No. 4 Gators Face Top-10 Weekend at VERT Challenge With No. 11 Oregon, No. 3 Texas

AUSTIN, Texas. -- A fun, but challenging, week awaits the No. 4 Gators in Austin, Texas, for one of the elite volleyball tournaments in the nation. No. 3 Texas, No. 4 Nebraska & No. 11 Oregon join the Orange and Blue a Gregory Gymnasium for the first of four years of the VERT Challenge this weekend on the campus of the University of Texas.

The Gators (2-0) will square off first with No. 11 Oregon (5-0) Friday at 4 p.m. ET, followed by host team No. 3 Texas (3-0) Saturday at 3 p.m. ET. Longhorn Network will have all the action this weekend with Paul Sunderland and Nell Fortner on the call, while Tom Collett will have all the action on ESPN Gainesville (FM 95.3, AM 850).

The weekend set in Austin counts as the Gators' second road trip of the season and is the middle stretch of a seven-match road strand to open the 2015 campaign before the Gators debut in the O'Dome Sept. 17. Florida and Oregon are meeting for the first time since 1996, while the Gators and Longhorns have a rich rivalry. Last season UF and UT went 1-1, as Texas took the match in Gainesville in September (3-0), while Florida claimed a thrilling five-setter in Austin in November (3-2).

While the focus is on Austin this weekend, a dazzling trip to Honolulu, Hawaii, awaits the Orange and Blue next week.

SCOUTING THE WEEK | Florida Match Notes | Head Coach Mary Wise Availability

It's back to traveling for the road warriors this week as the No. 4 Gators continue a front-loaded, challenging schedule in Austin, Texas, and Honolulu, Hawaii. Florida will play five matches through the next 11 days on the road, including its first three against ranked opponents this season: No. 11 Oregon, No. 3 Texas and No. 17 Hawai'i. It was a thrilling trip to Austin last year when the Gators upended the Longhorns in five and the Orange and Blue will be looking this weekend to position themselves well later this season in the RPI standings. Florida was 7-3 against top-25 opponents in 2014.

LAST TIME OUT AT TEXAS (Nov. 29, 2014):

The 2014 SEC Player of the Year Alex Holston slammed down a staggering 29 kills and junior setter Mackenzie Dagostino posted her fourth double-double of the season with 57 assists and 16 digs, as No. 6 Florida used an all-around team effort to upset No. 3 Texas in a five-set thriller to cap off the regular-season slate at Gregory Gym in Austin (26-28, 25- 20, 25-23, 22-25, 15-12). Holston (29) and freshman outside hitter Carli Snyder (17) each notched double-digit kills -- Holston with the third-most in a single match in school history in the rally scoring era. Holston's 32 points were also the third-most in Gator history in the rally-scoring era as the right-side hitter added four blocks and a service ace to her line Snyder's 18 kills against Texas in Gainesville last season mark a career high. Her 17 against the Longhorns in Austin are her second-most as a Gator thus far.

RECAPPING OPENING WEEKEND

Opening weekend provided some highlights and learning experiences for the Gators. While passing and serve receive will be a focal point, sophomore middle Rhamat Alhassan set a new school record for block assists with her 14 against James Madison in UF's opener. Three Gators additionally notched their first double-doubles of the 2015 season in UF's 3-1 victory against American: Mackenzie Dagostino (52A, 14D), éiva Recek (10K, 10D) and Carli Snyder (10K, 11D) -- the first of Snyder's career.

FLORIDA VS OREGON BROADCAST INFORMATION

University of Oregon (Sept. 4)

Time: 4:00 p.m. ET

Live Stream: Longhorn Network

Radio: ESPN Gainesville

Live Stats: Sidearm Stats

UF | OREGON SERIES HISTORY

· 2015 Record: 5-0

· Series Record: Florida leads, 1-0 (1-0 under Mary Wise)

· 3-set: 1-0; 4-set: 0-0; 5-set: 0-0

· Home: 1-0 | Away: 0-0 | Neutral: 0-0

· Last Time Out: 1996 at Gainesville | W, 3-0 (15-12, 15-10, 15-1)