Daniello Commits to Florida Southern College

Dakota Daniello ’23 made big news over the summer, committing to play NCAA Division II women's basketball at Florida Southern College (FSC).

The standout guard, a key player on Masters' varsity girls basketball squad since eighth grade, is a magician with the ball in her hands and regularly wows fans at the Fonseca Center. She possesses elite ball-handling skills, next-level court vision and a fearless streak around the rim. 

It was all that and more that wooed FSC, which scouted Daniello by watching her games livestreamed via the internet. 

“College coaches aren’t able to come in person to tournaments but everything has been livestreamed on a platform called Ballers TV,” Daniello said. “The FSC coaches had been watching me online and offered me."

Daniello’s decision to commit to FSC was also partly based on its top-notch nursing program. Her interest was piqued as news media reports detailed the heroic efforts of healthcare workers battling COVID-19 on the front lines.

“I would watch all these videos and thought, ‘Wow, I kind of want to do this,’” Daniello said. “It was kind of a thing that picked up for me during quarantine. I’d never through of the medical field before that.”

Looking ahead, Daniello will continue to compete with her Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) team, Hoopers New York, throughout the fall. She hopes to eventually be back in the gym with her Masters teammates come winter. 

"If there's a school season, I'm hoping to win it all," Daniello said. "You don't know and there's a lot of uncertainty. I do hope we go back to school. I really hope we go back. If we have a high school season, I hope it's very successful."

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