Gators Hit the Road to Face Gamecocks

Sunday, October 1

Columbia, S.C.

2 PM

Florida Gators

South Carolina

Gators Hit the Road to Face Gamecocks

Saturday, September 30, 2023 | Volleyball

Sunday’s match is slated for 2 p.m. on SEC Network

By: Katie Callahan

Match Notes

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The fourth-ranked Florida volleyball team (10-2, 2-1 SEC) hits the road to take on the South Carolina Gamecocks (6-6, 0-3 SEC) on Sunday afternoon at the Carolina Volleyball Center.

First serve is slated for 2 p.m. on the SEC Network with Eric Frede and Nicole Branagh on the call.

Florida is coming off a five-set loss to Texas A&M on Sunday night, while South Carolina fell to Ole Miss in five sets in Oxford, Miss.

The Gators hold the 62-10 series advantage, including a 54-4 record under Mary Wise. Florida is 28-7 in Columbia, S.C. and split last season's weekend series at the Carolina Volleyball Center.

Milestones to Watch

Elli McKissock currently sits fourth in Florida's record books in career digs with 1,389. She passed Marcie Hampton (1,372 | 2004-07) and Allie Gregory (1,385 | 2016-19) against Texas A&M on Sept. 27
She sits just 55 digs away from tying Lyra Vance (1984-87 | 1,444) for third place
McKissock is also 24th in program history in career aces with 96. She needs just eight aces to break into the Top-20 all-time

Gators in the SEC

As a team, the Gators are ranked in the Top-5 in the SEC in the following:
- Hitting percentage (5th | .257)
- Blocks per set (3rd | 2.58)
Individually, four Gators are ranked in the Top-5 conference:
- Kennedy Martin: points per set (4th | 4.75) | kills per set (6th | 3.88)
- Gabrielle Essix: blocks per set (5th | 1.27)
- Nnedi Okammor: blocks per set (9th | 1.15)
- Elli McKissock: digs per set (9th | 3.27)

Top 25 Teams with Non-Division I Transfers

Kennedy Muff came in to replace All-American Alexis Stucky after she suffered a season-ending knee injury on Sept. 17
Muff - a fifth year - is a transfer from Flagler, a Division II school in St. Augustine, Fla. At Flagler, she earned three PBC Setter of the Year honors and was named as an AVCA Honorable Mention All-American
Muff is one of just four non-Division I transfers on an AVCA Top-25 team this season: Baylor (Manuela Bibinbe - Missouri State - West Plains - JUCO), Arizona State (Maddie McLaughlin - Geneseo - DIII) and Washington State (Peyton Claus - North Idaho - JUCO)
Claus has seen action in just one set, but Bibinbe is in the starting lineup for Baylor, averaging 2.65 points per set, 2.05 kills per set and 0.85 blocks per set in 11 matches with a .428 hitting percentage
McLaughlin has seen time in all 14 matches this season for Arizona State, averaging 1.96 points per set, 1.37 kills per set and 1,00 blocks per set

No. 4 Florida at South Carolina Broadcast Information
Date & Time: Oct. 1 | 2 p.m.
TV: SEC Network | Live Stream: SEC Network | Live Stats: Statbroadcast

Series Information – No. 4 Florida at South Carolina
Gamecocks | 2023 season: 6-6, 0-3 SEC

This is the 73rd meeting between the Gators and the Gamecocks
Florida leads 62-10 (54-4 under Mary Wise)
3-set: 47-2 | 4-set: 11-4 | 5-set: 4-3
Home: 32-1 | Away: 28-7 | Neutral: 2-1
Last Time Out: Sept. 25, 2022 | Columbia, S.C. | L, 2-3 (25-20, 21-25, 25-17, 22-25, 7-15)