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<p>UF's Carli Snyder (left) and Rhamat Alhassan celebrate during Florida's 3-0 win against New Hampshire Dec. 3, 2015, in the O'Connell Center.</p>

UF's Carli Snyder (left) and Rhamat Alhassan celebrate during Florida's 3-0 win against New Hampshire Dec. 3, 2015, in the O'Connell Center.

Yes, I understand Gator football season is underway next weekend.

I’ve seen it all over my Twitter feed, heard about it as I walk past the thousands of students that roam the campus and read the headlines and stories about every possible position battle.

You know what I haven’t heard anyone getting truly hyped for?

Gators volleyball.

Seven hundred ninety-four. That’s how many wins head coach Mary Wise has accumulated throughout her 27 seasons leading Florida's volleyball team.

Want to know how many losses she’s had in that same period? I bet you don’t, because right now you’re too hyped for football.

Well, the number is 99. Which means that while at the Florida, Wise boasts a career winning percentage of .889. So when you go to a volleyball game at the O’Dome, expect to walk out having seen a Gator victory.

Last year when I was a sophomore and my beard game wasn’t as strong – my scruffle has been looking more defined as of late – I walked into the Gale Lemerand Center ready to cover my first volleyball game between Florida and Kentucky.

The Gators were swept in three straight sets, losing only their second game of the season. Being the sports expert I thought I was, I wrote the team off a bit in my mind, believing they were overrated after a sloppy performance.

Oh, how naïve I was. The Gators proceeded to win 12 in a row and 14 of their last 15 games before heading into the NCAA Tournament.

The amount of excitement and near-perfect play I watched in those 15 contests made me appreciate the game on an entirely new level.

Rhamat Alhassan and Rachael Kramer dominated the middle. Alex Holston and Carli Snyder hit the ball with such force and tenacity, finding the tiniest of openings to exploit opposing teams.

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Caroline Knop shined with her personality, demeanor and key defensive plays nearly every game. And Allie Monserez led the nation with her pinpoint set-ups, helping the team flourish on offense.

Only Holston is gone from the roster, and while the Gators have a large void to fill in her absence, it’s hard to think that Wise won’t find another player to rise up.

Shainah Joseph saw plenty of action and looked good on many occasions. Paige Hammons is one of the top recruits in the nation. The list goes on with promising, exciting talent.

I know that we’re all ready to see how the football team does. But can a program that’s been so prominent for so long get some more oomph behind it?

For the second year in a row, Florida will open their season with a matchup against a top-ranked opponent with the No. 1 Texas Longhorns heading to the O’Dome.

I’m not saying become a season ticket holder or a volleyball nut. But if you can, get a game or two under your belt. They’re exciting and usually pretty quick, considering how often the Gators overwhelm their opponents.

You’ll thank me when you do.

Look out for Skyler Lebron's next column on Sept. 4. You can follow him on Twitter @SkylerLebron and contact him at slebron@alligator.org.

UF's Carli Snyder (left) and Rhamat Alhassan celebrate during Florida's 3-0 win against New Hampshire Dec. 3, 2015, in the O'Connell Center.

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