Volleyball Inks Two for 2011
Saturday, November 13, 2010 | Volleyball
The University of Florida volleyball team has signed standouts Simone Antwi and Noami Santos to National Letters of Intent to join the Gator volleyball team for the 2011 season, head coach Mary Wise announced Saturday.
Antwi is a 6-foot-2 middle blocker from South County High School in Lorton, Va., while Santos is a 5-foot-11 outside hitter from Carvin High School in Carolina, Puerto Rico.
“In Simone and Noami, we have signed two gifted volleyball players with tremendous athletic talents,” Wise said. “They have the potential to play huge roles in our program and leave their names all over the record books.”
2011 FLORIDA VOLLEYBALL SIGNEES
| Name | POS | HT | Hometown (High School) | Club Team |
| Simone Antwi | MB | 6-2 | Lorton, Va. (South County) | Virginia Elite |
| Noami Santos | OH | 5-11 | Carolina, Puerto Rico (Carvin) | VB Rags |
Simone Antwi is a three-time All-Region Team honoree by the Northern Region Volleyball Coaches Association, including a first-team selection in 2010. As a senior, she was named the Most Valuable Player of the Patriot District and a first-team All-District selection. She also was named to Volleyball Magazine's Top-25 Underclassmen to Watch.
Over the past two seasons, Antwi has helped her team to a 39-9 overall record, including a Class 3A state runner-up finish in 2009. So far this season, Antwi has totaled 384 kills (4.80 kills per set) on a .485 hitting efficiency with 84 blocks and 40 service aces.
As a junior in 2009, Antwi posted a squad-best 418 kills in 29 matches, registering 53 total blocks. In the state semifinals last season, Antwi turned in a 32-kill performance to rocket her squad into the championship match for the first time. As a sophomore in 2008, Antwi charted 229 kills on a .440 hitting percentage with 231 digs in helping her team to a 14-5 overall record.
Antwi also has been a member of South County's basketball team, averaging a double-double with 16.5 ppg and 13.0 rpg as a junior. Her sophomore season, Antwi averaged 15.6 points per game and twice surpassed the 20-point plateau.
Noami Santos, a member of the Puerto Rican National Team at the 2010 FIVB World Championship along with former Gator Aury Cruz, was named to PrepVolleyball.com's list of Senior Aces. Playing for club Team VB Rags, her squad won the 16 open division at the 2010 Allstate Sugar Bowl JVA World Volleyball Challenge in New Orleans and also captured the Mizuno Lone Star Classic.
Santos also competed in the high jump, placing third at the Caribbean Scholastic Invitational this past June with a personal-best leap of 5-5/1.65m, just shy of the meet record of 5-7/1.70m.
For all of the latest information on Florida volleyball, please log on to www.gatorzone.com/volleyball. Follow Florida volleyball on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GatorZoneVB and Coach Mary Wise on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GatorMary.
