The Gators and the Rattlers face off at 7 p.m. on Friday
Match Notes<https://floridagators.com/documents/2022/11/29/29_NCAAFirstRound.pdf> | Exactech Arena<http://floridagators.com/facilities/?id=2> | NCAA Tournament Bracket PDF<https://floridagators.com/documents/2022/11/27/2022_DI_WVB_Bracket.pdf> | 2022 Florida Volleyball Media Supplement<https://floridagators.com/documents/2022/8/8/2022_Media_Supplement.pdf>
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The 12th-ranked Florida volleyball team – who earned the No. 3 seed in the Top Right portion of the bracket – begins its 2022 NCAA Tournament with a matchup against Florida A&M on Friday night.
First serve is slated for 7 p.m. in Exactech Arena. The match will air on ESPN+ with Tom Collett and Josh Crow on the call and can also be heard on the airways of ESPN 98.1 FM/850 AM.
For the First and Second Round matches across the nation, there will be an ESPN+ Whiparound Show, hosted by Sam Gore, along with Paul Sunderland and Jennifer Hoffman. This channel will be devoted to sendings fans to the best matches, complete with set points and match points, along with analysis of matches that have concluded.
Florida (23-5) holds the 12-0 series advantage over the Rattlers (21-12), including a 5-0 record in the NCAA Tournament. These teams faced off exactly one year ago in the First Round of the 2021 NCAA Tournament and Florida came away with the 3-set victory (25-11, 25-14, 25-8).
Florida Gulf Coast takes on the No. 6 seed Iowa State in the first match of the day at 4:30 p.m. and the winner of that match will take on the winner of Florida/Florida A&M on Saturday at 7 p.m.
How to Follow – No. 12 Florida vs. Florida A&M
Time & Date: Friday, Dec. 2 | 7 p.m.
Live Stream: ESPN+<https://www.espn.com/watch/player/_/id/08813177-329a-4a99-9238-15118f442bb4>
Live Stats: Statbroadcast<https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=437525&vislive=fla>
Radio: ESPN 98.1 FM/850AM<https://radio.securenetsystems.net/cirruscontent/WRUFAM>
Tickets: Gator Ticket Office<http://floridagators.com/sports/2015/12/10/_tickets_.aspx>
Ticket Information
Tickets for the NCAA First & Second Rounds are available online<https://floridagators.com/sports/2015/12/10/_tickets_volleyball_.aspx> and at the Gator Ticket Office<http://floridagators.com/sports/2015/12/10/_tickets_.aspx>, located between Gates 1 & 2 of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
All-Session Tickets
* Reserved Seating – $15
* Adult General Admission – $12
* Child General Admission (12 & U) – $8
* Loge Seats – $30
* Courtside Seats – $40
Single-Match Tickets
* Reserved Seating – $10
* Adult General Admission – $8
* Child General Admission (12 & U) – $5
* Students – FREE with valid Gator1 ID
Gainesville First & Second Rounds Schedule (all times Eastern)
* First Round Matches | Friday, Dec. 2
* Match 1: No. 6 Iowa State vs. Florida Gulf Coast – 4:30 p.m.
* Match 2: No. 3 Florida vs. Florida A&M – 7 p.m.
* Second Round Matches | Saturday, Dec. 3
* Winner of Match 1 vs. Winner of Match 2 – 7 p.m.
Credentialing Note
* If you were credentialed for the University of Florida regular season, you are automatically credentialed for all NCAA Tournament matches in Gainesville
* Your credential will be available at the Loading Dock of the Stephen C. O’Connell Center 90 minutes prior to first serve of Thursday’s opening match, as well as 90 minutes prior to first serve of Friday’s match’
Series Information
Florida A&M | 21-12 overall, 15-1 (SWAC)
* Florida leads: 12-0 (9-0 under Mary Wise)
* 3-set: 12-0 | 4-set: 0-0 | 5-set: 0-0
* Home: 9-0 | Away: 2-0 | Neutral: 1-0
* NCAA Tournament series: Florida leads 5-0
* Last Time Out: Dec. 2, 2021 | Gainesville, Fla. | W, 3-0 (25-11, 25-14, 25-8)
* Notable: Won the SWAC Championship to earn automatic bid
Scouting the Rest of the Field
Florida Gulf Coast | 26-6 overall, 13-3 (ASUN)
* Florida leads: 3-0 (3-0 under Mary Wise)
* 3-set: 3-0 | 4-set: 0-0 | 5-set: 0-0
* Home: 2-0 | Away: 0-0 | Neutral: 1-0
* NCAA Tournament series: 1-0
* Last Time Out: Sept. 9, 2022 | Gainesville, Fla. | W, 3-0 (25-23, 25-19, 25-13)
* Notable: Won the ASUN Conference Championship to earn the automatic bid
Iowa State | 19-11 overall, 10-6 (Big 12)
* Florida leads: 3-1 (3-1 under Mary Wise)
* 3-set: 1-0 | 4-set: 2-0 | 5-set: 0-1
* Home: 1-1 | Away: 0-0 | Neutral: 2-0
* NCAA Tournament series: N/A
* Last Time Out: Sept. 5, 2011 | Gainesville, Fla. | L, 2-3 (19-25, 27-29, 25-17, 25-18, 14-16)
* Notable: The Cyclones won 10 matches in Big 12 play this season
Florida’s NCAA Tournament Notables
* This is Florida’s 32nd-straight trip to the NCAA Tournament – making the field every year under Mary Wise
* This is the third-longest active streak in the nation behind Penn State – 42 and Nebraska – 41
* Overall, UF has been in the NCAA Tournament 33 times since the program’s inception in 1984
* The Gators are 10-4 against the 2022 NCAA Tournament Field
* Florida has made 28 Regional Semifinals and 16 Regional Championship appearances in program history
* UF is seeking its ninth all-time NCAA Semifinals appearance, looking to make it back for the first time since 2017
* Florida head coach Mary Wise boasts a 78-31 (.716) record all-time in the NCAA Tournament, with all of her postseason appearances coming with the Gators
* Her 76 NCAA Tournament wins put her sixth in Division I history
* The Gators carry a 79-32 (.712) all-time record in the NCAA Tournament
* Florida is 59-7 at home during NCAA Tournament play
Florida as a Top-16 Seed
* The Gators earned the No. 3 seed in the Top Right portion of the bracket, meaning they were tabbed as a Top-16 seed
* This is the 28th time in program history that Florida has earned a Top-16 seed
* As a Top-16 seed, UF has made 26 Regional Semifinals, 13 Regional Finals, eight National Semifinals and two National Finals
* As a No. 16 seed or better, Florida is 72-28 (.720)
Florida vs. The Field
* The Gators are 10-4 against the NCAA Tournament field this season
* Florida has wins against Florida Gulf Coast, Florida State, Wisconsin, Tennessee, LSU (2), Auburn, Arkansas (2) and Kentucky
* Against the field, Florida is hitting .228 and is averaging 13.08 kills per set
* The Gators are also averaging 12.15 assists per set and 2.88 blocks per set against the competition in the field
* Against the field, UF is 5-2 in three-set matches, 2-1 in four-set matches and 3-1 in five-set matches
SEC in the NCAA
* Seven SEC teams earned a bid to the NCAA Tournament (Florida, Kentucky, Georgia, Tennessee, Arkansas, LSU and Auburn)
* The seven teams selected are the most of any conference (Big 10 – 6, Pac-12 – 6, ACC – 5, Big 12 – 5)
* Florida holds the 7-2 advantage over the NCAA Tournament teams this season
* The seven teams mark the most teams from the SEC to earn a spot in the Tournament
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