No. 6 Gators Set to Celebrate Seniors, SEC Title Wednesday Before Finishing Regular Season at No. 3 Texas Saturday
Wednesday, November 26, 2014 | Volleyball
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- The No. 6 Florida volleyball team will wrap up the 2014 SEC schedule Thanksgiving Eve in the Stephen C. O'Connell Center at 7 p.m. versus South Carolina. The Gators will honor their three defensive specialist seniors, Maddy Monserez, Holly Pole and Taylor Unroe, in a pre-match ceremony, while UF will additionally celebrate its 2014 SEC Championship with a post-match trophy presentation.
Wednesday Florida/South Carolina Promotions | Florida Match Notes
Wednesday's match will stream live on SEC Network + with Melissa Lee and Missy Whittemore on the call, and will air tape-delayed from 10-12 p.m. on ESPNU.
Florida's 2014 senior class boasts a combined record of 105-18 through the last four seasons, owns two SEC titles and will be making an appearance in their fourth NCAA Tournament come next week, as the Gators earned the league's automatic bid for a 24th consecutive postseason run.
UF now has 21 SEC titles all-time, all under 24th year head coach Mary Wise, including 18 straight from 1991-2008. The Gators also own 12 undefeated SEC seasons all-time in program history, with the last coming in 2010 when the Florida went 20-0 ('92, '93, '95, '96, '97, '98, '99, '00, '01, '02, '03, '10). With a win Wednesday evening, UF would add its 13th undefeated conference season.
Florida is riding an 18-game win streak into Wednesday's match, the fourth-longest strand of victories in the NCAA right now, and with two more victories, UF would have its 24th consecutive 25-win season.
The Gators will enjoy Thanksgiving with the Pole family in Ocala before wrapping up the regular-season campaign in Austin, Texas, for the second meeting between the Gators and No. 3 Longhorns this season. The match will be UF's seventh against a top-25 opponent this season, as the Gators are 4-2 against ranked opponents in 2014. The Florida-Texas tilt will air live on the Longhorn Network with Paul Sunderland and Nell Fortner on the call.
The 2014 NCAA Volleyball Selection Show will be Sunday, Nov. 30, at 8:30 p.m. on ESPNU.
FLORIDA VS SOUTH CAROLINA & TEXAS BROADCAST INFORMATION
South Carolina (Nov. 26)
Time: 7:00 p.m. ET
TV: SEC Network + (Melissa Lee & Missy Whittemore; tape delayed on ESPNU, 10 p.m.)
Radio: WRUF
Live Stats: Stat Broadcast
UF | SOUTH CAROLINA SERIES HISTORY
· 2014 Record: 17-12, 7-9 SEC
· Series Record: Florida leads, 50-7 (44-2 under Mary Wise)
· 3-set: 37-2; 4-set: 10-4; 5-set: 3-1
· Home: 25-1 | Away: 23-5 | Neutral: 2-1
· Last Time Out: Oct. 15, 2014 at Columbia | W, 3-1 (19-25, 25-18, 25-13, 25-19)
· Last Time Out at Gainesville: Nov. 13, 2013 | W, 3-0 (25-15, 25-9, 25-22)
No. 3 Texas (Nov. 29)
Time: 2:30 p.m. ET
TV: SEC Network (Paul Sunderland & Nell Fortner)
Radio: WRUF
Live Stats: Stat Broadcast
UF | TEXAS SERIES HISTORY
· 2014 Record: 22-1, 14-1 Big 12 (play Wednesday)
· Series Record: Florida leads, 12-8 (12-7 under Mary Wise)
· 3-set: 3-4; 4-set: 2-3; 5-set: 7-1
· Home: 6-4 | Away: 4-3 | Neutral: 2-1
· Last Time Out: Sept. 6, 2014 at Gainesville | L, 3-1 (16-25, 28-26, 17-25, 16-25)
· Last Time Out at Austin: Dec. 7, 2012 (NCAA Regional) | L, 3-0 (22-25, 24-26, 17-25)
FLORIDA STORYLINES
· The only SEC team undefeated in league play, the Gators are the 2014 SEC Champions for the 21st time -- 18 straight from 1991-2008, 2010, 2012 and 2014 -- Florida last won the league in 2012
· UF has now won the SEC 21 of the last 24 years, all under 24th year head coach Mary Wise
· Florida owns 12 undefeated SEC seasons all-time in program history, with the last coming in 2010 (20-0) ('92, '93, '95, '96, '97, '98, '99, '00, '01, '02, '03, '10) -- should the Gators finish out the 2014 SEC season undefeated, it would be the program's 13th undefeated conference season
