
SOLIMAR CESTERO CRUZ
AVAILABLE
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HEIGHT: 183 CM
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WINGSPAN: 186 CM
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NATIONALITY: USA/PUERTO RICO
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DATE OF BIRTH: 08.09.2000
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STATUS: USA/PUERTO RICO
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POSITION: OH/OPP
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LAST CLUB: SZENT BENEDEK ROPLABDA AKADEMIA BALATONFURED, HUNGARY
AWARDS/ACHIEVEMENTS
- Norceca Pan-Am Cup Final Six participation in Canada with the Puerto Rican National Team
- Pre Olympic Qualification in Japan with the Puerto Rican National Team
- CEV Cup participation
- Top 15 in the league in Points Per Set
- Top 16 in overall scorers
- 19 points and 3 blocks on a 42% attack efficiency vs. DVTK
- 12 points on a 41% attack efficiency vs. FATUM
- 14 points vs UTE
- 23 points on a 48% vs KNRC in the playoffs
- 17 points on 45% attack efficiency and 2 blocks vs. KNRC in the playoffs
- Set the UNF All-Time Matches Played Record With 141 vs. FGCU Nov. 17, 2022
- Set the UNF Sets Played Record on Nov. 13 at FGCU, Finishing With 511
- Set the UNF DI-Era Matches Played Record With 137 on Nov. 4, 2022, at JU
- Set the UNF record for kills with 30 in a 4-set match in 2019.
- Member of the Puerto Rican Team During the 2022 NORCECA Final Four Tournament in Mexico
- Member of the Puerto Rican National team from 2016-Present
- Leader of the UNF volleyball team from 2020-2022
- UNF Team captain 2021
- Spring 2021 ASUN Championship All-Tournament Team Selection
- 2020-21 Preseason All-ASUN Team
- 2019 ASUN Second Team All-Conference
- ASUN Co-Player of the Week (Nov. 11, 2019)
- ASUN Freshman of the Week (Sept. 10, 2018)
- Unanimous ASUN All-Freshman Team Selection
- UNF Invitational MVP (9/5/21)
- ASUN Honor Roll (2019-20, 2020-21, 2021-22)
UNF FALL 2022 SEASON
- Finished her UNF career as the all-time matches played and sets played record holder, reaching 511 sets and 141 matches played
- Had another strong season as one of UNF’s most potent options, posting 240 kills, 2.47 kills/set, 76 digs, and 49 blocks
- Finished second on the team in kills and second in kills/set
- Appeared in 26 matches, making 21 starts while playing in 95 sets
- Concluded her UNF career seventh in UNF history for kills with 1,291, good for third in UNF’s DI era.
- Also finished fourth all-time in attack attempts at UNF
- Posted 10 double-digit kill matches, leading the Ospreys in kills in five matches
- Had one of her biggest matches in a 23-kill, 15-dig performance against North Alabama, aiding the Ospreys in their 3-2 win.
- Surpassed 200-career blocks during the season
UNF FALL 2021 SEASON
- Started 25 matches, appeared in all 33 matches and played in 116 sets.
- A consistent option on the outside for a well-rounded UNF offense, finishing with over 200 kills for the second time in her career.
- Registered 233 kills, 2.01 kills/set, 42 digs and 63 blocks.
- Had a career-year on the block, posting 0.54 per set.
- Posted a career-best .260 hitting percentage for the year, finishing with the 10th-best mark in the ASUN during conference games.
- Surpassed 1,000-career kills with 11 kills at (RV) Florida State Nov. 9, hitting .400 to become the 12th Osprey in program history to reach the milestone.
- On eight different occasions posted double-digit kills.
- Saved a season-best 16 kills for a 3-2 win in a tough road match at Jacksonville State Sept. 25.
- Hit over .300 in 14 matches, a remarkable feat for an outside hitter.
- Proved dominant in a grinder at Stetson Oct. 30, posting 13 kills on .273 hitting to go with six digs and five blocks in a 3-2 win against the Hatters.
- Put up season-high six blocks with nine kills on a .438 hitting percentage.
- Started off sizzling hot in the NIVC Quarterfinals at UConn Dec. 8, posting 12 kills on .257 hitting.
- Put up 15 kills on 29 attacks with just three errors, blocking two FGCU attacks Oct. 2.
- Notched back-to-back double-digit kills games in wins against Georgia State and Davidson Sept. 4 and 5.
- Opened the year on the right foot, posting 11 kills, two digs and two blocks in a five-set season-opening win against Wofford Aug. 27.
UNF SPRING 2021 SEASON
- Spring 2021 ASUN Championship All-Tournament selection.
