TAMPA, Fla. — The USF volleyball team kicks off its regular season this week, and they're doing it in style.
Friday night at Amalie Arena, the Bulls face #20 Georgia Tech, who are coached by Michelle Collier, a USF Athletic Hall of Famer and former teammate of Bulls coach Jolene Shepardson.
Saturday night at the Yuengling Center, the Bulls challenge the 11th-ranked Florida Gators, coached by Mary Wise, who is seeking her ninth trip to the Final Four and first national championship. #8 Penn State Nittany Lions also are in the event’s field.
It's all part of the "Road 2 Tampa Bay Volleyball Invitational." The NCAA Championships will also be held at Amalie Arena in December.
"It’s a fabulous opportunity for people in the Tampa Bay area to enjoy some great volleyball. Some talented athletes that are going to get after it," Shepardson said after Thursday's practice. "Some people that maybe have never seen volleyball are going to fall in love with volleyball if they come to this event this weekend."
"This is what we’ve been working so hard for. This is what’s going to kick it off for us as well. It’s going to inspire us, whether it goes either way for us," added USF outside hitter Ragan Kinard. "We’ve been grinding a lot. I think it’s going to set the standard for us. We’re able to work on what we’ve been working on so hard."
One of the things the Bulls do to relieve stress is unconventional but effective: line dancing.
"We try. We don’t necessarily execute," joked Bulls setter Kelsey O'Loughlin. "We have our great teammate, [Alexis Williams], who helps us out. We've always been on that, and people who didn’t like it when they first got here… they’re dancers now."
The players said it's important to be able to work hard and play hard at the same time.
"Definitely know when to let loose. It’s okay to let loose," Kinard said after Thursday's impromptu dance session. "But we also know when we need to be serious. When we need to grind and work hard. Just like the small break we had in practice. It was time to let all the stress out, and we just got right back to it."
Shepardson is entering her fourth season coaching her alma mater. She thinks she has a roster that can help kickstart a rebuild she's been putting together since her return to campus.
"The energy that they’re bringing day in and day out in the preseason has been fabulous," she said. "The ball never lands! The defense goes on and on. I love the challenge across the net to each other."
"We have a solid group that’s been together for three years. So we’ve had a lot of experiences and a lot of challenges that have allowed us to grow," O'Loughlin, a graduate student, added. "It’s made us stronger and a more collective group as a whole."
USF and #20 Georgia Tech meet at 6 p.m. tomorrow night, followed by #11 Florida and #8 Penn State at 8 p.m.
