Gators-Seminoles Set for Sunshine Showdown

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The 16th Florida volleyball team welcomes Florida State to Exactech Arena on Tuesday for the Sunshine Showdown Presented by Fresh From Florida.

First serve is slated for 7 p.m. on ESPNU with Sam Gore and Missy Whittemore on the call. The match can also be heard on the airways of ESPN Gainesville 98.1 FM/850 AM with Tom Collett and Josh Crow on the call.

Florida is coming off a 3-0 weekend at the Sunshine Invitational, defeating Georgia Southern, FGCU and VCU. Florida State split its two contests this past week, defeating Nebraska-Omaha before falling to then-No. 17 Creighton in five sets.

The Gators hold the 43-21 series advantage over the Seminoles, including a 36-7 record under Mary Wise.

Promotions

• Sunshine Showdown Presented by Fresh From Florida

  • Giveaway: The first 1,000 fans receive a Florida Volleyball headband
  • Giveaway: The first 200 students receive a foam finger
  • Giveaway: Team schedule posters and team magnets

• Student Block Party with games prior to the match at Gate 3
• Honorary First Servers: Florida men’s basketball coach Todd Golden and his wife Megan, who played volleyball at St. Mary’s
• Arrive early to hear the Stephen Foster Elementary School sing the live National Anthem
• Post-match autographs with the team on the court

National Spotlight

• As a team, the Gators are ranked in the Top-35 in the nation in four categories: opponent hitting percentage (9th | .129), blocks per set (21st | 2.72), hitting percentage (30th | .275) and aces per set (2.07)
• Bre Kelley ranks 36th in the nation in hitting percentage (.400) and 68th in blocks per set (1.24), while Merritt Beason is 41st in the country in aces per set with 0.55

Last Time Out

• Florida defeated all three opponents in the Sunshine Invitational this past weekend, moving to 6-2 on the year.
• The Gators were led on the offensive front by Marina Markova, who recorded 26 kills in the three matches. Bre Kelley added 19, while AC Fitzpatrick (17), Sofia Victoria (15) and Birdie Hendrickson (13) rounded out the players in double-figure kills.
• Alexis Stucky dished out 87 assists in her nine sets of play.
• Defensively, Gabrielle Essix led way at the net with 13.0 blocks, followed by Kelley’s 11.0.
• Elli McKissock led the backcourt defense, posting 43 digs in the three matches. Trinity Adams followed with 23, while Stucky posted 22 – including a…