Despite sweeping nine consecutive opponents earlier this season, the Gators are still battling to win the program’s 20th Southeastern Conference title.
Following a four-set loss to undefeated No. 11 Missouri last weekend, No. 5 Florida has 10 matches remaining and may need to win all of them to clinch the regular season crown.
“It was a tough weekend, but it wasn’t anything that we couldn’t handle,” redshirt sophomore middle blocker Simone Antwi said.
“We’re all going to back bounce from it. So, it was a great learning experience for the team.”
Since coach Mary Wise joined the program in 1991, the Gators have dominated the conference.
The only program that has won the SEC besides Florida — regular season or tournament title — is Tennessee, which won the SEC tournament in 2004 and the regular season title in 2011.
Florida’s 19 regular season titles are the most in the conference’s history.
The next highest total is LSU with six. UF has been held without a regular season or tournament title just twice since 1991.
But the additions of Texas A&M and Missouri stiffen the competition.
The Tigers have 10 NCAA Tournament appearances in their history, all of which have come since 2000.
They were absent from the tournament in 2008, 2009 and 2012.
Texas A&M has enjoyed similar success, missing the tournament just four times since 1993.
The Aggies have four trips to the Sweet 16 and two to the Elite Eight in that time.
Despite the loss to Missouri, Florida is still the team to beat in the conference.
“Good teams suffer losses,” Antwi said.
“I think it is part of the growing experience for a team.”
Florida can win the SEC while avenging its loss to Missouri when the Tigers come to Gainesville on Nov. 15.
If the Gators sweep the match, they will win the conference outright — unless Missouri or Florida lose another SEC match.
If the match is won by Florida in four sets, it will come down to the points scored in the sets of both matches played between Missouri and Florida.
Follow RJ Schaffer on Twitter @rjschaffer.
Redshirt sophomore middle blocker Simone Antwi (16) blocks the ball during Florida’s 3-0 victory against Texas A&M on Oct. 4 in the O’Connell Center.
