Gator Volleyball Back Home for Campus USA Invite; Looking for “Golden” Weekend

The Florida Gator volleyball team is coming off its best weekend of its 2014 campaign with top-25 wins against San Diego and USC in Los Angeles. The seventh ranked Gators (5-2) will be back in front of an Orange and Blue crowd in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center this weekend as they host Marquette (6-3) and UCF (7-3) in the Campus USA Credit Union Invitational.

Gator freshman middle blocker Rhamat Alhassan has been stellar through UF’s seven matches so far, but had a breakout weekend at the USC Classic to pick up AVCA National Player of the Week and SEC Offensive Player of the Week honors. Alhassan’s .529 hitting efficiency ranks second in the country, while the first-year Gator also boasts 1.28 blocks per set.

The weekend was also special for Gator head coach Mary Wise, who clinched her 800th career victory after the win over then-sixth ranked Trojans from USC, something Wise says she’ll never forget.

“I was asked about do you remember my 600th or 700th,” Wise said. “I remember number one. But I definitely remember my 800th, because it was with this group at that match, shared with all those alums.”

Florida and Marquette are meeting for the second consecutive season, but for the first time in Gainesville. The Orange and Blue lead the all-time series against the Golden Eagles, 3-0.

The Gators and Golden Knights meet for the first time since 2006, when UCF visited Gainesville for the same Florida tournament. The Florida leads that all-time series 17-0.

Friday night’s match is slated to start at 7 p.m., while the Sunday matinee is set for 3 p.m. You can catch both games on ESPN 850 WRUF.

For comments from coach Wise, click below:

Wise on remembering her 800th win

Wise talks about Rhamat Alhassan’s performance

Wise talks about the team’s goals for the week

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