Notes

SOUTH ALABAMA VOLLEYBALL
2021 NCAA Tournament
Dec. 2-3 | Exactech Arena at Stephen C. O'Connell Center | Gainesville, Fla.

Thu., Dec. 2 | 3:30 p.m. (CT)
South Alabama vs. Miami

Fri., Dec. 3 | 6 p.m. (CT)
Winner of USA-UM vs. Winner of Florida-Florida A&M

Media Information
TV/Live Stream:  Both the first and second round will be broadcast live and available through ESPN+, and can be accessed through the WatchESPN app as well as through the Jaguar volleyball schedule page at USAJaguars.com.

Live Stats:  Live stats for every Jaguar match can be accessed through the multimedia page at USAJaguars.com, in addition to the Jaguar volleyball schedule page.

Twitter:  Follow the official Twitter account of South Alabama volleyball — @WeAreSouth_VB — for news and updates. 

All-Time Series
• Thursday's match will mark the first-ever meeting between South Alabama and Miami.
• Florida owns a 1-0 all-time lead over USA after sweeping the only meeting between the schools on Sept. 1, 1989, in Memphis, Tenn.
• South Alabama holds a 14-0 all-time lead over Florida A&M in a series that dates back to Oct. 18, 1984. The Jags defeated the Rattlers in straight sets in this year's season opener on Aug. 27 in Mobile, Ala.

Jag Notes
• The Jaguars enter the NCAA Tournament, the first appearance in program history, with a season-best 13-game win streak. It marks the longest win streak by a USA squad since the 1987 team won 15 straight matches.
• South Alabama clinched the program's first-ever Sun Belt Conference overall regular-season championship this season with a 15-1 league record, and won the program's first-ever SBC Tournament championship to earn an automatic bid to the NCAA postseason.
• USA set a new program record for SBC wins (15) in a season this year, and its 25 overall wins are the most by a Jaguar team since the 1987 squad won 26 matches. The Jags' 25 wins rank as the third-most in a single season at USA.
• South Alabama Head Coach Jesse Ortiz was voted the 2021 Sun Belt Conference Coach of the Year, and joins Ritchie Ponquinette (1987) and Jim Smoot (1995) as the only South Alabama coaches to earn the honor in the program's history.
• Jaguar setter Kailey Keeble earned first-team all-SBC honors this season, and Hannah Maddux, Maddie Soboleski and Kennedy Wallace were each named second-team all-SBC. Keeble is the first Jaguar to earn first-team all-SBC honors since Kelley Hartman in 2019.
• Keeble was named the SBC Championship Most Valuable Player, and was also selected to the all-tournament team along with Niki Capizzi.
• South Alabama leads the Sun Belt Conference in opponent hitting percentage (.145), which ranks ninth nationally, total blocks (270.5), opponent assists per set (10.49), opponent kills per set (11.29) and service aces per set (1.71). The Jags rank second in the league in blocks per set (2.42) and opponent service aces per set (1.04).
• In SBC matches this season, South Alabama led the conference in opponent hitting percentage (.139), opponent assists per set (10.00), opponent kills per set (10.80), service aces (97) and service aces per set (1.73).
• Since its last loss, which came at Coastal Carolina on Oct. 10, South Alabama has dropped just seven sets out of 47 total sets played. The Jags have swept seven opponents during that span, including two at the SBC Championship.
• USA is 7-2 in neutral-site matches this season, and 8-4 in road contests.
• South Alabama set a season high in blocks (14) in the SBC Championship semifinal against UT Arlington, and matched that total in the SBC Championship final against Texas State. In three SBC Championship matches, the Jags recorded 37 total team blocks for an average of 3.70 blocks per set.
• Keeble leads the Jaguars with 18 double-doubles, following two at the SBC Championship, which ranks tied for second on the Jaguar single-season record list with Ninette Encalade (1989) and ranks 12th on the career list. Maddie Soboleski ranks second on the team with six double-doubles this season. Soboleski has 15 career double-doubles, which ranks 15th all-time at USA.
• Keeble was twice been named the Sun Belt Conference Setter of the Week this season (Sept. 28 & Oct. 5), making her the only Jaguar in program history to earn the honor multiple times.

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with USAJaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at Twitter.com/WeAreSouth_JAGS. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

Join the Rally Score Club, the volleyball specific support club of the Jaguar Athletic Fund. All donations to the Rally Score Club go directly to support the South Alabama volleyball program. For more information on how you can join visit:  jaguarathleticfund.com/rallyscoreclub.