her first season by earning a spot on the All-SEC team and was named an honorable mention All-American.
As a sophomore, the expectations were even higher.
Holston is currently fourth in the SEC in points per set at 4.24 and fifth in kills per set at 3.51.
"I like the pressure," Holston said.
"It’s a big change and a big responsibility… but it’s something that I like to live up to."
At times, she can single handedly carry Florida offensively, as she’s done in several matches this season.
But after being recruited by nearly 50 universities, what drew Holston to Florida?
"It was the coaching," she said. "They take good care of you here."
***
In her bright pink zip-up jacket, Mary Wise stepped up to the lectern a week before her team would face then-No. 6 USC.
Her next win would be a milestone — the 800th of her career.
"That’s a lot of warm ups," Wise said.
Twenty-four years of them.
Although Wise doesn’t keep track of her wins, she does keep track of the players she’s recruited throughout her time at Florida.
"My favorite (part) of this job beyond the wins, which are pretty fun, is the relationships that I’m able to develop with the players and sustain long after they’re done," Wise said.
Many of her players, the same ones featured on the walls of the Lemerand Gym, came to Florida’s match at USC to celebrate the historic win.
Karli Klinkenborg, Kim Hale, Tangerine Wiggs and Murphy were there.
Even former All-American setter Heidi Anderson’s dad was in the stands. Anderson graduated in 1992.
"We’ve (said) that it is more than a four-year decision," Wise said.
"Why was the USC match so special? It’s because those players were in the gym and being able to be a part of their families."
Wise’s recruiting is a process, one that takes young, skilled players and maximizes their potential.
Wise’s next projects are Alhassan and Holston.
"I think the college age has such growth, to see the young girls that we start recruiting — they’re 14 when we start recruiting them — and the woman they become when they graduate," Wise said.
"To see that growth period and to be a part of their lives during that time, that’s pretty special."
Follow Ian Cohen on Twitter @IcohenB
Rhamat Alhassan swings for a kill attempt during Florida's 3-0 win against Mississippi State.
Alex Holston swings for a kill attempt during Florida's 3-0 win against Georgia on Oct. 10.
