Notes on FSU volleyball, which opens its season Friday

[Bob Ferrante]

FSU sports information:

The No. 20 Florida State volleyball team begins their season as they look to defend their ACC Championship and build on their most wins since 2016 as the 2024 season begins with the Seminoles Invitational this weekend at Tully Gym. FSU will take on USF on Friday night at 6 p.m., UC Santa Barbara at 4 p.m. on Saturday and against No. 25 Georgia at 3 p.m. on Sunday. Friday's and Saturday's games will be streamed on ACCNX with Sunday's top 25 matchup against No. 25 Georgia can be seen on the ACC Network.

Noles Begin Season by Hosting Seminole Invitational

• For the first time since 2011, the Florida State volleyball team will begin its season inside of Tully Gym as they host USF, UC Santa Barbara and Georgia for the Seminole Invitational on Aug.30-Sept. 1.
• The Seminoles are 30-8 on opening weekend under Head Coach Chris Poole.
• The Seminoles have won 11 consecutive games inside of Tully Gym dating back to last season.
• Both Georgia and UC Santa Barbara qualified for the NCAA Tournament while USF finished the season 22-12.

Noles Look to Build Off Historic 2023 Season

• For the first time since 2012, Florida State won the ACC Championship as they shared the title with Final Four participant Pitt after posting a 16-2 record in conference play.
• FSU's 23 wins was its most wins since the 2016 season.
• FSU returns six players who played in 25 or more matches last season including Audrey Koenig who was the 2023 ACC Co-Player of the Year.
• The Seminoles added six new players to the 2024 roster which include four transfers and two true freshmen.

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.

Getting Challenged Early and Often

• 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.
• The Seminoles ACC schedule is no cupcake either as the Seminoles will play Elite Eight participants Louisville, Pitt and Stanford as well as NCAA Tournament qualifiers Georgia Tech, Miami (2x) and SMU (2x).

SHE'S BAAAACCCKKKKK

• The reigning 2023 ACC Co-Player of the Year Audrey Koenig is back for one last season with the Seminoles and will look to solidify herself as one of the top players in FSU history.
• Koenig was just the fourth Seminole to win the ACC Player of the Year award and was the first Nole to accomplish the feat since Payton Caffrey in 2018.
• Koenig also earned 2023 AVCA All-America Honorable Mention honors for the first time in her career.
• Koenig led the Noles in 2023 with 374 kills on 900 total attacks while hitting .300.
• Koenig was also great defensively as she was second on the team with 306 digs.
• Koenig's 13 double-doubles last season were the 13th-most in FSU history.
• Koenig has recorded 957 kills during her career with the Garnet and Gold. That mark is tied for seventh all-time in program history in the rally scoring era. Koenig will look to become just the sixth Seminole in the rally scoring era to surpass 1,000 kills. Koenig also ranks fifth all-time in the rally scoring era with 2,619 attacks.

Louis Coming Off Her Best Season as a Nole

• FSU senior and Tallahassee native Khori Louis put together her best season as a Seminole in 2023 as she earned First Team All-ACC honors and AVCA All-America Honorable Mention for the first time in her career.
• Louis hit a career-high .432 which ranked fourth in the nation and was the fifth-best mark in school history and the best mark since Sareea Freeman in 2012.
• Louis holds a career hitting percentage of .366 which is fourth all-time in FSU history. Brianna Barry holds the program record for career hitting percentage as she hit .371 in her career from 2006-09.
• Louis was second on the team with 271 kills and 93 blocks in 2023.
• In her career, Louis has recorded 757 kills which is tied for 14th in program history in the rally scoring era. Louis needs just 100 kills to crack the top 10 list.
• Louis also ranks top 15 in program history in the rally scoring era in solo blocks, assisted blocks and total blocks.

Noles Make Transfer Splash with Taylor Head

• The Seminoles made one of the biggest transfer moves in college volleyball last season as they picked up transfer Taylor Head from Arkansas. Head will have one season with the Seminoles after four seasons with Arkansas. Head is using her extra year of eligibility due to playing in 2021 when the season was altered due to COVID-19.
• Head was one of the best hitters not only in the SEC but the entire country last season as she picked up AVCA Third Team All-America honors after recording 494 kills with a .231 hitting percentage for a Razorback team that qualified for the Elite Eight.
• Her 494 kills ranked 19th in the country and second in the SEC.
• Head was one of the best all-around players in the country last season as she was third in the entire nation with 22 double-doubles.
• Head ranked in the top 10 in the SEC in total kills, kills per set, total attacks, attacks per set, double-doubles, points and total digs.
• Last season, Head would've led the ACC in total kills, points, double doubles and total attacks. Head also would've ranked in the top five in kills per set, attacks per set and points per set.
• Head spent her spring with the Florida State beach volleyball team where she finished the season with a 8-2 record.

