Friday Free-for-All: November 11th, 2022
Jordan Shapiro and Parker Valby Earn All-Region Honors at NCAA Regionals
Parker Valby automatically advances to NCAA National Championships with her performance
GAINESVILLE, Fla. - For the third meet in a row, Parker Valby crossed the finish line first. Valby who set records at both the Arturo Barrios Invite and SEC Championship, followed it up with another stellar performance at the NCAA South Regional.
Her first-place finish and time of 19:17.20, 17.9 seconds ahead of the runner up from Alabama, secures her a spot in next week's NCAA National Championship. Valby's performances this season have been record setting, with her three finishes this year accounting for the first, third, and fourth fastest times in school history in the 6K. She holds four of the top six times in the 6K in school history.
Valby earned All-Region honors alongside Jordan Shapiro who was the second Gator woman to cross the finish-line for the second straight meet. She finished 13th, with a time of 20:01.10, a new PR in the 6K. Vasileia Spyrou finished 26th, with a time of 20:30.10, rounding out the Gators in the top 30.
On the men's side Cavan Wilson was the top Gator, with a time of 31:32.00. All six other men's runners competed in their first 10K at the NCAA South Regional.
Up next, the NCAA Cross Country Selection Show will air this Saturday, November 12 at 5 p.m. on NCAA.com.
NCAA REGIONALS RESULTS
Men's
Team Finish
Florida - 19th of 22 (461 points)
Individual Finishes
Cavan Wilson- 70th, 31:32.00
Javi Vento- 82nd, 31:47.50 (First Collegiate 10K)
Aiden Villasuso- 114th, 32:28.40 (First Collegiate 10K)
Orlando Cicilioni- 119th, 32:41.10 (First Collegiate 10K)
Mac Wright- 131st, 33:09.40 (First Collegiate 10K)
Ryan Miller- 138th, 33:16.00 (First Collegiate 10K)
Josh Stern- 145th, 33:36.40 (First Collegiate 10K)
Women's
Team Finish
Florida - 7th of 32 (167 points)
Individual Finishes
Parker Valby- 1st, 19:17.20
Jordan Shapiro- 13th, 20:01.10 (PR)
Vasileia Spyrou- 26th, 20:30.09
Caroline Bauer- 62nd, 21:21.08
Kathryn Nohilly - 69th, 21:24.74
Lucinda Rourke- 76th, 21:32.13
Emily Culley- 98th, 21:53.15
UF WBK: Sunday Showdown with UNC Asheville Up Next for Gators
Sunday's contest will air nationally on SEC Network.
UNC Asheville at Florida
Game Information: Nov. 13 | 2 p.m. ET
Live Stream: SEC Network<https://www.espn.com/watch/player?id=41ae745f-93cf-4e0b-be51-c16e6c705bec>
Radio: 98.1FM/850AM WRUF<https://floridagators.com/showcase?Live=4962>
Live Stats: StatBroadcast<http://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=430811>
Game Notes: Media Center<https://floridagators.com/sports/2022/8/15/2022-23-womens-basketball-media-center.aspx>
GAINESVILLE, Fla. - The Gator women's basketball team remains at home this Sunday, Nov. 13, at 2 p.m. ET when visiting UNC Asheville comes to town for a nationally-televised contest.
Roy Philpott and Steffi Sorensen will have the call on SEC Network while Kyle Crooks and Brittany Davis will handle radio responsibilities on 98.1FM/850AM WRUF.
THE SERIES
The Gators and Bulldogs meet for the second time on Sunday afternoon, with UF holding a 1-0 advantage. The lone meeting came on Dec. 9, 2020 when the Gators won, 70-48.
LAST TIME OUT
The Gators used a 24-7 fourth quarter to earn an 83-55 victory over visiting Florida A&M. Four athletes scored in double-figures for UF, including a team-high 18 from Leilani Correa. Jordyn Merritt recorded her third career double-double with 15 points and 10 boards. UF broke the game open with a 20-0 run in the final frame.
WELCOME HOME
UNC Asheville assistant coach, Dyandria Anderson, is making her return to Gainesville after competing for the Gators from 2014-2018. While at Florida, Anderson appeared in 121 games, scoring in double-figures 25 times including a 29-point performance against Oklahoma on Dec. 3, 2017. During her senior season, she led the Orange & Blue with 29 steals and was second in assists with 93. Prior to her time at UNCA, she served as a graduate assistant at Clemson.
RATTLED THE RATTLERS
An emphasis for Florida under head coach Kelly Rae Finley, the defense against Florida A&M on Nov. 7 proved too much for the Rattlers to handle. The Gators forced FAMU into 28 turnovers during the game, resulting in 18 steals for the Orange & Blue. That effort marked the most steals for the Gators since Dec. 28, 2016 when they forced 19 against Southeastern Louisiana.
SPREADING THE WEALTH
Four Gators scored in double-figures during the home-opener, led by St. John's transfer Leilani Correa with 18. KK Deans, Ra Shaya Kyle and Jordyn Merritt all added 15 points, marking the first time since Nov. 11, 2016 that four Florida athletes have scored in double-figures in a home opener. Merritt also secured her third-career double-double by adding 10 rebounds. Ronni Williams, Eleanna Christinaki, Haley Lorenzen and Tyshara Fleming all scored 10 or more in an 85-33 win over South Alabama during the 2016 opener.
HOME, SWEET HOME
During 2021-22, Florida captured an impressive 10 home victories, the most since winning 13 in Gainesville during the 2015-16 season. It marked 19th time in UF history that the Orange & Blue have won 10 games in Gainesville.
