WACO, TEXAS – South Carolina volleyball begins postseason play in the Waco, Texas regional on Thursday, Dec, 5, facing No. 23 Dayton (29-2) in the first round. Game time is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. ET on ESPN+, with the winner to play on Friday, Dec. 6 at 8 p.m. ET against the winner of Wofford and host Baylor. The Flyers earned the number five seed in the Lincoln, Neb. regional, Baylor is the number four seed.
The Gamecocks (16-11, 7-9 SEC) have won the first round in three of their last four tournament appearances, most recently defeating 10th-ranked Colorado State in 2019 while playing in the Seattle Regional. This will be the 11th NCAA tournament trip in the program’s 51-year history. South Carolina has a 6-10 record in tournament games, searching to make the round of 16 for the first time since making its tournament debut in 1984.
The Southeastern Conference as a whole will be well-represented in the tournament, with nine teams making the field of 64 and five teams earning national seeds.
First and Second Round play of the 2024 NCAA Tournament will take place nationwide Thursday, Dec. 5 through Saturday, Dec. 7. Regional Semifinals and Regional Finals will be Thursday, Dec. 12 through Sunday, Dec. 15 with the National Semifinals and National Championship happening on December 19 and 22, respectively, in Louisville, Ky.
For more information and updates on the team’s journey through the tournament, follow Gamecockvolley on Twitter and GamecockVB on Instagram.
QUOTABLE: HEAD COACH TOM MENDOZA
SCOUTING THE #23 FLYERS
This will be Dayton’s 18th appearance in the NCAA Tournament, the program have an all-time record of 10-17 in tournament play and – like the Gamecocks – are looking to advance to the regional semifinal round for the first time in program history. The Flyers are ranked 23rd in the final coaches top-25 poll of the regular season, bringing a 29-2 record into postseason play after dropping two sets total on the way to an 18-0 record in conference play. The Flyers were vying to host the first and second rounds of the NCAA tournament before being upset in the Atlantic 10 Conference tournament championship by Loyola Chicago.
The offense run through the arm of fifth-year senior Lexie Almodovar, who ranks seventh in the nation for kills per set with a 4.91 average while also hitting over .300. The Flyers rank sixth in the country for hitting percentage, checking in at .302 in the regular season. The team is also stout…