After a season full of ups and downs, Florida wrapped up its regular season with a 14-10 record and a 9-6 record in Southeastern Conference play. As a result, UF secured the No. 5 seed in the SEC Tournament.
The road was far from easy, but the Gators are still receiving Top 25 votes and are a NCAA Tournament lock. They have the opportunity to make a deep postseason run despite the struggles they endured throughout their campaign.
While some uncharacteristic losses saw them off the AVCA/TARAFLEX Top 25 poll for the first time in over three decades, the Gators battled and stole wins from some of the premier teams in the nation throughout their 24-match regular season. Under a new head coach for the first time in 34 years, with a fairly new roster and comprising a young team, Florida faced more than what stood on the other side of the net.
The initially-ranked No. 16 Gators kicked off the season strong in Lincoln, Nebraska, for the AVCA First Serve Tournament. There, Florida faced two of its toughest opponents, No. 6 Stanford and No. 3 Pittsburgh, and came away 1-1 after winning a five setter over the Panthers.
UF used that win as momentum for its next three matches and climbed as high as No. 11 on the poll before facing its first major setback: getting swept by unranked North Carolina. Florida dropped in the polls and saw its four-match win streak snapped. After the upset, Florida bounced back with a ranked win over No. 20 Baylor, but began trending downward to the lowest point of its season.
The Gators lost three straight matches including a sweep by Marquette, head coach Ryan Theis’ former team, and fell to .500 after the first match of SEC play against Mississippi State. The Gators fought back for their next two matches of their homestand, but were upset on the road against Louisiana State Oct. 5 and found themselves off the poll the following day.
Despite the blow, Florida rebounded. It secured three straight wins, two over ranked opponents, and took No. 3 Kentucky to five sets. UF’s win over No. 16 Tennessee was one of its best of the season and was a statement win among its easier victories. The loss to the Wildcats barely interrupted its hot streak as it went on to win another three matches, finding itself back on the poll at No. 25 in the midst of the run.
However, a three game losing streak followed. Florida fell to one of its weaker opponents on the season, South Carolina, and was quickly removed from the top 25 once again. UF was then taken down by two top 10 opponents, Texas and Texas A&M, before ending the regular season with a win over Ole Miss.
In the SEC tournament, Florida may have a chance to redeem itself against the Gamecocks in its first match. South Carolina is seeded No. 13 and will face No. 12 Alabama to decide who gets to face the Gators. Florida topped Alabama 3-1 earlier this season.
The Gators have been propelled by some top performers all season.
At the center of Florida’s efforts has been redshirt junior setter Alexis Stucky. The All-American recorded a triple-double against Auburn Oct. 3 and has been key to facilitating UF’s offense. She recently recorded her 2,000th career assist and has logged 860 assists this season alone.She’s also charted 69 kills and 43 blocks and added 213 digs to her stat line, ranking her second on the team in digs and fourth in blocks.
Offensively, Florida is led by redshirt sophomore outside hitter Jordyn Byrd, who has amassed 369 points so far this season and charted a career-high 24 kills against Alabama Sept. 28.
Following her is sophomore middle blocker Jaela Auguste, who has 240 kills on the season and is one of the team’s most efficient attackers. She also leads the team in service aces with 27 and in blocks with 93 this season, just ahead of sophomore middle blocker Alec Rothe with 89.
Redshirt sophomore outside Aniya Madkin and Rothe round out Florida’s main offensive contributors, combining for 355 kills.
In the back row, Florida has been bolstered by freshman libero Lily Hayes. She ranks top 10 in the SEC in digs with 334 this season. Fellow defensive specialists senior Emily Canaan and redshirt freshman Ella Vogel have combined for 340 digs.
Redshirt freshman Kira Hutson has also been a solid all-around contributor. She has been consistent in the back row while also attacking and having strong serving performances.
Florida will face the winner of South Carolina and Alabama Saturday in its first match of the SEC Tournament at 2 p.m. at Enmarket Arena in Savannah.
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).
