Volleyball Bolsters Class of 2026 With Signing of Tampa Native Elena Dibbs-FrantzVolleyball Bolsters Class of 2026 With Signing of Tampa Native Elena Dibbs-Frantz

Volleyball Bolsters Class of 2026 With Signing of Tampa Native Elena Dibbs-Frantz

by Alex Clough

ORLANDO - The Knights’ Class of 2026 has added yet another promising talent from the Sunshine State, as head coach Matt Botsford and his staff announced the signing of Elena Dibbs-Frantz on Monday Afternoon.

The Tampa, Florida, native and Carrollwood Day School product boasts an impressive resume at both the high school and club level. At six-foot-five, she has a physical frame that can place her around the court, having played outside, right side and middle throughout her career.

Having watched Elena’s development over the past 3 years, I am so impressed with the foundation she has built and can’t wait to see her excel at the next level. She has shown the ability to score from all areas of the court, and her offensive range just continues to improve. Her movement patterns at 6-6 are a testament to her agility and athleticism, and provide her the perfect foundation to grow into a terminal attacker within our offense. I also expect Elena to thrive in our blocking system, where she can use her strengths to disrupt the other side of the net.

Matt BotsfordHead Coach

As a senior, Dibbs-Frantz tallied 303 kills (3.7 per set) while hitting .255 along with 31 blocks on the defensive end, leading the team to a 20-7 record in 2025. In 2023, the Patriots won the Class 3A State Championship, as the sophomore contributed 122 kills, while hitting at an impressive .300 clip.

Why UCF? I chose UCF because it felt like home the moment I stepped on campus. The coaching staff believed in me not only as an athlete but as a person, and I felt a genuine connection to the team culture. UCF gives me the opportunity to compete at a high level while growing academically and personally. I trusted my heart in this decision, and UCF is where I know I’m meant to be.

The future Knight competed for the No Name Volleyball Club and was named to the Team Florida U19 squad, providing her the opportunity to learn and grow among the best future collegiate stars in the state.

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Alongside her at Carolwood Day was her sister, Sarah Dibbs-Frantz, who is a current sophomore at VCU.

Dibbs-Frantz will join London Adkins (Orlando, Lake Brantley High School), Natasha Casey (Orlando, Lake Howell High School) and Deana Petrov (Clearwater, Largo High School) as members of the Class of 2026, each arriving in the summer to complement an experienced and established core under Botsford.

ABOUT UCF ATHLETICS
UCF is a proud member of the Big 12 Conference. Our mission is to positively transform the lives of our students academically, athletically, and personally through a nationally competitive intercollegiate athletics program that enhances the reputation and visibility of the University. We strive to be Florida's preeminent athletic program, representing UCF and our community with distinction on the national stage as "Orlando's Hometown Team". To learn more about UCF and Athletics, please visit our websites at www.ucf.edu and www.ucfknights.com.