Volleyball Announces 2004 Schedule
Monday, June 14, 2004 | Volleyball
The University of Florida volleyball team released its 2004 schedule Monday, and the Gators will face at least six teams this year that advanced to the 2003 NCAA Volleyball tournament, including national semifinalist Minnesota.
"We have always tried to schedule as tough as possible in our pre-conference and this year is no exception," said UF head coach Mary Wise. "Our greatest challenge will be replacing the four graduating seniors; second will be the schedule."
The Gators will kick off the 2004 season at home on Sept. 1 against South Florida, where former Gator Claire (Roach) Lessinger took over as head coach in March. Florida will then host the Campus USA Credit Union Invitational Sept. 3-4, featuring Miami (Ohio), TCU and Northwestern. Friday evening's match vs. TCU will mark former Gator assistant coach and current Horned Frogs' head coach Prentice Lewis' return to Gainesville.
Florida will travel to Minneapolis, Minn., for the Diet Coke Classic and face three teams who appeared in the 2003 NCAA Tournament - Big 12 champion Kansas State, Missouri Valley Conference Tournament champion Northern Iowa and national semifinalist Minnesota.
The Gators continue their road trek, heading up to Tallahassee, Fla., to face in-state rival Florida State on Sept. 14 before returning home to host the 2004 Hilton Volleyball Classic, featuring Clemson, 2003 NCAA Tournament qualifier UC Santa Barbara and Connecticut on Sept. 17-18.
After opening the Southeastern Conference portion of their schedule at LSU and Arkansas on Sept. 24 and 26, respectively, Florida will then play host to Texas on Sept. 29 in a mid-week, non-conference match-up. UF will play each SEC Eastern Division team twice, and will face LSU and Arkansas both home and away this season. The Gators will then go for their seventh consecutive SEC Tournament title and 12th overall at home, as Florida will host the 2004 SEC Tournament.
Florida will continue its tradition of playing on Thanksgiving weekend when the Gators will travel to Jamaica, N.Y., for the St. John's Classic at St. John's University. Florida will see Wake Forest, Towson University and the host Red Storm on Nov. 26-27.
The NCAA tournament begins December 2 on campus sites. The four pre-determined sites that will host the NCAA Regionals on Dec. 10-11 are Louisville, Ky., Minneapolis, Minn., Green Bay, Wisc., and Seattle, Wash. The NCAA Women's Volleyball Final Four will be held December 16 and 18 at the Long Beach Arena in Long Beach, Calif.
The Gators were undefeated at 24-0 last season against teams they will face in 2004 and will also see four teams that finished the 2003 season in the AVCA/USA Today Top 25.
Florida (36-2 in 2003) is coming off its first-ever national championship appearance and a season during which the Gators equaled or set 25 national, SEC and/or school records. Florida shattered the record for consecutive games won with 105 (the former record was 69) and extended its NCAA record for most consecutive regular season conference wins to 130, which is an active streak.
For a full schedule, click on www.gatorzone.com/volleyball, then click on Schedule/Results.
