The Gators head to Dallas, Texas, where they will take on the Owls on Friday, Dec. 5 at 5 p.m. ET.
Florida Volleyball Faces No. 7 Rice in First Round of NCAA Tournament
Sunday, November 30, 2025 | Volleyball
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The University of Florida volleyball team will travel to Dallas, Texas for the First & Second Rounds of the NCAA Tournament, as the Division I Women's Volleyball Selection Committee revealed the 64-team field on Sunday during an ESPN television broadcast.
The Gators face the No. 7 seed Rice on Friday, Dec. 5 at 5 p.m. ET in the first round. Thirty minutes after the conclusion of Florida's match, No. 2 SMU and Central Arkansas will square off in the other matchup in the lower-left portion of the bracket.
The winners will advance to the second round, which is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 6 at 8 p.m. ET. Television details will be announced at a later date.
With the selection, Florida extends its streak to 35-consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, the third-longest active streak in the nation (Penn State – 45, Nebraska – 44), and its first under Head Coach Ryan Theis.
Overall, UF has been in the NCAA Tournament 36 times since the program's inception in 1984. The Gators carry an 84-35 record in the NCAA Tournament and advanced to the NCAA Regional Semifinal last year for the 19th time in program history.
Sunday's selection marks the 15th NCAA Tournament appearance for Theis (1 with Florida, 10 at Marquette and 4 at Ohio). He advanced to his third NCAA Regional Semifinal in the fall of 2024, adding to previous trips in 2022 and 2018. Overall, Theis owns an 8-6 record in the first round and is 11-14 in NCAA Tournament play.
All ticket information, media and schedule information, as well as information about the other three teams can be found below,
TICKET INFORMATION | DALLAS FIRST & SECOND ROUNDS
Tickets can be located and purchased here once available: 2025 SMU Volleyball NCAA 1st and 2nd Round Tickets
DALLAS, TEXAS FIRST & SECOND ROUNDS SCHEDULE (All times listed in Eastern)
No. 7 Rice
3-set: 6-0; 4-set: 1-1; 5-set: 0-0
Home: 2-1; Away: 4-0; Neutral: 1-0
Last time out: 1996, W 3-0 (15-6, 15-3, 15-7)
No. 2 SMU
CENTRAL ARKANSAS
2025 DI women's volleyball championship schedule
All times listed in ET
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The Gators face the No. 7 seed Rice on Friday, Dec. 5 at 5 p.m. ET in the first round. Thirty minutes after the conclusion of Florida's match, No. 2 SMU and Central Arkansas will square off in the other matchup in the lower-left portion of the bracket.
Dallas on deck. 🤠@NCAAVolleyball | #GoGators pic.twitter.com/lR35Dt0v4n
— Gators Volleyball (@GatorsVB) November 30, 2025
The winners will advance to the second round, which is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 6 at 8 p.m. ET. Television details will be announced at a later date.
With the selection, Florida extends its streak to 35-consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, the third-longest active streak in the nation (Penn State – 45, Nebraska – 44), and its first under Head Coach Ryan Theis.
Overall, UF has been in the NCAA Tournament 36 times since the program's inception in 1984. The Gators carry an 84-35 record in the NCAA Tournament and advanced to the NCAA Regional Semifinal last year for the 19th time in program history.
Sunday's selection marks the 15th NCAA Tournament appearance for Theis (1 with Florida, 10 at Marquette and 4 at Ohio). He advanced to his third NCAA Regional Semifinal in the fall of 2024, adding to previous trips in 2022 and 2018. Overall, Theis owns an 8-6 record in the first round and is 11-14 in NCAA Tournament play.
All ticket information, media and schedule information, as well as information about the other three teams can be found below,
TICKET INFORMATION | DALLAS FIRST & SECOND ROUNDS
Tickets can be located and purchased here once available: 2025 SMU Volleyball NCAA 1st and 2nd Round Tickets
DALLAS, TEXAS FIRST & SECOND ROUNDS SCHEDULE (All times listed in Eastern)
- First Round Matches | Friday, Dec. 5
- Match 1: No. 7 Rice vs. Florida – 5 p.m.
- Match 2: No. 2 SMU vs. Central Arkansas – 30 min. following Match 1
- Second Round Match | Saturday, Dec. 6
- Winner of Match 1 vs. Winner of Match 2 – 8 p.m.
No. 7 Rice
- Record: 21-9
- RPI: 21
- Conference: American
3-set: 6-0; 4-set: 1-1; 5-set: 0-0
Home: 2-1; Away: 4-0; Neutral: 1-0
Last time out: 1996, W 3-0 (15-6, 15-3, 15-7)
No. 2 SMU
- Record: 25-5
- RPI: 8
- Conference: ACC
CENTRAL ARKANSAS
- Record: 18-11
- RPI: 109
- Conference: ASUN
2025 DI women's volleyball championship schedule
All times listed in ET
- Selection show: 6 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 30
- First and second rounds: Dec. 4-5 or Dec. 5-6
- Regionals: Dec. 11 and 13 or Dec. 12 and 14
- Semifinals: Thursday, Dec. 18
- National championship: 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 21 | ABC
FOLLOW FLORIDA VOLLEYBALL
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