WEEKEND ROUND UP
Who: No. 20 Florida State | No. 25 Georgia | UC Santa Barbara
Date: Aug. 30 | Aug. 31 | Sept. 1
Time: 6 p.m. | 1 p.m. | 11 a.m.
Watch: Florida State
Live Stats: FSU | Georgia | UCSB
 
TAMPA, Fla., August 26, 2024 – Instead of the alarm clock's shrill buzz, she wakes up to the recorded sound of birds sweetly chirping. And that's right in character for USF volleyball setter Caroline Dykes.
 
"I want to be that person where, if you look at me, you're going to smile and know that everything will be all right,'' Dykes said.
 
Dykes had that kind of influence last season on the Bulls, who enjoyed a turnaround season — a 22-12 overall record, an American Athletic Conference East Division title and a Fab Four appearance at the National Invitational Volleyball Championship.
 
After transferring from East Tennessee State University, Dykes kept earning a more pronounced role due to her standout play. Not coincidentally, as Dykes assumed a leadership role, the Bulls found a winning rhythm, capturing six of their final seven regular-season matches, along with three more victories at the NIVC.
 
"Caroline is definitely one of our pillars,'' Bulls outside hitter Maria Clara Andrade said. "She really stabilized our team. When you work with Caroline, it gives you confidence.''
 
Dykes is one of the main reasons USF is capable of another postseason bid — preferably the program's first NCAA Tournament trip since 2002 — and Coach Jolene Shepardson responded with an ambitious schedule. It begins Friday night, Aug. 30 in Tallahassee against the No. 20 Florida State Seminoles at the FSU Invitational.
 
The Bulls will face six non-conference opponents that were in last season's NCAA Tournament — including the Florida Gators and FSU. Shepardson said she wants USF's RPI at peak level to qualify as one of the eight teams in the AAC Tournament, which carries an automatic NCAA bid for the champion. Accordingly, Shepardson said USF has received respect from opponents that now view the Bulls as a worthy foe.
 
"I think we have a chance to be really good if we play free and easy with the kind of aggressiveness we showed most of last season,'' Shepardson said. "Don't worry about expectations. Don't worry about anything. Just play.
 
"There's no question that Caroline will be in the middle of what we do because that's the way she plays the game.''
 
Asked to describe Dykes in a few words, Shepardson's reply was quick:
 
"Peaceful … joyful … consistent.''
 
At 5-foot-10, Dykes doesn't possess eye-popping physical prowess. And there's not much flashiness. But the errors are rare. The execution is near-flawless. And the chemistry, her ability to bring together the team and keep the spirit going, is superb.
 
"I want to be that voice and that force that helps us move in the right direction,'' said Dykes, of Flower Mound, Texas (Dallas area). "Volleyball is the ultimate sport for communication and teamwork. We had it going strong at the end of last season and we want to keep that going.
 
"We've got big goals, but I believe we can reach those goals. I'm so glad to be here. My teammates greeted me with open arms last season and it was comfortable right away. This has turned out to be a great place for me to be.''
 
Dykes said she was happy at ETSU, but grew antsy when Coach Benavia Jenkins became the associate head coach at Michigan. Deep into the spring, there still wasn't a replacement, so Dykes entered the transfer portal.
 
Jenkins, who had been a USF assistant for three seasons under former head coach Courtney Draper, pitched Dykes to Shepardson's staff. The fit turned out to be perfect.
 
The transfer portal can be a blessing … or a curse. Shepardson has seen both sides.
 
Two prominent players from last season have departed — Buse Hazan (Northwestern) and Amanda DeWitt (Arizona) — but Shepardson is pleased with USF's additions.
 
She expects big things from outside hitters Naiya Sawtelle (North Carolina A&T, sister of former Bulls linebacker Nico Sawtelle) and Ally Cavanaugh (Georgia), while middle blocker Imani Hartfield (Southern Illinois), libero Samiha Foster (West Virginia) should also assume key roles.
 
Mixed with returners such as Dykes, Andrade, liberos Lia Schneider and Miya Thomas, middle blocker Tizi Puljiz and 6-2 freshman middle blocker Amelia Wass de Czege, Shepardson said there's plenty of firepower and camaraderie.
 
"There are a lot of new faces, but some really talented players and it looks like we're working together very well,'' Dykes said. "This is my last year (of college volleyball), so I just want to live in the moment because when it's over, it's over. I want to soak up every single thing.''
 
Dykes already has much to celebrate. Last season, she led USF in assists (1,174) and passed the 3,000-assist mark for her career, while ranking second in digs (302). She was named to the All-AAC second team.
 
But the only milestone that matters is winning — along with the happy expressions on the faces of her teammates.
 
"We won the East Division so we had great moments, but why not win the entire conference and go right into the NCAA Tournament?'' Dykes said. "That would be the perfect way to go out for a final season.''
 
For Shepardson, the presence of Dykes provides an added boost of confidence.
 
"Caroline is such an easy team player who brings the energy and support for every single player,'' Shepardson said. "It's not just her skill, which is very consistent, but her overall behavior and attitude. It's a joy to have Caroline in the gym.
 
"She brings the cohesion. She's our Super Glue. She's the middle child in her family — and so am I. So she just rolls with it and makes everybody else better. There's no question that she wants to be good. That's very, very important to her. And I think that attitude works its way through our entire team.''
 
About USF Volleyball
Head coach Jolene Shepardson enters her fifth season at the helm of her alma mater in 2024. Named head coach on Jan. 8, 2020, Shepardson led the Bulls' program to its last conference championship and NCAA tournament appearance as a student-athlete in 2002. Earning the AAC East Division title in 2023, South Florida made a postseason appearance in the NIVC, winning three games and advancing to the Fab Four to mark the longest postseason run in program history. South Florida Volleyball has made seven NCAA Tournament appearances and won 12 conference titles since its inception in 1972. The Bulls play in The Corral (1,000), located adjacent to the Yuengling Center on the USF campus.
 
Be sure to follow USF women's volleyball on social media (Twitter/Instagram/Facebook) and visit GoUSFBulls.com for the most up-to-date information.