GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The No. 15 Florida volleyball team (5-2, 0-0 SEC) closes out non-conference play in Wisconsin this weekend, where head coach
Ryan Theis returns to his home state for matchups against Marquette and No. 7 Wisconsin.
Friday, Sept. 19 at Marquette (5-3, 0-0 BIG EAST)
Marquette All-Time Series Record
Overall: 3-1
3-set: 3-0;
4-set: 0-0;
5-set: 0-1
Home: 0-1
; Away: 1-0
; Neutral: 2-0
Last matchup: Florida Lost 2-3 at home in 2014, 24-26, 25-20, 21-25, 25-20, 13-15
Sunday, Sept. 21 at No. 7 Wisconsin (6-1, 0-0 B1G)
Wisconsin All-Time Series Record
Overall: 6-2
3-set: 2-0,
4-set: 1-0;
5-set: 3-2
Home: 1-1;
Away: 3-0;
Neutral: 2-1
Last matchup: Florida lost 2-3 in 2023 at home, 25-15, 25-22, 21-25, 22-25, 13-15
Gators in the Rankings:
The Gators checked in at No. 15 in the AVCA/TARAFLEX Week 3 Division I Top-25 Poll, released on Monday, sept. 15 by the organization. Florida's remaining schedule features six opponents ranked in the top-25: No. 2 Texas, who received three first-place votes this week, No. 6 Kentucky, No. 14 Texas A&M, No. 22 Missouri and newly ranked No. 24 Tennessee.
Last week from Florida Volleyball:
The Gators went 1-1 last week against two ranked opponents, falling in straight sets on Tuesday to No. 25 North Carolina, 23-25, 18-25, 21-25, before bouncing back at home with a five-set victory over No. 20 Baylor, 25-20, 22-25, 27-25, 22-25, 15-9, in the O'Dome on Sunday.
About the Golden Eagles
- Marquette is 1-3 all-time against Florida. The first meeting was in 1999, and Marquette's win in the series came in Gainesville back in 2014 during Ryan Theis' first season as head coach, and that was MU's first ever victory against a top 10 ranked opponent. The 1999 contest is the only previous meeting where Florida wasn't ranked in the top 10.
- The Golden Eagles are led by first-year head coach Tom Mendoza. Ethan Pheister, Stef Jankiewicz, and Riley Whitesides join Mendoza's staff and are all entering their first year at Marquette.
- Marquette finished 25-9 last season and made its 13th appearance in the NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Championship. MU landed second in the BIG EAST after falling to then No. 5 Creighton in the BIG EAST Championship.
- Marquette enters the match at 5-3 after a straight-set loss to No. 7 Wisconsin and finishing 2-1 at the Marquette Invitational last weekend. The Golden Eagles opened the Invitational with a five-set loss to Ball State before bouncing back with 3-0 sweeps over James Madison and Milwaukee to close out the weekend.
- MU middle blocker Hattie Bray returns for her senior year and was selected by unanimous decision to the All-BIG EAST Team alongside former teammate Aubrey Hamilton.
- The Golden Eagles welcome a talented group of newcomers this season, including six freshman and three transfers. Among the transfers are: Elena Radeff (Santa Clara), Allie Korba (Central Michigan), and Julia Stanev (Eastern Illinois). The six freshmen: Isabela Haggard, Keira Schmidt, Emma Parks, Mari King, Annika Kowalski, and Avery Helms bring championship pedigree, all-conference nods, and leadership from their respective high school teams.
About the Badgers
- Under 13th-year head coach Kelly Sheffield, the Badgers are highlighted by the addition of impact transfers as well as key returners and an incoming freshman class that is ranked among the best in the nation.
- The Badgers enter Sunday's match on a five-match win streak since their straight-set loss to then-No. 5 Texas on Aug. 31. In that span, Wisconsin added its second ranked win of the season with a sweep of No. 21 Georgia Tech, adding to their five-set victory over then-No. 14 Kansas on Aug. 29.
Senior outside hitter Mimi Colyer from Oregon, arrived to Madison with all the accolades under her belt. The outside was named the 2022 AVCA National Freshman of the Year, two All-Pac-12 accolades, two AVCA All-Region honors and three AVCA All American awards.
- The remaining transfers include junior right-side Grace Lopez (Miami, FL), middle blocker redshirt senior Alicia Andrew (Baylor) and outside hitter redshirt-freshman Grace Egan (Ohio State).
- Returning starters for the Badgers include Charlie Fuerbringer, Lola Schumacher and Carter Booth, while Tosia Serafinowska, Maile Chan, Morgan Van Wie, Trinity Shadd-Ceres and Una Vajagic all return for the 2025 season.
- Two freshman, Madison Quest and Addy Horner, joined the Badgers this past spring, as they graduated high school early to get to campus. Kristen Simon, Natalie Wardlow, and Aniya Warren arrived in the summer.
- Offensively, the Badgers rank sixth in the nation in hitting percentage and kills per set (14.70), with Colyer sitting second individually in the nation for kills per set (5.21), while Fuerbringer ranks sixth in assists per set (11.28).
- Defensively, Wisconsin is currently holding its opponents to a .171 hitting clip and averaging 2.50 blocks per set. The Badgers lead the Big Ten Conference in digs per set at 14.60 and has allowed just 10 service aces inn six matches and 19 sets.
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