Gator Volleyball Opens Season Playing Host to Active Ankle Challenge

The 10th ranked Florida Gator volleyball team welcomes Georgia Southern, Idaho  and Oklahoma to the Stephen C. O’Connell Center August 29 & 30 for the two-day Active Ankle Challenge, featuring six games between the quartet of schools.

The Gators finished the 2013 season at 28-4 overall, 16-2 in Southeastern Conference play, good for a second place league finish.  The Gators also made their 23rd consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance and 24th in program history. The team would be eliminated by Florida State in the round of 32, an early ending to their hopes of an NCAA Championship.

But Florida returns 12 letterwinners, five starters, including libero Taylor Unroe, and returns three of five All-Americans from a year ago. The Gators have four defensive specialist upperclassmen, a wealth of talent on the outside and key middles in junior Simone Antwi, who led UF in blocks (.89/s) last season, and 6’4″ freshman Rhamat Alhassan.

The Gators first matchup begins Friday at noon against Georgia Southern. The team is undefeated against the Eagles, having gone 2-0 in their match ups.

Following the matinee match, the Gators face off against the Idaho Vandals. Similar to the football game this weekend, both volleyball teams have never faced each other. The match is scheduled to begin at 7:30 pm. You can catch that game on ESPN 850 WRUF.

Finally, the Gators close their weekend against the Oklahoma Sooners with another matinee match. The 2:30 pm match is the third in series history, with the Gators having won both previous matches.