TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - The Florida State volleyball team (19-10, 11-7) begin its 24th NCAA Tournament on Friday evening in Minneapolis, Minn., when they take on the Northern Iowa Panthers (26-7, 17-1). First serve is set for 5:30 p.m. inside of Maturi Pavilion on the campus of the University of Minnesota. ESPN+ plus will have the coverage with Emma Carpenter (Play-by-Play), Meredith Uram-Nelson (Color) and Connor O’Neal (Sideline) on the call.
Right Where We Belong
The Florida State volleyball team has been a staple in the NCAA Tournament over the past 15 years. The Seminoles have been in the NCAA Tournament in 12 out of the last 13 seasons. The only season the Seminoles did not make the NCAA Tournament was the COVID spring season in 2021. In Chris Poole’s 15 years at Florida State, the Seminoles have only missed the NCAA Tournament twice.
NCAA Tournament History
Florida State will play its 42nd NCAA Tournament match on Friday and have an 18-23 in the NCAA Tournament. The Seminoles ended a four-match losing streak in the NCAA Tournament when they defeated Kansas State in three sets before falling to Nebraska in the second round. The Noles will be looking for its first Sweet 16 appearance since 2016.
Facing a Familiar Foe
Northern Iowa is a familiar foe for one member of the Florida State staff. First year assistant coach Lindsay Allman was the head coach at Indiana State where they played Northern Iowa twice a year as part of its Missouri Valley Conference schedule. After struggling against the Panthers in her first three seasons, Allman was 2-2 against the Panthers in 2020 and 2021.
Success in the Twin Cities
This will be the third time that the Seminoles have been sent to Minneapolis for the NCAA Tournament. The Seminoles are 3-1 when playing in Minneapolis during the NCAA Tournament. The Seminoles beat Kentucky in the 2009 NCAA Tournament in Minneapolis before falling to Minnesota. In 2011, the Seminoles took down Purdue and Iowa State in the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight to punch a ticket to the program’s first and only Final Four.
Getting Hot at the Right Time
Following back-to-back losses to Virginia and Pitt, the Noles were 12-7 and 4-4 in ACC play with their NCAA Tournament hopes coming down to the final 10 matches of the season. The Noles have won seven out its last ten games including a big 3-0 sweep against a top 50 team on the road against Miami to seal its postseason fate.
A Model of Consistency
Senior middle blocker Emma Clothier played in her 100th career match for the Garnet and Gold on Oct. 30 against Boston College. Clothier has been a constant for the Seminoles in her four years at Tallahassee. Clothier has played in every single match for the Seminoles since she arrived on campus and has only missed four sets during her career with the Seminoles. Emma currently is tied for ninth all-time in Florida State history in starts made in a career with 104.
Scouting the Northern Iowa Panthers
The Missouri Valley Conference Champions enter its 24th NCAA Tournament with a 26-7 record and have won 20 out of its last 21 matches. The Panthers are led by Bobbi Petersen who is in her 23rd season and holds a 556-201 record at Northern Iowa. Petersen was named the Missouri Valley Conference Coach of the Year.
On the court, the Panthers are led by the Missouri Valley Setter of the Year Taylor Alden. Alden has tallied 1,258 assists and 26 aces. The Panthers also had the libero of the year in the Missouri Valley Conference in Kira Fallert who tallied 288 digs and added 32 aces.
Nole Notes
The Noles are making its 24th NCAA Tournament appearance.
The Noles have been to 13 of the last 14 NCAA Tournaments.
Head Coach Chris Poole is in his 15th season as the leader of the Seminoles.
Poole is the second-winningest active head coach in Division I with 895 victories.
This will be just the third time that FSU has played Northern Iowa.
The Noles have a 1-1 record against Northern Iowa.
Northern Iowa will be the second team from the Missouri Valley Conference that the Seminoles have played this season. The Seminoles beat Illinois State in four sets in the first match of the season.
The Noles finished fifth in the ACC.
The Noles have won 10 or more ACC games in every season since 2005.
The Noles won 12 games at home inside of Tully Gym this season which is the most since 2015.
The Noles have won seven out of its last ten matches.
Audrey Koenig currently leads the team with 314 kills.
Koenig reached 200 kills in 18 matches this season. She is the fastest Nole to reach 200 kills since Payton Caffrey in the 2019 season when she reached 200 kills in 14 matches.
Khori Louis is hitting .365 on the season which ranks fourth in the ACC and ranks 44th in the country.
Emily Ryan hit .769 against Clemson on Nov. 4 and tallied 10 kills. That mark was tied for the fourth-highest mark in FSU history in an ACC match. The mark is also tied for 13th all-time in FSU history.
The Noles had 16 aces against Syracuse on Oct. 28. That is the third-most aces among power five teams this season and only 6 teams have posted a higher mark in a four-set match this season.
The Noles have the top game in terms of hitting percentage of all ACC teams this season. The Noles hit .527 against Yale on Sept. 3, 2022. It is also the seventh-best match of the year in the NCAA this season.
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