Rhamat Alhassan (#1) and Allie Monserez (#22) are two of UF's four returning AVCA All-America selections from 2016.
Gators Top 2017 SEC Preseason Coaches’ Poll
Wednesday, June 28, 2017 | Volleyball
Florida won its 22nd SEC title last season and return 17 of 18 student-athletes from its 2016 squad
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Defending Southeastern Conference co-champion Florida earned the No. 1 ranking in the SEC Preseason Coaches' Poll and boasted two Preseason All-SEC selections, the league office announced Wednesday (June 28).
The Gators, who finished 27-4 overall and 16-2 in SEC play to win their 22nd conference title last season, garnered seven of the 13 first-place votes and totaled 139 points, putting them one ahead of Kentucky, which finished third last year.
Seniors Rhamat Alhassan and Carli Snyder were two of the 10 student-athletes named to the Preseason All-SEC Team.
Alhassan is a three-time American Volleyball Coaches Association All-American, and helped the U.S. Women's National Team win the gold medal at last week's Pan American Cup.
Last season, Alhassan finished in the national top 15 in hitting percentage (ninth, .416) and blocks per set (11th, 1.45) for a second consecutive year, making her one of two players since 2010 to accomplish that feat in multiple campaigns.
Snyder, a two-time AVCA All-America Honorable Mention, earned her first All-SEC accolade last season with 371 kills on a team-high 957 attacks. The Macomb, Mich. native also ranked second on the team in digs (277 / 2.69 per set) and service aces (21).
Alhassan and Snyder are two of the six seniors the 2017 Gators will feature this season, making it the largest senior class in school history. The Gators also return 17 of their 18 student-athletes from 2016, with four-time AVCA All-American Alex Holston being the lone departure. In addition to Alhassan and Snyder, returners Caroline Knop and Allie Monserez earned AVCA All-America accolades last season.
Florida will play 18 home matches this year, nine of which will be against 2016 NCAA Tournament qualifiers.
The Gators open the season by hosting the VERT Challenge (Aug. 25-26), pitting them against fellow blueblood programs Texas and Nebraska on consecutive nights—which will also be their first matches inside the newly-renovated O'Dome.
2017 SEC Preseason Coaches' Poll (first-place votes in parentheses)
2017 Preseason All-SEC Team
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The Gators, who finished 27-4 overall and 16-2 in SEC play to win their 22nd conference title last season, garnered seven of the 13 first-place votes and totaled 139 points, putting them one ahead of Kentucky, which finished third last year.
#16squad together again last night for ???? and a ?? from @SEC title 2??2??#GoGators pic.twitter.com/IC2ZqoPNm2
— Gators Volleyball (@GatorsVB) April 20, 2017
Seniors Rhamat Alhassan and Carli Snyder were two of the 10 student-athletes named to the Preseason All-SEC Team.
Alhassan is a three-time American Volleyball Coaches Association All-American, and helped the U.S. Women's National Team win the gold medal at last week's Pan American Cup.
And you can read all about @ra_montie's GOLD MEDAL ??!!!https://t.co/GQEPw3uiKT
— Gators Volleyball (@GatorsVB) June 27, 2017
Last season, Alhassan finished in the national top 15 in hitting percentage (ninth, .416) and blocks per set (11th, 1.45) for a second consecutive year, making her one of two players since 2010 to accomplish that feat in multiple campaigns.
Snyder, a two-time AVCA All-America Honorable Mention, earned her first All-SEC accolade last season with 371 kills on a team-high 957 attacks. The Macomb, Mich. native also ranked second on the team in digs (277 / 2.69 per set) and service aces (21).
Alhassan and Snyder are two of the six seniors the 2017 Gators will feature this season, making it the largest senior class in school history. The Gators also return 17 of their 18 student-athletes from 2016, with four-time AVCA All-American Alex Holston being the lone departure. In addition to Alhassan and Snyder, returners Caroline Knop and Allie Monserez earned AVCA All-America accolades last season.
Florida will play 18 home matches this year, nine of which will be against 2016 NCAA Tournament qualifiers.
The Gators open the season by hosting the VERT Challenge (Aug. 25-26), pitting them against fellow blueblood programs Texas and Nebraska on consecutive nights—which will also be their first matches inside the newly-renovated O'Dome.
#Gators fans -- we need YOU to fill the O'Dome for all 1??8?? home matches this year!
— Gators Volleyball (@GatorsVB) May 15, 2017
Get your ???? today!
INFO: https://t.co/SWwUUeXCtf pic.twitter.com/x0lI7vLsCO
2017 SEC Preseason Coaches' Poll (first-place votes in parentheses)
| Place | School | Points |
| 1. | Florida (7) | 139 |
| 2. | Kentucky (6) | 138 |
| 3. | Missouri | 121 |
| 4. | Texas A&M | 110 |
| 5. | Auburn | 96 |
| 6. | Tennessee | 79 |
| 7. | South Carolina | 73 |
| 8. | Arkansas | 70 |
| 9. | LSU | 56 |
| 10. | Alabama | 48 |
| 11. | Georgia | 42 |
| 12. | Ole Miss | 28 |
| 13. | Mississippi State | 14 |
2017 Preseason All-SEC Team
| Name, School | Pos. | Yr. | Hometown |
| Pilar Victoria, Arkansas | OH | R-Sr. | Caguas, Puerto Rico |
| Rhamat Alhassan, Florida | MB | Sr. | Glenarden, Md. |
| Carli Snyder, Florida | OH | Sr. | Macomb, Mich. |
| Kaz Brown, Kentucky | MB | Sr. | Waterloo, Iowa |
| Ashley Dusek, Kentucky | DS | Sr. | East Bernard, Texas |
| Leah Edmond, Kentucky | OH | So. | Lexington, Ky. |
| Melanie Crow, Missouri | OH | R-Sr. | Wildwood, Co. |
| Alyssa Munlyn, Missouri | MB | Jr. | Suwanee, Ga. |
| Mikayla Shields, South Carolina | RS/OH | So. | Orlando, Fla. |
| Kaitlyn Blake, Texas A&M | MB/OPP | Jr. | Allen, Texas |
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