NCAA Volleyball Tournament First Round Kicks Off Thursday in Stephen C. O’Connell Center
Wednesday, December 2, 2015 | Volleyball
2014 NCAA Volleyball Interactive Bracket | Florida Match Notes | Mary Wise Pre-NCAA Press Conference
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- For the 25th consecutive year, No. 11 National Seed Florida (22-6) will embark on a postseason run. Action kicks off in the Stephen C. O'Connell Center with the NCAA First Round Thursday at 4:30 p.m. with a clash between Arizona State (19-12) and Florida State (24-7), while the Gators and New Hampshire Wildcats (21-8) square off in the nightcap at 7 p.m. in the first meeting between the two programs.
Parking restrictions will be lifted in the Stephen C. O'Connell Center parking lot Thursday and Friday on the UF campus. Fans are encouraged to utilize the O'Dome parking lot and garage. With the Gator Holiday Classic Swim Meet running Dec. 4-6 and the President's Inauguration Dec. 4 at 3 p.m., overflow parking for all three events will be accommodated at Flavet Field, directly south of the Stephen C. O'Connell Center.
Both First Round matches will stream live, ASU and FSU on ESPN3, while the Wildcats and Gators will stream live on SEC Network +. Tom Collett and Missy Whittemore will call all the action from the O'Dome. Daniel Gillman and Josh Crow will have the coverage for UF on ESPN Gainesville.
The Gators, who won 13 of its last 15 matches entering the postseason, have been a top-16 national seed 10 of the last 11 years and own the fourth-longest active streak in the nation for straight tournament appearances.
Florida is hosting First & Second Round action in the O'Connell Center for the 23rd time in the last 25 years, having maintained a top-five ranking in the NCAA RPI all season. UF is 48-7 when hosting NCAA action in Gainesville and the Gators enter the NCAA tournament first in the nation in hitting efficiency (.317), 19th in opponent efficiency (.160), 20th in kills per set (14.31) and 21st in blocks per set (2.79). UF sophomore middle Rhamat Alhassan ranks third in the country in blocks per set (1.63) and ninth in hitting percentage (.424). Senior setter Mackenzie Dagostino is 13th in the nation in assists per set (11.46) and senior middle Simone Antwi is 25th in the country in efficiency at .398.
The winners of each first round match square off Friday at 7 p.m. The four Gainesville sub-regional participants are vying for a berth in the Austin Regional, which will take place Dec. 11-12 at Gregory Gym.
GAINESVILLE SUB-REGIONAL SCHEDULE & BROADCAST INFO
· First Round Matches | Thursday, Dec. 3
· Match 1 (Arizona State vs. Florida State) -- 4:30 p.m. (ESPN3) | Stream | Stats
· Match 2 (New Hampshire vs. Florida) -- 7 PM (SEC Network +) | Stream | Stats
· Second Round Match | Friday, Dec. 4, 7 PM (winners of Match 1 & Match 2)
NCAA FIRST & SECOND ROUND INFORMATION
Florida was 6-4 during the regular season against the NCAA Tournament field, including a 3-1 victory against FSU Sept. 20 at home, a potential Second Round opponent for the Gators. Florida State was the 2015 runner-up in the ACC, the UNH Wildcats were winners of the America East for the third straight year, and Arizona State finished seventh in a tough Pac 12 Conference. Florida State and Florida have squared off three times in NCAA Tourney play, with UF holding a 2-1 advantage. The Gators and Sun Devils have only met once, in the 2006 NCAA Second Round in Gainesville, a match Florida won 3-1.
Four SEC teams made the 2015 tournament field, including the No. 10 overall seed Texas A&M, No. 11 seed Florida, Missouri and Kentucky.
TICKET INFORMATION | Gainesville First & Second Rounds
Tickets for the NCAA First & Second Rounds in Gainesville will go on sale at 8:30 a.m. Monday morning (Nov. 30) online and at the Gator Ticket Office, located between Gates 1 & 2 of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. The ticket window in the Stephen C. O'Connell Center is located at Gate 1.
All-Session: $10.00 for Adults; $6 non-UF students and senior citizens; $5 children 12 & under
Single-Session: $7 Adults; $5 for non-UF students and senior citizens; $4 children 12 & under
*FLORIDA STUDENTS WITH GATOR1 ID RECEIVE FREE ADMISSION*
FLORIDA NCAA TOURNAMENT NOTABLES
· Florida's 25th straight NCAA Tournament appearance is the fourth-longest active streak in the nation (Penn State & Stanford 35 straight, Nebraska 34 straight)
· No. 11 seed Florida was 6-4 this season against the 2015 NCAA Tournament field
· The Gators have made 22 Regional Semifinals in school history and 14 Regional Finals
· Florida has made seven Final Four appearances and played for the National Championship in 2003
· The Gators' 2015 NCAA Tournament appearance is its 25th consecutive and the 26th in program history
· Florida head coach Mary Wise is 61-24 (.718) all-time in the NCAA Tournament, with all postseason appearances occurring at the University of Florida
· The Gators are 62-25 (.713) all-time in the NCAA Tournament
· UF is 48-7 (.873) all-time at home in NCAA Tournament play
· Florida has been a top-16 seed nationally 19 years, including 10 of the last 11 years
· Last season in 2014, the Gators went 3-1 in the NCAA Tournament and advanced to the program's 14h NCAA Regional Final against Stanford before the Cardinal took the match in three sets to advance to the National Semifinals
· The 2015 NCAA Volleyball Final Four is slated for December 17 (National Semifinals at 7 & 9:30 ET) & 19 (National Championship at 7:30 ET) in Omaha, Neb., at CenturyLink Center. The National Semifinals and Finals will be broadcast live on ESPN2. This year marks the 35th annual Division I Women's Volleyball Championship and the third time the state of Nebraska will host the championship (2006, 2008)
GATOR NOTABLES
· League Best Five Gators Named All-SEC Volleyball Selections
· Simone Antwi voted into University of Florida Student Senate
· éiva Recek earns AVCA Coaches 4 Coaches Scholarship
· Sha?nah Joseph Named to 2015 SEC Community Service Team
FOLLOW THE GATORS | In the Polls | NCAA RPI
