Gator Country

Mary Wise and the Gators will host NCAA volleyball regional play for the 11th time in school history. / Gator Country photo by Tim Casey

The NCAA announced on Wednesday the match times for the NCAA Volleyball Regional being hosted in Gainesville. The semifinals will be played at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Friday, December 9 and the final’s opening serve will be at 7 p.m. on Saturday, December 10.

“We are honored to be chosen once again to host the NCAA regional in 2011,” Florida head coach Mary Wise said. “We have, in the O’Connell Center, a venue that is one of the best places to watch and play volleyball.”

Live coverage of Friday’s matches will be streaming live via ESPN3.com and Saturday’s match will air on ESPNU. Saturday’s match will determine one of the Final Four participants.

Two Southeastern Conference schools were selected to host NCAA regionals in 2011 including the University of Florida. The four regional sites selected are: Stephen C. O’Connell Center in Gainesville, Florida, Memorial Coliseum in Lexington, Kentucky, the Stan Sherriff Center in Honolulu, Hawaii and the Sports Pavilion in Minneapolis, Minnesota. All of these matches will place take on December 9-10, 2011.

One of the eight NCAA Sweet Sixteen matches will take place at one of the regional site locations along with one of the four Elite Eight matches. The 2011 Division I Women’s Volleyball Championship will be hosted in the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.

The Gators have ranked in the nation’s top 10 in attendance in 19 of the last 20 years.

This is the 11th time in school history that the University of Florida is hosting an NCAA volleyball regional (1992, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007 and 2009). In the years of 1992, 1996, 1998, 2002, 2003, the Gators hosted a regional and reached the Final Four simultaneously.

“Our fan base has created an atmosphere where a home match is an event, Wise said. “It says a lot about the support we receive from our fans and the first-class job that the UAA staff provides in putting on championships.”

Reserved first-level all-session passes are $15. General admission all-session passes for the second level of the O’Connell Center are available for $12 for adults and $8 for youth and senior citizens. Group rates also are available.

For tickets or more information, feel free to call (800) 34-GATOR or visit online at GatorZone.com/tickets.

Gator Country reporter Elizabeth Rhodes can be reached at .

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