Junior setter Taylor Parks is excelling as a setter in Coach Ryan Theis fast-paced system.
Taylor Made Setter, Leader, Teammate
Thursday, September 17, 2026 | Volleyball, Chris Harry
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By: Chris Harry, Senior Writer
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – It happened during a rough stretch of her freshman season, though Alec Rothe can't exactly pinpoint when. A rookie middle blocker at the time, Rothe was coming off a difficult performance in a Southeastern Conference match the day before, but had to screw a smile on her face to join a bunch of Florida student-athletes at a Gator Experience event for some younger kids.
The whole grin-and-bear-it thing wasn't working, however, and Rothe ducked out. Taylor Parks Taylor Parks followed her.
"She never left my side," Rothe said of her teammate/classmate/roommate. "She talked me out of it."
Rothe thought of that exchange during a practice earlier this season, when this close-and-getting-closer, incredibly galvanized UF team was sharing thoughts about how further closing ranks would strengthen culture and continue to bring out its best between the lines.
Or as Parks put it that day, "People don't remember what you did on the court, they remember how you made them feel as a teammate."
Chalk up another assist – albeit, an altogether different kind – for UF's outstanding setter.
"I strongly believe she will be an All American," UF coach Ryan Theis said of Parks, the junior from Clearwater, Florida. "First-team All American is not unrealistic, if we're a Final Four-caliber team."
It's early in the 2026 season, but the returns on the 10th-ranked Gators (7-1) have been promising to date, with their annual rivalry match Friday night at Florida State (5-4) next on the docket. UF won a neutral-site showdown against No. 11 Minnesota last month, then lost to No. 5 Wisconsin the next night, both of those matchups coming in the Big Ten/SEC Challenge.
The Gators then swept 20th-ranked Baylor on the road Sept. 5 to start a five-game winning streak they'll take to Tallahassee, where Parks will be in the middle of the action for a team that ranks fifth in the Southeastern Conference in hitting percentage offense (.297), leads the league in hitting percentage defense (.154) and appears to be inching forward in all facets each time it takes the court.
"Everyone tells me it looks like we're having so much fun on the court – that's because we are having so much fun on the court," Parks said this week. "This group of girls is so competitive. Our practices are so fiery. We've been using the motto, 'One enemy, one team.' That's kind of united us up to now. A lot of things are working for us. We're a very well-rounded team. Our passing is amazing and we're able to run our middle so easily and make the offense work really well."
Case in point: Rothe put her name in the record books during UF's 3-0 shutout defeat Sunday against Troy. Rothe went 10-for-11, for a hitting percentage of .909, the third-highest single-game mark in program history. Parks accounted for assists on nine of Rothe's 10 kills.
Parks finished that match with 36 assists and is averaging 10.39 per set, which ranks sixth in the SEC.
No surprise. Parks was a hotshot prospect when she arrived in the spring of 2024 as an early enrollee – realizing her childhood dream of playing for the Gators – and had very little time to ease into the next level. She had to play right away because All-America setter Alexis Stucky was still on the mend and easing back into action following season-ending knee surgery a year earlier.
Parks started for the Gators the first half of the season before eventually platooning the setter spot for the balance of the campaign.
"I loved her," Parks said of Stucky. "Obviously, I knew coming in, with her in front of me, it would be tough to get playing time. But we had a special bond. I loved getting feedback from her."
Taylor Parks has one of the best serves in the SEC.
The '24 season was the program's last under icon Mary Wise, who stepped down after 34 years on the UF sidelines, with 24 SEC titles and eight trips to the Final Four. Enter Theis, by way of Marquette, who took over a program that was run a certain way for more than three decades.
Stucky stuck around and accounted for the overwhelming bulk of time at setter, posting 1,062 assists to Parks' 11 – as the Gators eventually reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament. But toward the end of the regular season, the UF coaches had a conversation with their backup setter about her future role.
"We went to Taylor in November and told her not to be discouraged about not playing the last few weeks of the season, but wanted her to know we planned to move forward with her leading this program and doing it the right way," Theis recalled. "She thanked us, but when you go through transition it can be difficult. You need buy-in from the kids and the program and hers was huge."
Their faith in Stucky was a "thank you," as well.
Stucky transferred to Penn State after the season. Parks immediately immersed herself in her position, especially when it came to seeking feedback from teammates regarding their preferences for where and how they wanted the ball set.
If it sounds like an easy chemistry to formulate, guess again. Alec Rothe
Said Rothe: "Everybody's perfect set is in the same standard deviation of where it's supposed to be, but there's a miniscule variation we all have. Taylor and I have been working together for almost three years now. We have a really good feel for each other and where I am on the court. I have a big window, which makes it easy to set me, but doesn't mean my set is easy."
Same goes for every other hitter.
It takes repetitions. Hundreds, if not thousands, with that feedback occurring throughout.
Their communication with Parks was paramount, especially last offseason, as the Gators further honed Theis' fast-paced system that often eschews second or third passes when kill opportunities present themselves.
It's an element of surprise – or attack – that makes for an exciting brand of volleyball.
"I love playing fast," Parks said. "Every hitter is attacking from different points on the net. You don't know where our hitters are going to be. Plus, we're moving it around so much [that] it's not the same hitter getting set over and over. We're switching over the course of a game."
UF's leader and setter rallying the troops.
Now, roll in Parks' ability as an elite defender and the team's best server (fifth in the SEC at .50 aces per set) and the Gators have a setter with a unique set of skills relative to the position.
Especially her defense. Ryan Theis
"You want to go set the ball. You don't want to have to dig it," Theis said. "You see a lot of setters who are lazy or unengaged defensively. Don't get me wrong. A lot of high-end setters are really good at defense, but the combination of serve, set and defense is rare. She is not average in any of those skills. She is elite."
And in becoming an all-around player (maybe an All American, in time), those elite skills on the court are catching up to her deft, human touch as a consummate teammate.
When it comes to forging relationships, Parks said, the Gators talk about bank accounts. Deposits versus withdraws.
Her monthly statements show a wealth of growth.
"Leaders hold people accountable, but being there and being supportive is just as important. That comes with building relationships and we worked on that over the spring and summer," Parks said. "This is my favorite team so far. I'm so excited to see what we can do."
