Freshman Middle Blocker Brings Power To Lady Sharks Lineup
Lady Sharks middle blocker Esthefany Rabit has taken the 2023 volleyball season by force—literally.
The towering 6-foot-four inch freshman known for her booming spike is second on the team with 212 total points and 158 kills in 22 matches. She also leads the National Junior College Athletic Association with a .432 hitting percentage.
Rabit has recorded at least 15 total points and 10 kills in four matches. Her biggest statistical game was on Sept 1 versus New Mexico Military Institute when she had 22 total points and 18 kills in a 3-1 win.
But her biggest performances have been against the top teams in the country. Rabit had 19.5 total points and 15 kills in a 3-1 Lady Sharks win on Sept. 2 versus Salt Lake Community College who is currently ranked No. 4 in the nation.
On Oct. 21, she collected 19.5 total points and five solo blocks in a 3-2 road win versus Florida Southwestern State College, the top-ranked team in the country.
The win avenged an MDC loss (3-0) versus the Buccaneers earlier this season. Last season, the Lady Sharks lost all three matches against FSW, including the national title game.
“Esthefany is an aggressive player that helps us finish plays when we need it most,” said Daniela Tobar, an assistant volleyball coach for the Lady Sharks.
Her dominant play is a major reason the Lady Sharks finished the regular season with an 18-4 mark including an 11-3 record in conference play.
The team had three winning streaks of at least four wins, including an eight-game streak in September. They are currently ranked No. 3 in the nation.
Rabit started her volleyball career when she was 10 years old in the Dominican Republic. She liked the opportunity the sport provided to channel her aggressiveness.
“I love everything about volleyball,” she said. “It’s a release.”
The 21-year-old has traveled to countries such as Belgium, Colombia, Italy, Mexico, the Netherlands, Peru and Spain while playing for teams such as the Cristo Rey club in the Women’s Superior Volleyball League, Las niñas del Caribe, Las nenas del Caribe and most recently on the Dominican Republic national team, where she played with former Lady Sharks star Romina Cornelio who currently plays for Florida Atlantic University.
“It was hard because there were so many girls that were better than me,” Rabit said about her experience on the national team. “I had to work hard to be better than them or just [to be] as good as them and earn their respect.”
When she was offered a scholarship to play volleyball at MDC, she jumped at the opportunity but it caused friction with Dominican national team officials.
“They told me not to come back and that I wasn’t going to be on the national team anymore, to make my life here,” Rabit said. “So now I’m here and I’m a lot more calm.”
However, the path to Miami wasn’t a smooth one. Rabit was originally slated to join the team last season but did not qualify after failing a test to complete her high school requirements. She retook the exam but the season had already started.
“I was very sad,” Rabit said. “I started to cry.”
She stayed in shape by doing conditioning and practicing in the gym in the Dominican Republic until she moved to Miami in January.
At MDC, Rabit, who speaks Spanish and some English and French, is studying foreign languages. In her spare time, she watches University of Miami football games online, reads romance novels like Sometida Por Chris (Subdued By Chris) by Wendy Valderrama on Wattpad, a free online platform that allows writers to publish their original content, and enjoys action movies like Fast & Furious and The Gray Man.
“Esthefany is a great colleague and friend. She has charisma that can brighten up your day,” said Rabit’s teammate, Vivian Lucumi. “She makes us smile and brings a lot of enthusiasm and good energy to the team.”
Staff writer Isabella Arce contributed to this story.
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