Gators Set for Senior Night Showdown Against No. 4 Texas
Florida volleyball will return to the Stephen C. O’Connell Center to continue SEC play Friday night against No. 4 Texas, for its Senior Night. The team will honor seniors Emerson Hoyle, Emily Canaan, Amaya Thomas, and Alexis Stucky.
The Gators currently sit fourth among SEC teams, entering the matchup with an 8-4 conference record and a 13-8 overall record. Florida returns to the O’Dome after a win against Georgia last Friday and a loss to South Carolina on Sunday.
The Gators have a slight edge over the Longhorns in this series, winning 15 of their 26 all-time meetings, but conference meetings started in favor of Texas. The first SEC matchup between Texas and Florida was Oct. 6, 2024 when the Longhorns swept the Gators 3-0.
“We really just need to stay on the edges of the block and try and make them work for their points,” said Kira Hutson on Texas’ offense on The Ryan Theis Show Tuesday. Hutson, a redshirt freshman outside hitter, did not play in last year’s matchup.
Texas returns to Gainesville with a 18-2 overall record, and a 10-2 record in conference play. The Longhorns are coming off back-to-back losses against No. 9 Texas A&M and No. 2 Kentucky. Ranking 7th in opponent hitting percentage among SEC teams, Texas is holding opponents to 15.45 points per set.
Friday’s matchup is a crucial step for the Gators before their last two before heading to the 2025 SEC Tournament. Catch live coverage at 6:45 p.m. on WRUF and first serve is scheduled for 7 p.m.
Category: Gators Volleyball, SEC, Volleyball
