Florida Gator Volleyball Prepares for NCAA tournament

The Florida Gators will travel to Orlando, FL, to face Florida State University in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The match is set for Thursday night at 4:30 p.m.

Florida Gators

The Gators ended the 2018 season with a 24-6 overall record and 15-3 in Southeastern Conference play. The University of Central Florida and Florida Gulf Coast complete the other half of the bracket. The winner of the UF-FSU match will go on to face the winner of UCF-FGCU on Friday night at 7 p.m.

For the first time in seven years the Gators will not host the first and second rounds of the tournament in Gainesville, according to FloridaGators.com.

All-SEC Honors

Four Gators earned All-SEC Honors: Paige Hammons, Taelor Kellum, Rachael Kramer were named All-SEC; Thayer Hall was named to SEC All-Freshmen Team

Hammons leads the team with 32 service aces and posted double-figure kills in seven matches this season. She’s recorded 231 digs this season which makes her third on the team.

Kellum became the first Gator to record 13 blocks in a match since Kelsey Bowers in 2006. Kellum also ranks 68th in the nation and sixth in the SEC in hitting percentage (.352).

This is Kramer’s third SEC honor, in 2016 she was named to the All-SEC Freshman team and last year she earned All-SEC accolades.

Hall became the first freshman to reach the 50-kill milestone in three matches with 53 kills. Additionally, Hall recorded double-figure kills in 16 of 23 matches she played in.

https://twitter.com/GatorsVB/status/1067083495326007297

Congratulations to @paige_hammons, @tae_kellz, @Rachael5Kramer & @HallThayer02 on earning SEC accolades!

Story: https://t.co/wzshchpN8r#GoGators pic.twitter.com/VVeZT7zcWy

— Gators Volleyball (@GatorsVB) November 25, 2018

ORLANDO FIRST & SECOND ROUNDS SCHEDULE (all times Eastern)

First Round Matches | Thursday, Nov. 29
Match 1 (Florida vs. Florida State) – TBD.
Match 2 (FGCU vs. UCF) – TBD
Second Round Matches | Friday, Nov. 30
Winner of Match 1 vs. Winner of Match 2 – 7 p.m.

Florida State

The Seminoles finished the 2018 season with a 19-9 overall record and 11-2 in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Gators will take on the Noles for the second time this season. In September, the Gators defeated FSU 3-1 in Nole territory.