Rice University
South Florida
PREVIEW: Battle of AAC Unbeatens On Deck as Rice Travels to South Florida
10/15/2024 7:59:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
Location: Houston, Texas (Tudor Fieldhouse)
Video Stream: ESPN+
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
Series: Series tied, 2-2
Last Meeting: South Florida won, 3-2 (Nov. 22, 2023)
Match 17 | Rice Owls at Florida Atlantic Owls | Friday, October 18 | 5 p.m. CT
Location: Houston, Texas (Tudor Fieldhouse)
Video Stream: ESPN+
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
Series: Rice leads, 8-3
Last Meeting: FAU won, 3-2 (Oct. 27, 2023)
TAMPA, Fla. - The Rice Owls volleyball team heads east to the Sunshine State to take on fellow AAC unbeaten South Florida on Wednesday, then travels to Boca Raton to take on Florida Atlantic on Friday.
TOP OF THE PACK
Rice was voted as the favorite in the American Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches Poll for the first time since joining the conference. The Owls earned eight of the 12 available first place votes (coaches could not vote for their own team).
WE'RE NUMBER ONE
Rice led the nation in digs per set with 18.56 in 2023. Houston Christian, Rice's first opponent of the season, was sixth in the nation in the same category with 17.75 digs per set. Texas State was ranked 51st in the category with 15.85 digs per set.
IN A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN
Since 2014, Rice has compiled a 123-28 (.813) record in conference play, including a 68-9 (.882) mark in the
previous five seasons. In its last 65 conference matches, the Owls have only dropped eight matches.
CROWNING ACHIEVEMENT
Rice has earned at least one AAC weekly honor in five of six week of awards. After week one, the Owls had three honorees in Nia McCardell (DPOTW), Savannah Skopal (SOTW), and Lademi Ogunlana (honorable mention). Week two saw Cindy Tchouangwa earn an honorable mention, & week four saw her win offensive POTW. Week five saw Tchouangwa earn another honorable mention while week six saw Samarah Hill and Gaby Mansfield nab honorable mentions. Week seven saw Ogunlana and Tchouangwa both take honorable mentions.
VERY MINDFUL, VERY DEMI-URE
Middle blocker Lademi Ogunlana cemented herself in the Rice history books against East Carolina as the first player ever to post a 1.000 hitting percentage with 10+ attempts. Ogunlana went 11/11 against the Pirates.
STARTING STRONG
Rice is 6-0 to open conference play for the second-straight season. Rice's opponents through the first five games have all been strong opponents, with only one team yet to earn a AAC win.
PEAK PER-FORMANCE
Rice has been in the top three in the AAC stat reports in kills per set, assists per set, and digs per set all season thus far.
