This offseason, the Gators were asked many questions regarding the departure of Elyse Cusack and the arrival of a new defense taught by first-year assistant coach Dave Boos.
No. 13 Florida will get its first chance to answer them when it begins its season this weekend at the Runza/AVCA Showcase in Omaha, Neb.
As if replacing the Southeastern Conference’s all-time digs leader and learning a new defense wasn’t hard enough, the team will reveal its new look against No. 9 Iowa State at 3 p.m. on Saturday and No. 2 Nebraska at 5:30 p.m. on Sunday.
“This tournament has historically been the premier opening-weekend tournament in women’s volleyball, and we’re fortunate that we’ve had opportunities to play in it [before],” coach Mary Wise said.
“The added bonus besides the great history of the tournament is playing two top-10 teams in a great volleyball environment, in a state that really loves its volleyball.”
Participating in the tournament for the fifth time, the Gators return five starters from the 2009 season, when they went 25-6 and finished ranked No. 15.
Last season marked the first time in Wise’s 19 years at Florida that the team did not win the SEC title.
A demanding non-conference schedule might be just what the team needs to get back atop the SEC.
“We’ve tried to schedule as difficult of a (nonconference) schedule as we could each year, Wise said. “It sort of lined up all at once this year.
“We will know a whole lot more about our team on Sunday night by playing these two quality opponents than we would know if we hadn’t.
“In these type of matches, you can learn so much about your team, win or lose, that will help us for when truly the season begins at Kentucky in September.”
As the Gators prepare to open the season in Omaha, there are still uncertainties surrounding the offense after last season’s starting outside hitter, Colleen Ward, transferred in the offseason.
“There’s times when we have everybody on the same page that we’re doing some good things, but I feel like our offense has a long way to go,” Wise said. “What we’d like to do is get to the point where we could be a really consistent [defensive] team. Right now, we’re not there.
“It may take some time in terms of getting the passers used to passing with each other, the rhythm between the setters and the hitters — there is a lot of that still to be accomplished.”
One thing for certain is that the players are ready to stop scrimmaging and play teams that aren’t wearing orange and blue.
“The competition is really what we play for,” senior Lauren Bledsoe said. “We’re athletes and we like to compete. This is really beneficial for us to have really good competition preseason, postseason and during the conference. I’d rather have that any day than an easy schedule.”
This weekend will not be the easiest of season openers. However, a good showing can set the tone for the rest of the year.
“If we can do well this weekend,” Bledsoe said, “it would be a great preview to what we can do the rest of the season.”
