Florida Gators
Stanford
Stellar 2014 Florida Volleyball Campaign Comes to a Close in NCAA Elite Eight
Sunday, December 14, 2014 | Volleyball
Post-Match Press Conference (Monserez, Pole, Wise)
AMES, Iowa -- A stellar season for the Florida volleyball team came to a close Saturday evening in Ames as the Orange and Blue fell in straight sets to No. 1 Seed Stanford (17-25, 22-25, 21-25) at Hilton Coliseum to close the Gators' 24th consecutive NCAA Tournament run.
SEC Freshman of the Year Rhamat Alhassan and SEC Player of the Year Alex Holston were both named to the NCAA Volleyball Ames Regional All-Tournament team after posting double-doubles Friday against No. 9 Seed Illinois to propel Florida (28-4) to the Regional Final for the first time since 2011. Holston hit .533 with 18 slams to lead the Gators against the Cardinal (33-1), which advanced to the Final Four in OKC, while junior outside hitter Gabby Mallette posted a season-high 14 kills towards UF's efforts against a tough Stanford squad Saturday evening.
While the Regional Final may not have gone as planned for the Gators, it won't be the defining moment for the 2014 UF squad. It was a record year for Florida, which notched its 24th consecutive 25-win season and went an undefeated 18-0 slate in SEC play to claim the program's 21st SEC Championship the last 24 years. The Gators ran the table in the SEC for the 13th time in program history and led the league in all but one statistical category through conference play.
“What we talked about in the locker room is that we won't let this one match define our season,” SEC Coach of the Year Mary Wise said. “I realize that in this day and age, we're all judged on how far you go into the NCAA Tournament and if that is the case, then they have missed out on a great opportunity, because this team has grown so much and has done so much for the university. It would be a shame to say anything but really positive things about who these people are and what they've done for our program.”
Wise added to her legacy with unprecedented career win No. 800 in a thrilling match in Los Angeles early in the season and went on to win league coach of the year honors for the 14th season and region coach of the year accolades for the 11th time in her tenure at Florida.
Florida bids farewell to three stellar seniors in Maddy Monserez, Holly Pole and Taylor Unroe, who compiled a 110-19 (.853) record while donning the Orange and Blue. The trio, which won two SEC titles and made four straight NCAA Tournaments, won't only be remembered for their growth and volleyball success, but also their academic and community achievements; Pole as the 2014 SEC Scholar Athlete of the Year, Monserez and Pole as 2013 and 2014 SEC Community Service Team members, and Unroe as one of the AVCA's Coaches 4 Coaches Scholarships towards 2014 AVCA Convention.
2014 will be one to remember for the Florida volleyball program.
GETTING WISE
Opening Statement:
“The Stanford team that we played tonight would win a lot of matches in any era, in any year. They were so good. What we have relied on all season is our ability to get a team out of system and they were in system all night. How talented their ball control players are, they run the fastest offense that we have played against. I don't know if we had all week to prepare for them and them alone, could we have any more success with as well as they played. So, congratulations to Stanford. We wish them the best of luck. What we talked about in the locker room is that we won't let this one match define our season. I realize that in this day and age, we're all judged on how far you go into the NCAA tournament and if that is the case, then they have missed out on a great opportunity, because this team has grown so much and has done so much for the university. It would be a shame to say anything but really positive things about who these people are and what they've done for our program.”
On the returners for next season and departing seniors:
“Obviously, our front row players, our point scorers all return, but how do you replace the heart and soul of your team? That's going to take a while. Ninety-nine percent of our ball control came from these three seniors. And the story again, [Pole and Monserez] came as walk-ons. These are two players that chose to come to Florida. I mean, it just says such volumes about their work ethic. This is Holly Pole digging 17 digs against the best team in the country and we saw her in a club practice. It's just a great story and that's the piece that I just don't want to turn the page too soon on, so you can ask me that in a few months.”
2014 AMES REGIONAL ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Most Outstanding Player: Inky Ajanaku – Stanford
Madi Bugg – Stanford
Kyle Gilbert – Stanford
Rhamat Alhassan – Florida
Alex Holston – Florida
Jocelynn Birks – Illinois
Mary-Kate Marshall – Oregon State
FLORIDA NOTABLES
· Florida head coach Mary Wise is 61-24 (.718) all-time in the NCAA Tournament, all at Florida
· The Gators moved to 62-25 (.713) as a program all-time in the NCAA Tournament
· Florida's made its 24th consecutive and the 25th NCAA Tournament appearance in program history and played host to opening round contests for the 22nd time in the last 24 years
· No. 8 seed Florida was 9-3 during the regular season against the 2014 NCAA Tournament field
· Florida notched its 24th consecutive 25-win season after downing No. 3 Texas in Austin Nov. 29 to cap of the regular season at 25-3 overall. Florida went an undefeated 18-0 in SEC play to claim the program's 21st SEC Championship. Florida's undefeated SEC season was its 13th in school history
· The Gators held 22 of their 2014 opponents to operate below a .197 hitting efficiency. The Gators limited 16 of 18 SEC opponents under .197
· Florida finished the 2014 season 6-3 against top-25 opponents
· BLUE HAIR RIBBONS: In honor of Sophia and sister Andrea, who the team became close with on their annual Thanksgiving trip to Shands/UF Health. Sophia, 10, has cancer and her sister Andrea, 12, was a match for Sophia's bone marrow transplant. The Gators dedicated the 2014 NCAA Tournament to the Castro family
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