Sophomore middle blocker Alec Rothe (25) and her teammates celebrate in the Gators' 3-0 win against the Norfolk State Spartans at the Stephen C. OÕConnell Center in Gainesville, Fla., Sunday, August 31, 2025. (Alyvia Logan/WRUF)

Three Gator Volleyball Stars Headed to 2026 Women’s National Team Collegiate Training

Florida’s Lily Hayes, Alec Rothe and Taylor Parks are headed to Colorado Springs.

The three Gators were selected Tuesday to participate in the 2026 Women’s National Team Collegiate Training.

The training will serve as a high-level development opportunity for the Gators athletes.

They will participate in professional volleyball presentations and be directly assessed by the Women’s National Team staff in the week to follow.

Hayes gets the nod after a standout freshman campaign in 2025. SHe earned AVCA Southeast Region Freshman of the Year and was named to the AVCA Southeast Region First Team.

She continued to make her mark in conference play, securing a spot on the SEC All-Freshman Team.

Rothe was selected to the 2025 AVCA Southeast Region First Team and previously earned SEC Freshman of the Week honors in Sept. 2024

Parks previously represented the United States on the 2025 USA Volleyball U-21 National Team. She won a gold medal at the 2025 NORCECA Pan American Cup and was named Best Server of the tournament.

Regionally, she earned 2024 AVCA All-Southeast Region Honorable Mention honors and was named to the 2024 SEC All-Freshman Team.

Her freshman season was especially notable, earning four SEC Freshman of the Week selections (September 2, October 28, November 4, and November 25, 2024).

For Hayes, USA Volleyball is also nothing new. Hayes won a silver medal as a member of the 2025 U19 USA Team Roster for FIVB Girls U19 World Championships.

The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Training Center will welcome 62 athletes across 20 USA Volleyball regions. The three-day training session will stretch from Feb. 19-22.

Category: Gators Volleyball, Volleyball