It's been 630 days since the Gators played their last game in the O’Connell Center, a thrilling 3-1 victory in the NCAA Tournament against Florida State in 2015.
Tonight, Florida will play its first game in the arena since it underwent renovations during the 2016 season. The No. 12 Gators will kick off their 2017 campaign in the VERT Challenge at 7 p.m. against top-ranked Texas, last year’s runner-up in the NCAA Tournament.
In the 630 days that the Gators were without the O’Connell Center, the team played in the Lemerand Athletic Center, which usually serves as a practice facility for the team. “The Lem”, which had a capacity of approximately 700 people, hosted 14 matches during the 2016 season.
For senior Rhamat Alhassan, getting back into an arena that holds over 14 times that number of fans is an exciting proposition.
“Finally,” Alhassan said. “Playing in the Lemerand was great, but having to turn away fans is never fun. Being back in the new Exactech Arena is going to be great. I’m ready to be in there, and we’re all excited for the open space, the floor, the atmosphere and knowing that we’ll have so many more people there to support us.”
The O'Connell Center isn't the only new addition the Gators are excited about, as freshmen Paige Hammons and Macy Phillips will take the court with praise from their teammates and coach Mary Wise.
“(Both of these players) have just caught on so much faster,” Wise said. “Paige Hammons has found her way on the court because she’s passing at such a high level that in some way, shape or form, she’s going to be on the court.”
Carli Snyder, the senior outside hitter for the Gators, also spoke about the growth of the freshmen through their first few months on campus.
“We had a lot of time to build upon existing relationships and also got to know (Hammons and Phillips) really well,” Snyder said. “They’re fitting in so well to the system, and they’re the brightest girls. They get everything so quickly in practice, they’ve been a joy to be around and I can’t say enough positive things about the group.”
After facing off against No. 1 Texas, the Gators will play No. 5 Nebraska on Saturday to finish the VERT Challenge.
“These are two teams whose rosters are filled with All-Conference, All-American, High School All-Americans-type talent,” Wise said. “They’re very, very deep and very talented.”
You can follow Justin Ahlum on Twitter @justinn_case1, and contact him at jahlum@alligator.org.
Senior middle blocker Rhamat Alhassan swings for a kill during Florida's 3-0 win against Georgia Southern on Aug. 29 in the O'Connell Center.
