Florida Gators

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- The road warriors will be at it again, this time to open Southeastern Conference play Friday and Sunday at Ole Miss and Alabama, respectively.
 
After opening the 2016 season with eight matches on the road, the No. 6 Gators most recently debuted at home Sept. 16-17 with three wins in the Active Ankle Challenge: FAMU, Jacksonville and Marshall.
 
Florida enters SEC play at 10-1 overall and riding a 10-match win streak after falling to defending national champion Nebraska in the season opener. The Gators' 10-match win streak ties for the fourth-longest active streak in the country. Now with the first portion of the season in the rearview mirror, the Gators shift focus to the second 'season': conference play. UF boasts 21 SEC Championships, last winning the league in 2014 with their 13th undefeated conference season (18-0).
 
The Orange and Blue have a lengthy history of success against both the Rebels (11-2) and Tide (11-2). UF is an undefeated 40-0 against Ole Miss under Mary Wise and 21-3 all-time in Oxford. Florida has never lost to Alabama in school history. The Gators are 41-0 all-time against the Tide, including 39-0 under Wise and 19-0 in Tuscaloosa.
 
UF is 415-45 (.902) all-time in SEC play, including a 389-23 mark in 25 seasons under Mary Wise.
 
FLORIDA ENTERING SEC PLAY
Florida's offense, ranked No. 2 in the country with a .348 hitting efficiency, will look to keep the momentum rolling as conference play starts. The Gators have sweeps in seven of their last nine contests and have held eight of 11 opponents under a .200 clip. Florida checks in at No. 28 in opponent hitting efficiency in the NCAA (.153). The Gators' three-headed offensive monster of Rhamat Alhassan, Alex Holston and Carli Snyder has combined for 422.5 of UF's 679 points on the season -- over 60 percent of Florida's production.
 
Defensively, the Orange and Blue have been stellar on serve-receive with five matches of one reception error or less, including zero against both Jacksonville and Michigan State. Led by SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Week Rhamat Alhassan and 6-8 freshman Rachael Kramer, the Gators' block has been potent as well. UF enters Ole Miss and Alabama 21st in the nation in blocks per set (2.81) and have five double-digit block matches in 2016, with a season best 17.0 in the 3-1 win at No. 13 FSU.
 
Redshirt sophomore Allie Monserez, the reigning SEC Setter of the Week for the third time in the last month, enters conference play ranked second in the nation in assists per set (12.12), while Alhassan is 16th in the NCAA and first in the league in hitting efficiency (.415).
 
Florida tops the SEC through the first month of the season in hitting percentage (.348), kills per set (14.22), assists per set (13.38) and blocks per set (2.81). UF is second in opponent hitting efficiency (.153).
 
BROADCAST INFORMATION | Match Notes
Friday, Sept. 23, at Ole Miss
SEC Network + | Radio Stream (Tom Collett) | Live Stats
 
Sunday, Sept. 25, at Alabama
TV: Live on SEC Network | Stream: WatchESPN | Radio Stream (Tom Collett) + live on ESPN Gainesville (95.3 FM / AM 850) | Live Stats
 
SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
at Ole Miss (Sept. 23) | 11-2 overall in 2016

 
at Alabama (Sept. 25) | 11-2 overall in 2016

 
BIG PICTURE
Florida is 10-1 on the season, its lone loss to defending national champion and No. 1 Nebraska in the season opener. Florida is riding a 10-match win streak into SEC play. The Gators finished the 2015 season 25-7 overall, 13-5 in the SEC (fourth). UF made its 26th NCAA Tournament appearance and owns the fourth-longest streak in the nation for consecutive NCAA appearances. Florida advanced to the program's 15th Elite Eight last season, owns 21 Southeastern Conference Championships and is led by renowned head coach Mary Wise, who is in her 26th season in 2016. Wise is the third-winningest active Division I head coach in the country and owns the most victories among DI women's head coaches. She boasts a career record of 858-159 (.844) and a UF record of 777-96 (.890), has guided Florida to seven Final Fours, a National Championship Match berth in 2003 and has tutored all 35 Florida All-Americans to 90 All-America honors.
 
UP NEXT
After a weekend road trip to open SEC play at Ole Miss and Alabama, the Orange and Blue will open the conference season at home against foe Kentucky Wednesday in the Lemerand Center. First serve between the Gators and Wildcats is slated for 8 p.m. on SEC Network.
 
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