Florida Gators

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Florida volleyball team earned the No. 11 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament and will host First & Second Round matches, the NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball committee announced Sunday (Nov. 27) evening via the NCAA Selection Show on ESPNU.
 
This is Florida's 27th NCAA Tournament appearance in program history and its 26th in a row, a streak dating back to 1991, which ties UC Santa Barbara (1981-2006) and Southern California (1991-present) for the fourth-longest streak in Division I history.
 
Only Penn State (36), Stanford (36), and Nebraska (35) have longer streaks—all three of which are still active. Hawaii (24), and Colorado State (22) are the only other Division I programs with active streaks of more than 20 years.
 
The Gators will face Alabama State, who won its third Southwestern Athletic Conference title in the last four seasons, on Friday (Dec. 2) at 7 p.m. ET. Cincinnati and Florida State will be Friday's first match, though, as it is slated for a 4:30 p.m. start. The winners of both matches will face one another Saturday (Dec. 3) at 7:30 p.m.
 
Florida is hosting First & Second Round matches for the 24th time in the last 26 years, having maintained a top-10 ranking in the NCAA RPI the majority of the season. The Gators enter postseason play fresh off clinching their 22nd SEC title, which is the fourth-most SEC titles among all sports, regardless of gander, since 1979, the first year the conference crowned a volleyball champion.
 
Continue to check FloridaGators.com in the coming days for broadcast and streaming information.

 
TICKET INFORMATION | Gainesville First & Second Rounds
Tickets for the NCAA First & Second Rounds in Gainesville will go on sale Monday (Nov. 28) morning online and at the Gator Ticket Office, located between Gates 1 & 2 of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
Tickets will be made available to Gator Attack Club members starting at 8:30 a.m. ET, 2016 Florida volleyball season ticket holders starting at 10 a.m., and to the general public at 12 p.m.
 
All-Session Ticket: $20
Single-Session Tickets: $12 Adults; $5 Students (standing room only area)

 
GAINESVILLE FIRST & SECOND ROUNDS SCHEDULE (all times Eastern)

• First Round Matches | Friday, Dec. 2
  • Match 1 (Cincinnati vs. Florida State) – 4:30 p.m.
  • Match 2 (Alabama State vs. Florida) – 7 PM
• Second Round Match | Saturday, Dec. 3, 7:30 PM (winners of Match 1 & Match 2)

 
MEDIA INFORMATION & LINKS
Media Contact: Zach Dirlam (ZachD@gators.ufl.edu) | Media Services/Credentialing Information (PDF)

• Florida Volleyball NCAA Tournament Record Book
• 2016 Florida Volleyball Media Supplement
• Interactive NCAA Tournament Bracket
• NCAA Tournament Bracket (PDF)
• Regional Bracket (PDF)
• L. Gale Lemerand Athletic Center
• Alabama State Volleyball
• Cincinnati Volleyball
• Florida State Volleyball

CREDENTIALING NOTE: If you were credentialed for the University of Florida regular season, you will automatically be credentialed for the NCAA Tournament First & Second Rounds in Gainesville. Your credential will be available at Will Call (inside Gale Lemerand Athletic Center) one hour prior to first serve of Friday's matches.
 

FLORIDA NCAA TOURNAMENT NOTABLES

• Florida was 6-3 this season against the 2016 NCAA Tournament field
• Florida's 27 all-time NCAA Tournament appearances ties Long Beach State for the 12th-most in Division I history, trailing Penn State (36) Stanford (36), Hawaii (35), Nebraska (35), Southern California (34), UCLA (34), Texas (33), BYU (29), UC Santa Barbara (28), Arizona (28), Colorado State (28)
• The Gators have made 23 Regional Semifinals and 15 Regional Championships in program history.
• Florida is seeking its eighth all-time NCAA Semifinals appearance and its first since 2003, when it played in the NCAA Championship match.
• Florida head coach Mary Wise boasts a 64-25 (.719) all-time record in the NCAA Tournament, with all her postseason appearances coming with the Gators.
• The Gators carry a 65-26 (.714) all-time record in NCAA Tournament play into this year's championship.
• The Gators are 50-7 (.877) when hosting NCAA Tournament matches in Gainesville.
• Last season the Gators won three matches and advanced to the Austin Regional Championship match, but dropped a five-set decision to Texas, the No. 3 overall seed in last year's NCAA Tournament.

 
SCOUTING THE SUB-REGIONAL
Alabama State | 24-8 overall, 18-0 Southwestern Athletic Conference

• Florida leads: 1-0 (1-0 under Mary Wise)
• 3-set: 1-0 | 4-set: 0-0 | 5-set: 0-0
• Home: 1-0 | Away: 0-0 | Neutral: 0-0
• NCAA Tournament series: Florida leads, 1-0
• Last Time Out: 2014 NCAA Tournament First Round at Gainesville --> W, 3-0 (25-13, 25-12, 25-12)
• Notable: SWAC Tournament champions; won 20-plus matches each of the past four seasons; first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2014

 
Cincinnati | 22-9 overall, 17-3 American Athletic Conference

• Florida leads: 2-0 (1-0 under Mary Wise)
• 3-set: 0-0 | 4-set: 1-0 | 5-set: 1-0
• Home: 0-0 | Away: 0-0 | Neutral: 2-0
• NCAA Tournament series: N/A
• Last Time Out: Nov. 24, 2000 in Orlando --> W, 3-1 (15-5, 15-9, 13-15, 15-2)
• Notable: First NCAA Tournament appearance since 2011

 
Florida State | 24-5 overall, 17-3 Atlantic Coast Conference

• Florida leads: 39-19 (32-5 under Mary Wise)
• 3-set: 21-7 | 4-set: 12-5 | 5-set: 6-7
• Home: 23-5 | Away: 13-9 | Neutral: 3-5
• NCAA Tournament series: Florida leads, 3-1
• Last Time Out: Sep. 14, 2016 at Tallahassee --> W, 3-1 (27-25, 19-25, 25-22, 25-19)
• Notable: 19th all-time NCAA Tournament appearance; making eighth straight appearance (school record); faced Florida three times in an NCAA Tournament Second Round match three times since 2010

 
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