VB Weekend Preview: #3 Seed Lady Vols Face #2 Texas in Sweet Sixteen

Thursday, December 7

Palo Alto

9 pm

University of Tennessee

Texas

KNOXVILLE, TN - December 01, 2023 - Outside hitter Jenaisya Moore #18 of the Tennessee Lady Volunteers during the first round game of the 2023 NCAA Women?s Volleyball tournament between the High Point Panthers and the Tennessee Lady Volunteers at Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center in Knoxville, TN. Photo By Emma Ramsey/Tennessee Athletics

VB Weekend Preview: #3 Seed Lady Vols Face #2 Texas in Sweet Sixteen

December 06, 2023 | Volleyball

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PALO ALTO, Calif. – The No. 3 seeded Tennessee Lady Vols kick off the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament with a matchup against No. 2 seed Texas in the Sweet Sixteen.

For the first time in 18 years, the Lady Vols (26-4) will be competing in the Sweet Sixteen. In the regional semifinal round, Tennessee will battle the other UT, taking on the reigning NCAA champs and No. 2 seed Texas on Thursday at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN2. The Longhorns are the Big 12 champions and boast a 24-4 record. The winner of that match will take on the winner of Stanford and Arizona State on Saturday.

TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets for the NCAA Women's Volleyball Championship Regionals matches are currently on sale at tickets.gostanford.com. Fans are encouraged to buy online in advance.

Reserved seats are $40 for all-session and $25 for single matches. General admission tickets can be purchased for $30 (adult) and $20 (youth/senior) for all-session and $18 (adult) or $12 (youth/senior) for single matches.

Tickets will be delivered via email as mobile tickets. Visit Stanford's mobile ticketing guide for information and step-by-step instructions to help manage your tickets.

Fans with questions may contact the Stanford Athletics Ticket Office at athleticstickets@stanford.edu or (800)-STANFORD between the hours of 9 AM to 3 PM, Monday-Friday.

PARKING INFORMATION
On Thursday, Dec. 7, free parking will be available after 3 p.m. in the Maples lot with overflow parking available in PS-7 at the Graduate School of Business.

On Saturday, Dec. 9, free parking will be available in the Maples lot and PS-7 at the Graduate School of Business.

TENNESSEE MAKES HISTORY WITH SEEDING, ADVANCES TO REGIONAL SITE
After enjoying one of the best regular seasons in program history, the Lady Vols were selected as the No. 10 national seed in the NCAA Tournament, which marked the best seed in program history. It's the first time the Lady Vols have hosted the first and second rounds since 2011. This is the third consecutive trip to the dance for UT and the fourth under head coach Eve Rackham Watt. The Lady Vols continued to make history by earning a spot in the Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 2005.

BIG ORANGE ATTACK AMONG NATION'S ELITE GROUPS
Tennessee's attack has been stellar this season, and it's the primary reason for the Lady Vols' success. UT currently ranks inside the top five in the country and leads the SEC in kills per set (2nd/14.80), assists per set (3rd/13.63) and hitting percentage (5th/.307).

UT RECOGNIZED WITH AVCA REGIONAL AWARDS
Four Lady Vols were honored with AVCA Southeast Regional awards, highlighted by Morgahn Fingall being named the 2023 AVCA Southeast Region Player of the Year. She was joined on the All-Region Team by Caroline Kerr, Jenaisya Moore and Yelianiz Torres (honorable mention). Tennessee's four selections were its most since 2011, and Fingall became the first Lady Vol ever to win regional player of the year and joined Nikki Fowler as the only Lady Vols to earn All-Region honors three years in a row.

BIG THREE SHINES DURING OPENING WEEKEND
UT's All-SEC trio of Morgahn Fingall, Caroline Kerr and Jenaisya Moore fueled the Lady Vols' hot offense the first weekend. Moore (T3rd/6.00) and Fingall (T10th/5.00) are the only duo in the tournament to rank inside the top 10 in kills per set through the first two rounds, while Kerr's 13.67 assists per set are second overall. Moore and Fingall both ranked inside the top 10 for points per set as well, checking in at fifth and eighth.

BREAK OUT THE BROOMS: LADY VOLS BOAST SECOND-MOST SWEEPS IN UT HISTORY
So far this year, the Lady Vols boast 19 sweeps, marking the second-most in program history and most since 1983. Over the last three seasons, UT has swept 43 opponents, including 29 at home. The Big Orange swept 10 SEC opponents and went on a streak of 18 straight set wins between Loyola (4th set) and Mississippi State (2nd set).

LADY VOLS IN THE RANKINGS
The Big Orange currently sits at No. 11 in the AVCA polls but has been as high as eighth. The only higher ranking UT has ever achieved was sixth in the final poll of the 2005 rankings, following Tennessee's Final Four run.