Team | Coaches | Schedule | Roster | Bios

Click here for MDC Shark Invitational Volleyball Tournament Schedule

Eight-time NJCAA Champion Miami Dade College No. 1 in Pre-Season NJCAA Division 1 Women's Volleyball Poll

COLORADO SPRINGS -- Miami Dade College (Fla.) begins the 2008 NJCAA Division I Volleyball season with the nation's No. 1 ranking. The Sharks have won the national title four times since 1996 and have a total of eight national titles since 1986. Last season the Lady Sharks finished as runners-up at the national tournament to Western Nebraska Community College, ending the season at 33-1. The top five teams in the pre-season poll include 2007 national tournament participants Frank Phillips College (Texas), College of Southern Idaho, Iowa Western Community College and Blinn College (Texas). The NJCAA volleyball season officially begins August 22 and will conclude with the NJCAA Division I Volleyball National Championship November 20-22 in Council Bluff, Iowa. The Sharks, led by returning players Rosa Medrano, Monica Dos Santos and Nataly Gutierrez, will open their season September 4th against Palm Beach Community College. The Sharks home opener is September 9th vs. Broward College.

National Champion Runner-Up- Sharks Place 2nd in National Championship Council Bluffs, Iowa - The first loss of the season for the Miami Dade College Volleyball team came in the national championship match, as the Lady Sharks were defeated by Western Nebraska CC, 30-27, 30-24, 21-30, 30-22 Saturday night at the National Junior College Athletic Association Volleyball Championship. The Lady Sharks, 33-1 on the year, could never get their usual powerful offense on track against the big front line of WNCC, who won their first NJCAA Vollleyball Championship ever and ended their season at 57-3. Numerous blocking errors also doomed the Lady Sharks. "We never got our rhythm on offense and our front line defense failed us as well," Head Coach Kiko Benoit said. "They had an open floor for most of the night in which to place their hits and they did that very well." The Sharks had come into the final as the prohibitive favorite, as they swept through their semi-final match against Frank Phillips College of Texas while the Cougars had to go to five games to beat Salt Lake CC in their semi-final. This is the tenth time that Miami Dade College has finished as runners-up in the 34 year history of the NJCAA finals, who have also won 8 championships, most recently in 2004.	Click here for MDC press release     State Champs! Congratulations to the Lady Sharks Volleyball Team for becoming the 2007 FCCAA State Champions with an undefeated record of 30-0! Paola Ampudia as been named the # 1 Player in the State of Florida as well as FCCAA Tournament MVP for 2007. Three Lady Sharks were named to the FCCAA All Tournament Team: Paola Ampudia, Deyla Caceres, and Rosa Medrano. The team has also qualified for the NJCAA National Tournament on November 15-17 by becomming the Atlantic District Champions. The 2007 team also posted a perfect 8-0 Southern conference record, and a # 2 ranking in the NJCAA Poll, while capturing 2007 Southern Conference Championship. " We are proud to have the State Championship back at Miami Dade, and are looking forward to competing for the National Title," Head Coach Kiko Benoit.
The Lady Sharks Women's volleyball program is one of the institution's most successful. The Lady Sharks have won 8 NJCAA National Championships and 18 of the last 19 State Championships. The Miami Dade College volleyball program has been ranked in the NJCAA Top 10 every season since the ranking process began in 1977. In the 2007 season, the Lady Sharks are the Southern Conference Champions, Atlantic District Champions, and State Champions.
SHARKS PLACE SIX ON ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS     #1 Player in the State! Paola Ampudia Sophomore Paola Ampudia was named 2007 #1 Player in the State of Florida and FCCAA Tournament MVP, while being placed on the FCCAA All Tournament Team for 2007. Ampudia is also the Southern Conference Player-of-the-Year for the second time in her Miami Dade College career, and also placed on the Southern All-Conference First Team.         Rosa Medrano Freshman Outside Hitter Rosa Medrano is named to the FCCAA Southern All-Conference First Team for the 2007 Season         Nataly Gutierrez Freshman Middle Blocker Nataly Gutierrez  is named to the FCCAA Southern All-Conference First Team for the 2007 Season.         Monica Dos Santos Freshman Monica Dos Santos Outside Hitter/OPP is named to the FCCAA Southern All-Conference First Team for the 2007 Season.           Southern Conference Coach-of-the-Year Kiko Benoit Third-year Miami Dade head coach Origines "Kiko" Benoit was selected as the Southern Conference Coach-of-the-Year for the third time in the 2007 season. The team currently posts a undefeated 30-0 record for 2007, and a perfect conference record of 8-0. He has led the team to become the 2007 State Champions, and Atlantic District Champions.         Deyla Caceras Sophomore Setter Deyla Caceres is named to the FCCAA 2007 Southern All-Conference First Team for the Second time in her career at MDC.         Liliana Berrios Sophomore Libero Liliana Berrios is named to the FCCAA Southern All-Conference Second Team for the 2007 Season.