Gators volleyball is set to face a difficult Southeastern Conference lineup just past the halfway point of its season. After starting the year 7-6 and 2-2 in conference play, Florida will face five ranked opponents, including three top 10 teams, starting Friday.
UF has faced four ranked opponents this season and is 2-2 in those matchups. Of the contests remaining, two are against top 5 teams.
The Gators’ most impressive win this season came against No. 3 Pittsburgh in their second match of the year, but they haven’t found much success against ranked opponents since. Here’s a look at some of Florida’s top upcoming matchups:
No. 25 Missouri, Oct. 10
The Tigers (9-6, 1-3 SEC), who the Gators haven’t lost to since 2018, are Florida’s first ranked SEC opponent. Missouri has faced a grueling road stretch in the early part of this season and has still managed to secure a winning record.
The biggest impact for the Tigers comes from the back row. Senior libero Maya Sands leads the conference in digs per set and is a major player for the team. Her experience, and that of the six other veterans on the team, has played a huge role in navigating the team through their relentless schedule. Florida will have to get its offense going and pick its spots well to best a seasoned Tigers defense.
No. 17 Tennessee, Oct. 15
The Volunteers and Gators are all too familiar with one another, playing 67 times since 1985. Florida tops Tennessee (12-1, 3-0 SEC) with a 54-13 all-time record.
The Volunteers lead the NCAA in hitting percentage (.334%) with sophomore middle Chelsea Sutton coming in at No. 8 in the league, boasting a .448 hitting percentage. Sutton has been key for Tennessee and she is a force that the Gators will need to manage.
Tennessee is also ranked in the top-25 in blocks per set, which will force the Gators to be sharp on defense, passing and blocking in order to pull out the win while also finding a way to get around the team’s wall.
No. 3 Kentucky, Oct. 19
Immediately following their contest at Tennessee, the Gators will remain on the road to face one of their toughest opponents this season. Kentucky has clinched the SEC title for the past eight seasons, splitting the victory with Florida in 2017, 2019 and 2022. The pair has been in close contests in past years, but Kentucky have held the edge in the series in recent history, beating UF in eight of the last 10 matchups.
The Wildcats (10-2, 3-0 SEC) boast the third-best assist rating in the league. Freshman setter Kassie O'Brien captains the offense while the hitters deliver. The Wildcats have two hitters in the league’s Top 40 for kills per set, junior outside Brooklyn DeLeye at No. 18 and senior outside Eva Hudson at No. 39.
With a win this year, Florida would curb a four-match losing streak against Kentucky.
No. 2 Texas, Nov. 7
Coming off of a three-game road stretch, Florida will return home to see the Longhorns, its toughest opponent of the season. Texas (12-0, 4-0 SEC) has consistently been one of the top programs in college volleyball and clinched back-to-back national titles in 2022 and 2023.
The Longhorns made an earlier than expected exit from the NCAA Tournament last year in the Regional Semifinals but are back with a vengeance this season, remaining undefeated through 12 matches so far. Texas has beat eight ranked opponents, sweeping most, and has looked unshakable for most of its season.
The Longhorns are led by junior outside hitter Torrey Stafford but also have depth at that position with true freshmen Cari Spears and Abby Vander Wal also cracking triple digits already this year.
No. 9 Texas A&M, Nov. 12
Less than a week after the contest against Texas, Florida will face its third and final top 10 team, Texas A&M (12-2, 4-0 SEC). Florida has recorded only two losses to Texas A&M in program history and will try to hold off the Aggies again despite their impressive resume.
The Aggies have been successful all around this season, with a balanced offense and strong defense to back it up, starting with blocking. Their senior middle Ifenna Cos-Okpalla is No. 6 in the league in blocks per set, averaging 1.64, and she is also No. 11 in hitting percentage. Aggies senior setter Maddie Waak also leads the league in assists, averaging 11.46 assists per set.
There is no shortage of worthy opponents left in store for the Gators, but Florida has shown resilience in its toughest matches so far this season. The Gators will look to avenge losses to Texas and Kentucky last season and build off wins against the others.
Contact Ava DiCecca at adicecca@alligator.org. Follow her on X @avadicecca24.
Ava is a sophomore sports journalism student and the volleyball beat reporter for fall 2025. She enjoys playing basketball and volleyball in her free time and going on beach trips with friends. She has been a Boston sports fan all her life (Brad Marchand we miss you).
