WHS senior Caitlin Cabrales verbally committed to play Division I beach volleyball at Jacksonville University on August 6, becoming the second member of the current girls volleyball team to commit to play in college. Cabrales is one of the captains of the team and is coming off a state championship win last year.
Cabrales had a difficult time choosing between all of her college options. She was considering committing to Palm Beach Atlantic, University of Texas El Paso, Florida Southern, and Arizona State. She ultimately chose Jacksonville State because she “really loved the coach,” and she added, “I fell in love with the campus when I went there, and there’s a lot of people from my club [volleyball team] that are playing there now…and I think it’ll be a really great team atmosphere.” Cabrales also mentioned that the academics at Jacksonville, especially their business school, gave them a leg up over her other options.
Located in Florida, Jacksonville University was ranked the 28th best regional university in the South by U.S. News and World Report.
Last year, Jacksonville women’s beach volleyball went 13-23, but with the addition of Cabrales, this record is sure to improve. Cabrales is one of the brightest stars on the currently undefeated Blue Devils squad. She has accumulated 34 kills, 52 digs, 47 service points, 11 aces, and 1 block in only six games so far.
She also shines in the sand on the prestigious Stars and Stripes Beach Volleyball club team.
After committing to Jacksonville, Cabrales is already focusing on more goals to culminate her highschool career. She wants “to get Coach [Beverly] Torok her 500th win…that’s [her] main goal for now. But moving forward into the season, definitely winning the county, sectional, and state championship again.”
Cabrales’ standout volleyball skills are not her only attribute that will contribute to achieving her goals. She elevates the rest of her team with her “incredible energy on and off the court,” according to teammate Carys Evans. Evans continued that “she is a natural leader who genuinely cares about not only the sport but the people on the team.”
Evans spoke for all Blue Devils when she said, “I seriously can not wait to see what [Caitlin] does in the future.”
