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<p>UF coach Mary Wise talks with her players during Florida's 3-1 win over Marshall on Sept. 17, 2016, in the Lemerand Athletic Center.  </p>

UF coach Mary Wise talks with her players during Florida's 3-1 win over Marshall on Sept. 17, 2016, in the Lemerand Athletic Center.  

It’s been just under two weeks since the Florida volleyball team took the court for a meaningful game. After the cancellation of last weekend’s Active Ankle Invitational, the No. 3 Gators will return to the O’Connell Center to host a group of nonconference opponents.

Mary Wise, now in her 27th season as the Gators coach, said on Wednesday that this weekend offers a great opportunity to play against a variety of teams.

“It’s what you have to do in the NCAA Tournament,” Wise said. “Playing back-to-back matches, and we don’t play two matches in one day very often.”

This weekend, UF will look to stay undefeated on the season against the likes of Florida A&M, Northern Kentucky and Lipscomb.

In addition to the three matches, Wise — who currently holds a total of 798 wins at Florida — continues to close in on the milestone of 800 wins at a single school.

Despite the impressiveness of the feat, Wise played it off on Wednesday, calling it a “round number” and crediting the talent that has come through the program in past years.

“It’s just another number,” Wise said.

“When we walk away and it’s all said and done and it’s time to give somebody else a chance to be in these shoes, then maybe we’ll look back and reflect. But not now, we have too much on the table.”

While Wise may be right about the amount of talent to walk across UF’s campus, fans shouldn’t downplay the effect Wise has had on the program.

In the seven years prior to Wise’s arrival in Gainesville, the Gators only went to the NCAA Tournament once, falling in the Round of 16 to Texas in 1987.

Since her hiring in 1991, Wise has led the Gators to the NCAA Tournament in every season she has spent on the bench, coaching 37 All-Americans in the process and maintaining a dominance in SEC play as well.

With the milestone in reach and the team focused on its play, the Gators will look to bring that victory to Wise this weekend while attempting to maintain perfection on the season.

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Following the Gator Invitational, UF will take on Florida State in a rescheduled match that was postponed this past Tuesday due to Hurricane Irma.

For senior libero Caroline Knop, this weekend and next week’s matchup against the Seminoles both offer a chance to finally get back on the court.

“Three games this weekend, three good opponents," Knop said.

"(We’re) definitely not going to take anyone lightly.”

“And then FSU on Tuesday, which is going to be really fun. I’m glad we got to reschedule that one,” Knop said.

You can follow Justin Ahlum on Twitter @justinn_case1, and contact him at jahlum@alligator.org.

UF coach Mary Wise talks with her players during Florida's 3-1 win over Marshall on Sept. 17, 2016, in the Lemerand Athletic Center.  

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