USF Athletics

Bulls Poised to Make Deep Postseason Run in NIVC

November 28, 2018

EVENT: National Invitational Volleyball Championship
MATCHUP: USF (20-11) at Georgia Tech (17-14)
DAY/TIME: Thursday/7 p.m.
LOCATION: O'Keefe Gymnasium, Atlanta
FOLLOW: Live stats | Twitter | ESPN3
TOURNAMENT CENTRAL
GAME NOTES
 
 
By TOM ZEBOLD
USF Senior Writer

TAMPA, NOV. 28, 2018 – After punching the program's first postseason ticket since 2002, USF is determined to build more momentum for the future with a memorable run at the National Invitational Volleyball Championship.

First up for the Bulls in the single-elimination tournament is a Thursday night test at Georgia Tech, which also will host second-round action in Atlanta on Friday night.

"We're not going there to compete. We're going there to win," said head coach Courtney Draper prior to USF's 10^th overall postseason appearance.

The third round and semifinals take place at participating schools Dec. 5-9 leading up to the championship match on Tuesday, Dec. 11 at 7 p.m. View the tournament bracket and get more info at the NIVC site HERE.

"It's just really special. I think one of the best parts is it's such an enjoyable group," Draper said. "Two and three weeks ago, I was saying, 'We're having so much fun. I don't want it to end. Let's just keep it going.'"

The Bulls did just that by posting the program's first 20-win season in 16 years. The shining achievement included nine victories in the tough American Athletic Conference that is represented by three other teams in the NIVC – Tulane, Tulsa and Wichita State.

"It validates all the hard work we've put into it – blood, sweat tears. We're excited," all-conference first team outside hitter Jac'cara Walker said.

What makes this season's achievements extra impressive is the fact that USF accomplished both its 20-win and postseason goals with a young roster filled with 12 underclassmen. Draper is hoping a hearty taste of the postseason starts a trend like the Bulls' previous NIVC appearance.

"The last time we were at the NIVC was 1994," Draper said. "Then in '95, '96, '97, '98, we started going to the NCAA tournament. We look at this as a springboard to get to the NCAA tournament because obviously that is the ultimate goal."

Know the Foe
USF will take the court with Georgia Tech (17-14) for the first time since 2015. At O'Keefe Gymnasium in Atlanta, the Bulls will be looking to even their all-time series with the Yellow Jackets at 3-3.

"It's fun to play a Power Five school for postseason," Draper said. "I played at Florida State, so I played in that gym lots of times. It's very similar to The Corral actually."

Georgia Tech has won 14 of 19 home matches this season under the guidance of a former USF volleyball superstar. Michelle Collier is in her fifth season as the Yellow Jackets' head coach and shined brightly for the Bulls from 1998-2002. Collier still holds program records for single-season kills (760, 2000) and career kills (2,729), and was named Conference USA Player of the Year twice.

Collier was inducted into the USF Athletics Hall of Fame in 2011 as the first volleyball student-athlete to achieve the distinguished honor.

"When I was playing at Florida State, Michelle Collier was playing here at USF," Draper said. "She beat me many times player-to-player, so hopefully the result will be different coach-to-coach."

If USF gets past Georgia Tech, the Bulls will face the winner of Thursday's 4 p.m. first-round match between College of Charleston (21-11) and St. John's (23-11) 7 p.m. Friday back at O'Keefe Gymnasium.

All-Conference Bulls
Two key contributors to USF's 20-win season were rewarded for their efforts Tuesday with all-conference recognition.

Junior outside hitter Jac'cara Walker (Gainesville, Fla.) was named to the All-American Athletic Conference first team after leading the Bulls with 375 kills and 14 double-doubles in her first season with the program.

"She's just a huge piece to this team," Draper said.

Redshirt senior blocker Clara Payne received all-conference second team honors after finishing second on the USF squad with 280 kills and 115 blocks. The Osteen, Fla., native leads the Bulls with 29 service aces this season and became the seventh player in program history to reach 400 career blocks.

Learn more about the all-conference Bulls HERE.
 
About USF Volleyball
Now in her seventh season with the Bulls, head coach Courtney Draper has her team at 20-11 heading into the program's first postseason since 2002. Redshirt senior middle blocker Clara Payne became the seventh player in program history to reach 400 career blocks earlier this season. Sophomore Jaeden Brown is second in The American in total blocks. Junior transfer Jac'cara Walker has led USF in kills all season long, finishing fourth in the league with 3.50 kills per set, as she recorded her 1000^th career kill earlier in the year.
 
Follow the volleyball team on social media (Twitter | Facebook | Instagram) and visit GoUSFBulls.com for the most up-to-date information.