TAMPA, Fla., April 15, 2026 – The South Florida beach volleyball team closes out its 2026 home slate this weekend, hosting the Gulf Front Invitational for senior weekend in Clearwater, Fla. USF will welcome (receiving votes) Florida Gulf Coast, No.13 Louisiana State University, No. 5 Florida State University, and Mercer. The Bulls will honor their four seniors: Isabella Almeida, Addison Bounds, Julia Panko and Josephine Sek prior to Saturday's match against Mercer. 
 
Setting the Stage
The two-day event will feature strong opponents this weekend. The Bulls will open play on Friday, April 17 at 10:15am against (RV)FGCU, before taking on No.13 LSU. The Bulls will face FGCU and LSU for the second time this season. Saturday, April 18, USF will take on No.5 FSU and Mercer at 2pm to wrap up the regular season. The Bulls recently swept Mercer back on Apr. 3. 

Opponents
FGCU (RV) enters the weekend with a 17-12 record, most recently posting a 2-2 mark at the FAU Capri Classic, against Jacksonville, Stephen F. Austin, No. 17 North Florida, and No. 15 FAU. No. 13 LSU holds a 17-13 record and is coming off a 4-0 performance at the Battle on the Bayou last weekend. No. 5 FSU sits at 25-2 overall, having gone 3-1 at the FSU Challenge in early April. Mercer stands at 4-24 and recently competed at the UAB Blazer Beach Bash. 
 
Match Format
Each dual features five pairs competing simultaneously. USF's Pair 1 faces the opponent's Pair 1, Pair 2 vs. Pair 2, and so on through Pair 5. Each pair plays a match, and the team that wins at least three of the five pair matchups earns the program win. 
 
Weekend Schedule
Friday, Apr. 17
vs. RV Florida Gulf Coast– 10:15 a.m. 
vs. #13 LSU– 2:00 p.m.
 
Saturday, Apr. 18 - Senior Day Ceremony before the 2pm match vs. Mercer 
vs. # 5 Florida State 10:15 a.m. 
vs. Mercer -2:00 p.m.

Note-A-Bulls:

• Regular Season Finale: The Gulf Front Invitational is the final weekend of the regular season for the Bulls before they head to Conference USA Championships next weekend. 
• Familiar Foes: The Bulls will Face FGCU, LSU, and Mercer for the second time this season. 

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About USF Beach Volleyball
The University of South Florida Beach Volleyball program is the newest program in the now 21-team USF Athletics program. South Florida Beach Volleyball joined Conference USA on July 1, 2025. Pri Piantadosi-Lima was named South Florida's first-ever beach volleyball head coach on June 6, 2023. She also serves as the head coach of USAV Beach and the national team development program and was honored as the 2022 USA Volleyball Female Junior Coach of the Year. Before joining South Florida, Piantadosi-Lima helped launch the Eckerd College program in 2015 as an assistant coach and helped lead the program to its first AVCA national championship and two consecutive NCAA championship podium finishes.


– #GoBulls –