No. 20 Georgia Tech Sets off for Road 2 Tampa Bay Invitational – Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

THE FLATS – No. 20 Georgia Tech volleyball will begin its 2023 campaign at the Road 2 Tampa Bay Invitational this weekend by taking on host South Florida and No. 8 Penn State in Tampa, Fla. The Yellow Jackets and Bulls will lock horns on Friday at 6 p.m. in Amalie Arena before the White and Gold line up against the Nittany Lions on Saturday at 6 p.m. in the Yuengling Center.

Coverage

• Friday, Aug. 25 | No. 20 Georgia Tech at South Florida | 6 p.m. | ESPN+ | Watch | Live Stats
• Saturday, Aug. 26 | No. 20 Georgia Tech vs. No. 8 Penn State | 6 p.m. | ESPN+ | Watch | Live Stats

Storylines

• The Yellow Jackets were ranked No. 20 in the AVCA DI Coaches Preseason Poll.
• The White and Gold have been listed in 55 straight top 25 polls dating back to 2020, reaching as high as No. 6 during that time, the highest for the program since 2003 and third best mark all time.
• Tech was picked to finish top five in the ACC by the league’s coaches for the fourth consecutive year.
• Senior setter Bella D’Amico and junior outside hitter Bianca Bertolino were each selected preseason all-ACC.
• Both aforementioned returners were named all-ACC second team last season, while Bertolino also garnered an AVCA all-region honorable mention.
• Georgia Tech heads into the 2023 season on the heels of a 2022 season that saw the Jackets earn an NCAA tournament win for the third consecutive season under coach Michelle Collier, joining the White and Gold of 2002-04 as the only squads to do so in succession in program history.
• The berth in the Big Dance alone marked the 12th time in program history.
• Going beyond 2019’s NIVC title, Tech has won 79 of its last 99 matches.
• The Jackets boast 13 total returners from the 2022 NCAA tournament squad heading into the 2023 campaign.
• Joining the incumbents are seven highly touted new Yellow Jackets, including three transfers and four freshmen, three of which are international.
• Coach Michelle Collier will enter her 10th season leading the Jackets as the second winningest coach in program history, including 173 victories and 98 in conference play.

Series Notes

• Georgia Tech leads South Florida, 4-2, in the all-time series, winning each of the last four contests. The Yellow Jackets swept the Bulls in 2003 and 2006 at home before claiming a 3-1 neutral-site victory in 2015 and a five-set finish back on The Flats. The White and Gold own a 3-1 advantage at home and won the only neutral contest against USF.
• Penn State holds the edge over Georgia Tech in all-time matchups with…