Gators Head to College Station for Clash With Aggies
The match is slated for 5 p.m. ET on SEC +
BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS – The 11th-ranked Florida volleyball team (19-4, 11-2 SEC) hits the road for a Saturday evening match against the Texas A&M Aggies (12-13, 4-10 SEC) in Reed Arena.
First serve is slated for 5 p.m. ET on SEC Network +.
The Gators are looking for their 20th win of the season on Saturday, which would be the 32nd-straight year they have won at least 20 matches. The current streak of 31 seasons is the longest active streak in the nation by eight years. Western Kentucky is the next closest as they hit the mark on Oct. 21.
Florida is coming off a sweep against Missouri on Nov. 4, while Texas A&M dropped two four-set matches to Auburn in its last series.
The Gators hold the 20-1 series advantage over the Aggies, including a 9-1 record in College Station, Texas.
Last Time Out
* In its last contest, the then-No. 12 Florida volleyball team defeated the Missouri Tigers in straight sets (25-22, 25-17, 25-23) to remain in sole possession of first place in the SEC
* The Gators’ offensive attack was led by a 16-kill performance from Marina Markova, while Merritt Beason followed with 13 kills of her own. Gabrielle Essix posted nine in the victory with a .667 clip, while Sofia Victoria (6) and Bre Kelley (5) combined for 11
* Rookie setter Alexis Stucky led the team to a .314 clip on the night, dishing out 46 assists – a three-set high for the Laramie, Wy. native
* Florida’s defense held Missouri to just a .144 hitting efficiency in the match, tallying 10.0 blocks in the three-setter. Essix posted a team-high five at the net, followed by three apiece from Beason and Kelley
* Elli McKissock paced the backcourt for the Gators, coming up with 11 digs on the night. Trinity Adams pitched in a 10-dig effort, while Beason and Stucky each recorded five in the win
Last Time Against Texas A&M
* The last time these two squads faced off, the Gators defeated Texas A&M in straight sets in Gainesville, Fla. (25-12, 25-19, 25-15)
* Florida’s offensive attack was led by a 12-kill performance from former Gator T’ara Ceasar. Gator alumna Lauren Forte added nine kills on the night, while Merritt Beason and former Gator Thayer Hall each pitched in eight kills of their own. Gator alumna Lauren Dooley rounded out the scorers with seven kills in the three-setter
* Five Gators hit over .350 in the match: Forte (9-0-14, .643), former Gator Marlie Monserez (3-05, .600), Dooley (7-1-11, .545), Ceasar (12-1-25, .440) and Beason (8-2-17, .353)
* Monserez dished out 34 assists in the match, leading the team to a .438 clip. That mark is the third-highest hitting percentage for the Gators this season
* As a team, Florida held Texas A&M to a .095 clip and notched nine blocks at the net. Forte led the way with four stuffs, while Beason and Dooley each notched three apiece
* The backcourt defense was led by Elli McKissock, who posted 15 digs in the three-setter. Hall added 10 of her own, while Beason registered six digs on the night
* Ceasar recorded three service aces in the match, followed by one from Beason
Gators in the SEC
* With five matches left to play, Florida is atop the SEC standings with an 11-2 record, followed by Kentucky in second with a 10-2 record
* As a team, the Gators are ranked in the Top-5 in the conference in four categories:
* Opponent hitting percentage (1st | .150)
* Blocks per set (1st | 2.78)
* Hitting percentage (2nd | .262)
* Aces per set (5th | 1.60)
* Individually, the following Gators rank in the Top-10 in different categories:
* Bre Kelley:
* Blocks per set (9th | 1.16)
* Merritt Beason
* Aces per set (2nd | 0.38)
* Points per set (8th | 4.33)
* Gabrielle Essix
* Blocks per set (5th | 1.24)
* Alexis Stucky
* Assists per set (2nd | 10.64)
* Elli McKissock
* Digs per set (8th | 3.69)
No. 11 Florida at Texas A&M Broadcast Information
Date & Time: Nov. 12 | 5 p.m. ET
Live Stream: SEC +<https://www.espn.com/watch/player?id=750f9f02-08b8-4652-8093-8614ea94be94>
Live Stats: Sidearm<https://12thman.com/sidearmstats/wvball/summary>
Series Information – No. 11 Florida at Texas A&M
Aggies | 2022 season synopsis: 12-13, 4-10 SEC
* This is the 22nd meeting between the Gators and the Aggies
* Florida leads 20-1 (19-1 under Mary Wise)
* 3-set: 8-0 | 4-set: 7-0 | 5-set: 5-1
* Home: 10-0 | Away: 9-1 | Neutral: 1-0
* Last Time Out: Oct. 16, 2021 | Gainesville, Fla. | W, 3-0 (25-12, 25-19, 25-15)
TICKET INFO | Gator Ticket Office Online<http://floridagators.com/sports/2015/12/10/_tickets_volleyball_.aspx> | Call: 352-375-4683 x6800 (Open M-F, 8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m.)
Season Ticket Prices:
* Reserved (Sections 01, 03, 05, 07, 09, 11, 13, 15) – $75 [ages 13 & up]
* Kids Reserved (Sections 01, 03, 05, 07, 09, 11, 13, 15) - $35 [ages 12 & under]
* General Admission (All other lower bowl areas) – $50 [ages 13 and up]
* Kids General Admission (All other lower bowl areas) – $25 [ages 12 & under]
* Courtside Season Pass (subject to availability) – $150 [all ages]
* Loge Seating (subject to availability) [in front of the Sideline Club] – $100 [all ages]
