A Wise Woman Appreciates NCAA Tourney Win No. 80

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — After all these years, more than 1,000 regular-season wins, and now 80 NCAA Tournament wins, Mary Wise knows better than anyone else who was underneath the white dome of Exactech Arena on Saturday night.

She certainly understands the moment more than her players, who were not born when Wise took over the Gators volleyball program in 1991. Wise grasps from top to bottom that performances such as Florida’s three-set NCAA Tournament sweep (25-19, 25-23, 25-14) of Iowa State are to be cherished, celebrated and appreciated.

“We will never, ever take it for granted,” Wise said.

Yes, to keep playing deeper into December, you must quickly turn the page and prepare for the next opponent – in this case, Pittsburgh, which advanced by sweeping BYU on Saturday – but in Wise’s world, there must be time taken to realize where you are and where you hope to go.

It’s a season-long process that only intensifies once the postseason begins. It’s a journey that evolves from a “hot mess” –how Wise described her 32nd Gators team when it came together for spring workouts – to the one that left her smiling and thanking the robust student section that turned out for the win over Iowa State.

“This group has just embraced learning and embraced each other, and they said from the get-go they’re a really fun group to be around,” Wise said. “They’re awfully loose.”

The Gators played like a team hungry for more NCAA Tournament wins by dismantling the Cyclones in every way possible. The Gators stormed out in front to win the first set. They fell behind 6-1 in the second set before rallying. They dominated the final set.

Florida did it with powerful play at the net, razor-sharp defense, efficient passing, and solid serving. When the match did get dicey in the second set, the Gators responded like a contender.

Marina Markova bombed back-to-back kills. Emily Canaan dived onto a table for a save. The Gators eventually climbed all the way back, and then Bre Kelley provided breathing room with back-to-back blocks that put UF up 24-22. The Cyclones trimmed the lead to a point, but then Markova hammered home a kill, and that was it. When Merritt Beason closed the match’s longest rally with a kill in the third set, Florida led 17-6, and it was only a…