FSU volleyball plays at Miami (Sunday)

[Bob Ferrante]

FSU sports information:

For the second time in four days, the Florida State (9-2, 1-0) and Miami (9-3, 0-1) volleyball teams will meet as the two ranked foes will meet on Sunday afternoon at noon at the Knight Sports Complex in Coral Gables, Fla. The game can be seen live on ACCNX.

Noles and Canes Meet for Second Time This Week

• The stakes are always high when Florida State and Miami meet on the volleyball court, but this year adds a twist to the great rivalry.
• The two teams will play back-to-back matches in the span of just four days against each other.
• FSU prevailed in Tallahassee in a five-set thriller to pick up its fifth consecutive win over the Hurricanes.
• For just the fourth time in the rivalry's history, both teams will be ranked in the top 25. FSU is now 2-1 against Miami when both teams are ranked.
• FSU has gotten the best of the Hurricanes the last couple of years as they have won the last five matches against Miami. FSU is also 8-3 in its last 11 matches against Miami.

Noles Start on the Right Foot in ACC Play....Again

• FSU has consistently started off ACC play in the win column in the last decade.
• Excluding the 2021 spring season where there were no non-conference matches, FSU has won its last 10 ACC openers.
• FSU has never finished worse than 5th in the ACC under Head Coach Chris Poole.

Noles Off to Hot Start

• FSU is off and running so far in 2024 as they look to defend its ACC Championship.
• FSU is off to its best start since 2016 with a 9-2 win.
• FSU has picked up two ranked wins this season already with wins over No. 25 Georgia and No. 25 Miami. This is the first time since 2014 that FSU has had multiple ranked wins before Oct. 1.
• FSU started 4-0 for the first time since 2017 including a win over No. 25 Georgia for their first ranked non-conference win since 2021.
• FSU opened up the season at home for the first time since 2011 and went 3-0 against USF, UC Santa Barbara and No. 25 Georgia.

Not Slowing Down on Offense

• FSU has proven to be one of the top offenses in the ACC and the country so far this season.
• As a team, FSU ranks 13th in the country and third in the ACC with a .287 hitting percentage and also ranks 25th in the country and fifth in the ACC with 13.83 kills per set. FSU ranks 34th in the country and fifth in the ACC with 12.71 assists per set.
• The Seminoles have been spreading the wealth as they have three players who have recorded 100 or more kills this season and four players who have recorded 65 or more kills this season.

Climbing the Ranks

• FSU was ranked No. 18 in this week's AVCA/TARAFLEX Coaches Poll. The Noles were ranked 17th two weeks ago which was the program's highest ranking since 2017.
• FSU opened the season ranked 20th in the preseason poll. It was the first time FSU was ranked to start the season since 2017.
• FSU picked up a ranked win against No. 25 Georgia. It was FSU's 41st ranked win in program history and was the first time FSU beat a ranked non conference opponent since defeating No. 14 Florida in 2021.
• FSU has picked up two ranked wins this season already with wins over No. 25 Georgia and No. 25 Miami. This is the first time since 2014 that FSU has had multiple ranked wins before Oct. 1.

You Can't Teach Height

• The 2024 squad will be one of Head Coach Chris Poole's tallest teams as the head coach at FSU.
• The Seminoles have eight players at 6-2 or taller. The only year the Seminoles had more players taller than 6-2 was 2019 when the Seminoles had nine players 6-2 or taller.
• FSU also has one of the tallest teams in the entire ACC. No one has more players 6-2 or taller than FSU. Pitt and Virginia also have eight players that are 6-2 or taller.

No Better Teacher than Experience

• Nothing can ever replace experience and the Seminoles have a lot of experience on the 2024 squad.
• 10 out of FSU's 16 players have played in 25 or more matches.
• FSU has five players (Dupes, Head, Koenig, Louis, Robertson) who have played in 50 or more matches.
• FSU also added Iane Henke who played 66 matches for Cal State LA, a DII program.

Noles Going Through Gauntlet of a Schedule

• The Seminoles will get tested early and often in the 2024 season.
• In 10 non conference games, four of those games will come against teams that made the 2023 NCAA Tournament.
• Nine out of the 10 teams that FSU will play in the non conference had a winning record in 2023.
• FSU is still slated to play the No. 1, No. 3, No. 5, No. 13, No. 23 and No. 25 teams in the country.
• FSU has already played No. 16 Florida and No. 25 Miami and also played Georgia and Auburn who each received votes in this week's poll. FSU still has to play Miami twice who received votes in this week's poll as well.