Gators' Spring 2015 Schedule Kicks Off With FSU in Lemerand on First Day of Spring
Friday, March 20, 2015 | Volleyball
The University of Florida volleyball program will fittingly kick off its spring 2015 schedule on the first day of spring in Gainesville. The Gators are set to host Sunshine State foe FSU in a friendly scrimmage at 4:30 p.m. Friday afternoon in the Lemerand Athletic Center, home of UF's practice court. Gator volleyball fans are welcome, admission is free.
2014 was a record year for Florida, which finished 28-4 overall, notched its 24th consecutive 25-win season and went an undefeated 18-0 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.
AVCA First Team All-American Alex Holston led the way for Florida volleyball's four 2014 All-America honorees, while freshman middle blocker and AVCA Southeast Region Freshman of the Year Rhamat Alhassan was named a Second Team All-America selection. Junior setter Mackenzie Dagostino picked up Third Team All-America honors and junior middle Simone Antwi was named an AVCA All-America Honorable Mention selection following her third season as a Gator.
Florida boasts 34 All-Americans, 82 All-America honors, in school history.
The Orange and Blue advanced to the Elite Eight for the first time since 2011 and strung together a 23-match win streak from September 21-December 13, the longest win streak in the country in 2014 and longest for a Florida team since 2010. Five Gators were named All-SEC selections, as UF boasted the SEC Player of the Year (Holston), Freshman of the Year (Alhassan), Scholar Athlete of the Year (Holly Pole) and Coach of the Year (Wise). Alhassan, Antwi, Dagostino, Holston and Pole all picked up All-Southeast Region honors, while Wise and Alhassan were the Southeast Region Coach and Freshman of the Year.
Florida added 2015-16 freshman middle Taelor Kellum, while the Orange and Blue will look to replace departing senior back-row players Maddy Monserez, Holly Pole and Taylor Unroe for the upcoming season.
UP NEXT
The Gators' second spring match will be against North Carolina at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta April 4. Florida and UNC will face off as a part of the USA Volleyball Junior National Qualifier (Big South) April 3-5. Updated match times for the remaining spring competitions will be available on UF's spring schedule page as determined.
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