Dupes Ready To Get Back on the Court

• After a knee injury kept her off the court in 2023, libero Emery Dupes is ready to become a force for the Seminoles' defense once again.
• Prior to injury, Dupes led the team with 287 digs in 2022 while playing in 94 sets.
• As a freshman, Dupes earned All-ACC honors and became the first freshman libero in FSU history to earn All-ACC honors.
• Broke the school freshman record with 3.88 digs per set and was also just the 12th player in FSU history to record over 400 digs.
• Dupes is currently averaging 3.50 digs per set in her career which ranks seventh all-time in FSU history.
• Dupes has also been terrific behind the service line recording 44 aces in two seasons. In 2021, Dupes recorded six service aces in a single match which is tied for the third-most ever by a Seminole in a single match.

Experienced Transfers

• In addition to Taylor Head, Chris Poole brought in a plethora of transfers who bring a variety of experience to the 2024 team.
• Poole brought in Memphis transfer Loren Robertson who played in 78 matches in four seasons for Memphis. Robertson's best season came in 2022 when she played in every match and recorded a career-high 1,181 assists while adding 320 digs.
• Poole also added 2022 Division II National Freshman of the Year and 2023 AVCA All-America Honorable Mention Iane Henke from Cal State LA. Henke helped Cal State LA to their first-ever National Championship by putting down a career-high 21 kills in the National Championship Game. Henke ended her season with 407 kills and 405 digs.
• Kelsey Perry comes to the Noles from Iowa State as a middle blocker. Perry redshirted in 2023 but had a great freshman season for the Cyclones as she was second on the team with 92 total blocks in 26 matches.

Sophomore Class Ready to Take Next Step

• Coach Poole brought in a talented freshman before the 2023 season, and they all made a great contribution to the 2023 ACC Championship team.
• Kenna Phelan was one of FSU's main setters last season as she played in all 32 matches for the Seminoles while making nine starts. Phelan recorded 602 assists while also serving up 26 aces for the Seminoles.
• Kyleene Filimaua had to shift to the Seminoles main libero as injuries hit FSU last season, and she thrived as she led the team with 326 digs. Filimaua is expected to return to her main position at outside hitter. Filimaua recorded 50 kills last season for the Noles.
• Maddie Snider was key to the Seminoles' depth on the right side as she played in 31 out of the 32 matches. Snider put down 151 kills while also adding 57 total blocks.
• Ella Gaona came in key moments for the Seminoles on the defensive end last season as she played in 72 assists and recorded 74 digs for FSU.

Sova Comes In and Brings International Experience

• Coach Poole made a big addition during the summer as he brought in 6-5 freshman Johanna Sova from Tallinn, Estonia.
• Sova did not sign with the Seminoles until the summer and did not make it to campus until August 19 as she was playing with the Estonian National Team.
• Sova was a member of the Estonia U19 and U21 teams and was a three-time Estonian Championship winner.

Noles Take Trip of a Lifetime This Past Summer

• The Florida State volleyball team took a foreign trip this summer over to Europe.
• The Seminoles played four matches against teams from Greece, Italy and Maribor.
• FSU also did plenty of exploring the Athena Olympic Stadium, Venice, Mlilan and much more.

Louis Gains Valuable Experience with Team USA

• Senior Khori Louis played with some of the best players in the country and the world as she was on the Team USA squad for the NORECA Final 6.
• Louis helped Team USA take Silver at the event, and Louis had seven kills and a match-high four blocks in the Gold Medal Match.

Watts Returns to FSU as Assistant Coach

• Holly Watts returned to Florida State last spring as the Seminoles' new assistant coach while also serving as the team's Director of Operations.
• Watts was an assistant coach for the Seminoles from 2008-12.
• After leaving Tallahassee, Watts served as the head coach at UTEP and Western New Mexico.
• Watts was also an assistant coach under Coach Poole at Arkansas from 1996-2007.