- 2020-21 Preseason All-ASUN Team honoree.
- Played in 74 sets across 20 matches, starting 19.
- Notched the second-highest kills/set mark on the team, recording 197 kills. 2.66 kills/set and a .186 hitting percentage.
- Also contributed defensively, collecting 72 digs, 0.97 digs/set, 25 blocks and 0.34 blocks/set.
- Concluded 6th in the league for kills and 14th in kills/set.
- Put up eight double-digit kill days and one double-double, a 13-kill and 11-dig output against Stetson March 19.
- Paced the Ospreys in kills on four occasions.
- Was key in both of UNF’s wins against FGCU. Tallied 15 kills and a .303 hitting percentage in a 3-1 defeat of FGCU February 14.
- Hit .357 while adding 13 kills in a 3-0 road sweep at FGCU.
- Collected a season-best 17 digs against Stetson March 20.
- Eclipsed 800-career kills.
- Turned in 3.43 kills/set and a .327 attack percentage in ASUN Tournament play.
UNF FALL 2019 SEASON
- One-time ASUN Player of the Week and 2019 ASUN Second Team All-Conference pick.
- Led the ASUN in regular season with 410 kills.
- Became just the sixth player in UNF DI history to surpass 400 kills in a season.
- Her 30-kill night in a 3-1 win against Bethune-Cookman set a UNF rally scoring era record for kills in a match. It was also tied for the 11th most kills in 2019 NCAA Division I play.
- Appeared in 116 sets across 30 matches, tallying 424 kills on 3.66 kills/set.
- Also put up 13 aces, 145 digs and 50 blocks.
- Shouldered the offensive load for UNF, helping the Ospreys finish the regular season with the fifth-highest kill total in NCAA Division I play.
- Registered 24 matches with at least 10 kills and six with 20 or more.
- Put up four double-doubles including a 19-kill, 20-dig and five block outburst in a 3-2 win at Jacksonville Oct. 13.
- Exploded for 27 kills and 10 digs at Stetson Oct. 11.
- Saw her first double-double of the season in a 10-kill, 11-dig day at Mississippi State.
- Had double-digit kill matches in eight straight matches from Sept. 10 to Sept. 20.
- Notched 19 kills and 11 digs in a 3-2 win against FAMU Oct. 15.
- Hit .406 en route to 18 kills in a 3-1 triumph against UNA Oct. 18.
- Reached 20 kills in a five-set battle against Stetson Oct. 25.
- Put up 15 kills and eight digs in a 3-1 win against first place Kennesaw State Oct. 27.
- Nov. 5 at Bethune-Cookman marked her 30-kill day in which she hit .529.
- Helped UNF sweep the 2019 River City Rumble by posting 24 kills on .432 hitting in a 3-1 win against Jacksonville Nov. 8.
- Eclipsed .300 hitting once more in a 25-kill day against Lipscomb Nov. 15.
- Helped UNF rally from a 2-1 deficit to defeat UNA in five sets, posting 21 kills, eight digs and four blocks.
UNF FALL 2018 SEASON
- Made an impact immediately for the Ospreys, earning one ASUN weekly laurel before receiving unanimous ASUN All-Freshman Team laurels.
- Played in 32 of UNF’s 33 matches, appearing in 107 sets to lead all freshman.
- Registered 197 kills, 1.84 kills/set, 64 digs and 35 total blocks.
- Turned in 10 matches with at least 10 kills, doing so six consecutive times between September 1 and September 10.
- Notched a season-high 15 kills in the third match of her career, posting a .306 hitting percentage and eight digs against Oral Roberts August 25.
- Put up a season-best 16 digs against Indiana State August 31.
- Record 10 kills and a .429 hitting percentage in a win against NJIT November 10.
- Notched a .500 hitting percentage with six kills in a sweep of Jacksonville September 25.
- Hit .500 and registered 15 kills against Winthrop on September 1.
PUERTO RICAN NATIONAL TEAM
- Third place in the 2022 NORCECA Final Four Tournament in Mexico.
- Fourth place in the 2017 Pan-American Cup U20 in Costa Rica.
- Seventh place in the 2017 Pan-American Cup U18 in Havana, Cuba.
- Fourth Place in the 2016 NORCECA Championship U18 in Puerto Rico
VOLLEY UMET VOLLEYBALL CLUB
- Angel Matos Volleyball Challenge MVP 15U.
- Power League Championship All-Star Team 15U.
- Spring Volleyball Challenge Championship All-Star Team
