· The Gators are riding an 18-match win streak into Wednesday's Senior Night, the fourth-longest strand of victories in the NCAA right now
· The Gators last had at least an 18-game win streak in 2010 when Florida went an undefeated 20-0 in SEC and strung together 24-straight wins from Sept. 11, 2010-Dec. 4, 2010 before falling short to Purdue in NCAA Tourney play
· Florida has dropped just five sets in SEC play, all on the road (3-1 wins at LSU, South Carolina, Kentucky, Ole Miss and Arkansas), and has 12 SEC sweeps otherwise
· The Gators have additionally won 33 of their last 36 sets since dropping the first set to the Gamecocks in Columbia on Oct. 15
· Florida has forced its opponents to operate below a .197 hitting efficiency in 19 matches this season so far, including 15 of 17 SEC matches. UF limited Arkansas to a .083 efficiency Sunday
· The Gators rank first through SEC play in hitting efficiency (.346), opponent hitting efficiency (.133), blocks (2.46/s) and service aces (1.77/s). UF ranks second in league play entering the South Carolina match in assists (13.30/s) and kills (14.55/s)
· Florida will re-match with No. 3 Texas in Austin Saturday, its seventh match against a ranked opponent this season. The Gators are 4-2 against top-25 opponents, having won the last four. UF fell to Texas at home Sept. 6 (3-1: 16-25, 28-26, 17-25, 16-25)
· UF is looking for two wins this week to improve to 25-3, which would mark Florida's 24th consecutive 25-win season
· After winning the league outright this year, Florida will make its 24th consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance -- and 25th in program history
SENIOR NIGHT SNAPSHOT
· Florida's senior class features three back-row specialists in Maddy Monserez, Holly Pole, Taylor Unroe
· The 2014 senior class owns a combined record of 105-18, two SEC Championships (2012, 2014) and will be making their fourth NCAA Tournament run next week
WHO'S HOT?
· Florida sophomore right side Alex Holston and freshman middle Rhamat Alhassan, who ranks second in the country with her .462 clip and was just featured in Sports Illustrated's Faces in the Crowd. Holston averages 4.24 points per set for the Gators and Alhassan has led UF in blocks in 24 of 26 matches this season
· Junior setter Mackenzie Dagostino, the reigning SEC Offensive Player of the Week. Dagostino notched her third double-double this season with 49 assists and 11 digs in UF's win against the Rebels. Dagostino's 49 assists were her most in SEC play, while her 11 digs were her second-most this season and most in league play
· Dagostino, the SEC's leading server with 0.48 aces per set in conference play, also ranks second with 11.43 assists per set. Dagostino distributed the ball to a number of offensive weapons both Friday and Sunday, as five Gator players had eight kills or more against the Razorbacks, paced by junior Gabby Mallette's 13 and freshman Carli Snyder's 11 slams. The Gators' lefty setter also sent over a season-tying five kills herself against Arkansas. Dagostino successfully found junior Simone Antwi for a career-high 16 kills in Friday's win over the Rebels
· Florida's depth -- especially at outside hitter, where Florida has four quality arms, evidenced by Mallette's season-high and team-leading 13 kills at Arkansas
· Florida's back row -- all seniors, the heartbeat of Florida's defense, which stabilizes the offense: Maddy Monserez was SEC Co-Defensive POW a month ago after 17 digs at South Carolina, Holly Pole shined just Friday with a team-high 14 digs at Ole Miss after picking up Player of the Week honors for the second time this season two weeks ago, and senior Taylor Unroe is No. 2 on UF's career digs list
· With her first dig against the Rebels Friday, Unroe became just the second player in Florida history to eclipse 1,500 career digs. Unroe now has 1,513 scoops while donning the Orange and Blue
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