For four teams, the road to the national title will run through Gainesville.
The NCAA announced tournament seedings Sunday night, and Gainesville was selected as one of the host cities for the first and second rounds.
Fifth-seeded Florida (27-3) will play Jacksonville (30-3) on Thursday at 7 p.m. in its tournament opener.
“We expected, with our successes this season, to be a top-16 seed, but there is nothing like seeing your name printed on the bracket with the No. 5 accompanying it — it made it that much more exciting,” coach Mary Wise said in a release.
“It means our seniors get another opportunity to play in front of our home fans, and we hope that Gator fans, with no other Gator sports playing at home this weekend, can all join us starting Thursday night in the O’Connell Center.”
The Gators will compete in the tournament for the 23rd consecutive season and are seeking the program’s first national title.
Florida has taken seven trips to the semifinals without a title, which is the most Final Four appearances without a championship.
Florida’s lone NCAA title game appearance came in 2003 — a four-set loss to Southern California.
The other two teams chosen to play in Gainesville are familiar foes. Florida State (24-7) will face Georgia Southern (28-5) on Thursday at 5 p.m.
Seven conference opponents and eight non-conference opponents Florida played this year made the NCAA tournament.
Missouri is also in Florida’s bracket. The Tigers dominated in both of the teams’ matchups this season, with the Gators falling in four sets on Oct. 20 on the road and in three sets at home on Nov. 15.
Also, it was announced Monday that four Gators earned All-SEC honors. Freshman Alex Holston, senior Chloe Mann, sophomore Ziva Recek and junior Taylor Unroe were named to the 2013 All-SEC Volleyball Team.
Holston also was named to the SEC All-Freshman team, and Unroe was named the 2013 SEC Libero of the Year.
Holston ranks fifth in the SEC and 30th in the nation with a .390 hitting percentage.
Unroe is first in the SEC in aces per set at .40.
Follow RJ Schaffer on Twitter @rjschaffer.
Ziva Recek reaches for the ball during Florida’s three-set victory against Tennessee on Oct. 27 in the O’Connell Center.
