For the first time in three decades, Florida volleyball will take on Rice University, and under high stakes.
Announced Sunday, the Gators (15-11) face the No. 7-seeded Owls in the first round of the NCAA Volleyball Tournament at 5 p.m. Friday.
Rice recently made it to the finals in the American Volleyball Championship, and boasts a 21-9 overall and 15-1 conference record. However, its loss to Tulsa snapped a 17-match win streak.
The Owls are led by senior outside hitter Taylor Preston, who dominates offensively. The transfer from Michigan State is averaging 4.33 kills per set and has amassed 498 points this season. The matchup will be the battle of the outsides as Florida is led by Jordyn Byrd, who averages 3.89 kills per set.
Much like the Gators, the Owls main trio offensively includes a second outside and a middle blocker. Coming in behind Preston, freshman Aaliyah Smith averages 2.69 kills per set and senior Lademi Ogunlana averages 2.14.
Rice is ranked No. 21 in the NCAA Women's Volleyball RPI and has found success at the net both on the attacking front and defensively. It ranks second in its conference in blocks, averaging 2.35 a set, relatively even with Florida’s 2.31.
The Owls have also been successful limiting their opponents' hitting percentage, holding them to hit at .185 on average. This is the biggest area of concern for Florida, as UF has struggled with limiting attacking errors all season.
Despite being in different conferences, the two faced many of the same opponents throughout the season and saw a similar result.
Both teams fell in relatively quick fashion against No. 2 Texas and No. 9 Texas A&M. The pair also topped USF, though UF took an extra set to do so.
However, the Gators did manage to steal one match the Owls could not. While Rice was swept, Florida secured a five-set victory over No. 20 Baylor Sept. 14.
After a first-round bye in the SEC Tournament starting Nov. 21, the Gators dominated Alabama, but were inconsistent against Tennessee. Against the Crimson Tide, the Gators held their opponent to a startling .086 hitting percentage and were able to limit unforced errors for much of the match. They found their stride offensively and more than doubled up on Alabama in kills.
However, the Volunteers exposed some consistency issues that Florida will need to correct going into the tournament. The Gators blew leads in back-to-back sets and allowed Tennessee to go on extensive runs throughout the match. Attacking errors trickled back into Florida’s game, and UF struggled to execute from behind the service line.
The Gators will need to limit unforced errors and remain consistent above all in order to advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Florida’s tournament slate is not an easy one. The Gators will face either No. 2-seeded Southern Methodist or No. 15 Central Arkansas in the Round of 32. However, if UF can find its stride, some familiar opponents that it beat earlier this season like No. 1 Pittsburgh and No. 6 Baylor are likely in its future.
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).
