Gators Kick Off SEC Play Against Alabama

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The 12th-ranked Florida volleyball team begins the hunt for its 25th SEC Championship on Wednesday when the Alabama Crimson Tide come to town.

First serve is slated for 7 p.m. on SEC Network + and the match can also be heard on the airways of ESPN Gainesville 98.1 FM/850 AM.

Florida is coming off a thrilling five-set victory over then-No. 4 Wisconsin, while Alabama defeated Texas State in straight sets during its last outing.

The Gators hold the 50-0 record against the Crimson Tide, including a 48-0 record under Mary Wise and a 25-0 advantage in Gainesville, Fla.

Promotions

• Giveaway: WeChomp F Magnets
• Giveaway: Team schedule posters and team magnets
• Student Block Party with games prior to the match at Gate 3
• Post-match autographs with the team on the court

Last Time Against Alabama

• The last time these two squads faced off was on Oct. 20, 2021 in Tuscaloosa, Ala., where the Gators swept the Crimson Tide (25-17, 25-19, 25-22)
• The Gators had an incredibly balanced offensive attack against the Crimson Tide, with six players registering at least one kill. Florida was led by Thayer Hall on the offensive front, who posted 11 kills on the evening. Merritt Beason pitched in an eight-kill performance of her own, while T’ara Ceasar added six in the three-setter
• Bre Kelley posted a career-high five kills on the night on a .625 clip, while Lauren Forte (3) and Marlie Monserez (2) combined for five kills
• Monserez captained the offense, dishing out 29 assists and leading the team to a .295 hitting percentage
• As a team, the Gators held Alabama to a .106 clip and notched 10.0 blocks. Kelley was a dominant force at the net in her first start, grabbing a career-high and a team-high six blocks on the evening. Beason added four, while Ceasar and Forte each recorded three blocks apiece
• Florida’s backcourt defense was led by Elli McKissock, who registered 13 digs in the match. Ceasar followed with 10 of her own, while Hall was just one dig away from a double-double, recording nine on the night

Last Time Out

• The 16th-ranked Florida volleyball team defeated No. 4 Wisconsin in a five-set thriller on Friday night, while setting a regular season NCAA attendance record of 16,833 fans (25-21, 25-18, 26-28, 13-25, 15-13)
• The Gators’ defense at the net proved to be the difference maker, with Florida holding the Badgers to a .115 hitting efficiency. As a team, UF tallied 16.0 blocks in the…