ChompTalk.com

No. 6 Florida volleyball will kick off its 2021 season Friday in Sacramento, Calif., at the Hornet Invitational. The Gators will face San Francisco at 7 ahead of a Saturday double header against UC Davis and Sacramento State.

Florida’s home opener is scheduled for Sept. 5 against Minnesota and will air on ESPNU. The Gators will start conference play on Sept. 23 versus Mississippi State.

Florida finished an unprecedented 2020-21 season with a 21-3 record before it ultimately fell to No. 1 Wisconsin in the NCAA Championship quarterfinals.

Mary Wise enters her 31st season as Florida’s head coach and her team ranks behind only No. 3 Kentucky among SEC schools. Since Wise arrived at UF in 1991, no other team in the country has won as many matches as the Gators (898).

Despite losing four seniors to graduation last spring, Florida returns five seniors and four sophomores to the court this fall. In fact, the Gators led the SEC with four players — middle blocker Lauren Forte, setter Marlie Monserez, and outside hitters T’ara Ceasar and Thayer Hall — on the Preseason All-Conference Team.

“[Monserez] is playing with such a high level of confidence and she makes every hitter in our gym better because of how she delivers the ball,” Wise said.

Florida welcomes four freshmen to the roster: defensive specialist Trinity Adams, outside hitter Merritt Beason, and middle blockers Gabrielle Essix and Bre Kelley.