TAMPA, December 6, 2023 – The University of South Florida volleyball team (21-11, 13-6 AAC) will head to Statesboro, Ga. to face the Georgia Southern Eagles (23-8, 10-6 Sun Belt) on Thursday, December 7 at 6 p.m. for the Great 8 round of the NIVC.
This past weekend, South Florida traveled to Queens, N.Y. for the first two rounds of the NIVC. The Bulls swept Buffalo on Friday and then reversed swept hosts, St. John’s, on Saturday to move to the Great 8. Caroline Dykes (Flower Mound, Texas) and Maria Clara Andrade (Sao Paulo, Brazil) set career highs in the five-set thriller over the Red Storm. Dykes finished with 60 assists, while Andrade finished with 28 kills.
After earning their fourth NIVC bid last Sunday, South Florida has continued their historic season, winning the first two rounds and moving onto the Great 8, only the second time in program history.
If the Bulls win their next match, they will advance to the Fab 4 for the second time in program history. The last time the Bulls made it to the Fab 4 was in 1994 when they faced San Jose State.
With the wins over Buffalo and St. John’s, the Bulls have now surpassed 20+ wins this season. The last time South Florida reached 20 wins was in 2018 when they finished the season 20-12. The last time the Bulls had more than 20 wins was in 2002 when they finished 30-7.
After the regular season ended, the American Athletic Conference had seven teams in the postseason. SMU earned the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, while six other AAC teams earned a spot in the NIVC.
Along with South Florida, Wichita State, East Carolina, Florida Atlantic, North Texas, and Tulsa earned a spot in the NIVC. After two rounds, only the Bulls and the Shockers remain in postseason play.
WEEKEND ROUND UP
Georgia Southern Eagles (23-8, 10-6 Sun Belt)
Date: December 7 | 6 p.m.
Series vs. Georgia Southern: South Florida leads, 3-0
Scouting the opponent:
- Georgia Southern ended their regular season with a 3-0 loss to South Alabama for their second three-set loss this season.
- Reagan Barth leads the Eagles behind the service line, serving 40 aces this season.
- At the net, it’s former Bull, Ally Barnhart who leads the Eagles. She has 111 blocks this season, averaging 1.10 per set.
About USF Volleyball
Head coach Jolene Shepardson enters her fourth season at the helm of her alma mater in 2023. Named head coach on Jan. 8, 2020, Shepardson led the Bulls’ program to its last conference championship and NCAA tournament appearance as a student-athlete in 2002. USF made its last postseason appearance in 2018, posting 20 wins and appearing in the NIVC. USF Volleyball has made seven NCAA Tournament appearances and won 12 conference titles since its inception in 1972. The Bulls play in The Corral (1,000), adjacent to the Yuengling Center on the USF campus.
Be sure to follow USF women’s volleyball on social media (Twitter/Instagram/Facebook) and visit GoUSFBulls.com for the most up-to-date information.
– #GoBulls –
