Volleyball Opens NCAA Tournament Play Against Samford Thursday
12/3/2014 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
THE MATCHUP
Alabama (25-7) will be making its second-straight trip to the NCAA Tournament this weekend, facing Samford (20-12) in the first round in Tallahassee, Fla., on Thursday, Dec. 4 at 4:30 p.m. ET / 3:30 p.m. CT.
THE TIDE ON THE AIR
Video - WatchESPN (WatchESPN.com or WatchESPN app)
SCOUTING ALABAMA
Alabama (25-7, 13-5 SEC) - Alabama finished its regular season at 25-7, which already makes it the winningest team in program history. The Crimson Tide is making its second-straight NCAA Tournament appearance, marking the first back-to-back postseason trips for Alabama since 2006 and 2007. Redshirt sophomore Krystal Rivers finished the regular season with an SEC-leading 536 kills, which ranks 12th nationally and is a new single-season best for Rivers. Junior Sierra Wilson led the SEC and is second nationally in total assists with 1,459, which is just 25 shy of the single-season school record. Freshman Kat Hutson has had an outstanding debut season for the Tide, finishing third in the SEC with 442 kills. Leading the defense at the net is freshman Leah Lawrence with 112 blocks while fellow freshman Natalie Murison led the back-row defense with 379 digs.
LAST TIME OUT: ALABAMA VS. TENNESSEE
With a school record on the line, Alabama made quick work of Tennessee Saturday afternoon in the regular season finale as the Crimson Tide swept the Volunteers, 3-0, to set a new school record with 25 wins this season. Sierra Wilson paced the offense with 36 assists, which gives her a new single-season best of 1,459. The total ranks second all-time at Alabama and is only 25 shy of the school record of 1,484 set by Kenna Milner in 2002. Kat Hutson led the offense with 11 kills and a .474 hitting percentage, followed closely behind by Krystal Rivers with 10 kills. The pair combined for six of the team's eight service aces, which is the team's second-highest total in SEC play.
SINGLE SEASON WIN RECORD
The win over Tennessee was the 25th of the season for Alabama, which is a new single-season record for wins. The previous record of 24 was originally set in 1995, when Alabama went 24-10 (7-8 SEC). That record stood for nearly a decade without being matched until last year's Crimson Tide went 24-10, ultimately falling short of a new record after dropping the regular season finale and the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The combined two-year win total from this season and last season is already the most in any two-year span at Alabama since the program's reinstatement in 1989.
ALABAMA IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT
This season marks the fifth time Alabama has qualified for the NCAA Tournament in program history. The Tide made its first postseason appearance in 2005 and qualified again in 2006 and 2007. After a five-year postseason drought, the Tide returned in 2013 and are making a second-straight appearance this season. This will be Alabama's first postseason trip to Tallahassee, Fla., as they have made previous stops in Columbus, Ohio (2005), Austin, Texas (2006), Clemson, S.C. (2007) and Stanford, Calif. (2013). Alabama has yet to win an opening round match however, though the Tide have never been swept in any of its opening round losses.
2005 - L, 1-3 vs. Oklahoma (Stanford, Calif.)
2006 - L, 2-3 vs. Stephen F. Austin (Austin, Texas)
2007 - L, 1-3 vs. Clemson (Clemson S.C.)
2013 - L, 1-3 vs. Oklahoma (Stanford, Calif.)
WILSON CLOSING IN ON ASSISTS RECORD
Junior setter Sierra Wilson entered the final match of the regular season needing 28 assists to set a new single-season best and she easily passed the mark, setting 36 assists bring her current season total to 1,459. The total ranks second in school history, passing her mark from last season and Brigitte Slack's 1,453 assists from the 2005 season. Now, Wilson has a chance to set a new single-season school record, as she is just 25 shy of Kenna Milner's record total of 1,484, set in 2002. With two of the top five seasons in school history, Wilson has increased her career assists total to 4,202, which is fourth all-time just behind Allison Lange (1997-2000) in third at 4,215. With one season of eligibility remaining, Wilson will have a chance at setting the career assists record at Alabama currently held by Slack (2004-07) with 5,578.
RIVERS AND HUTSON NAMED TO ALL-SEC TEAM
The Southeastern Conference has announced its annual volleyball awards to cap the 2014 season, as redshirt sophomore Krystal Rivers and freshman Kat Hutson represent Alabama on the All-SEC Team. It is the first time the Tide have had multiple honorees on the All-SEC team since 2007 when Crystal Hudson was named First Team All-SEC and Bridget Fuentez was named Second Team All-SEC.
This is Rivers' second career All-SEC award, as she leads the conference in kills (285) and points (320.5) in conference matches this season. She has been named SEC Offensive Player of the Week three times and has posted six double-doubles in conference play so far. Overall, her 500 kills this season are a career-high and rank 11th in Alabama single-season history.
Hutson was named to the All-SEC team and the All-Freshman team, marking the second-straight season an Alabama freshman has made both teams after Rivers did so in 2013. Hutson has the most kills (264) or points (320.5) of any freshman in conference play and is hitting .280 in conference matches, which is the highest percentage of any freshman outside hitter and third overall among all SEC freshman, only trailing Florida's Rhamat Alhassan and Kentucky's Kaz Brown, who are both middle blockers. Hutson was named the SEC Freshman of the Week following her strong performances against Arkansas (Oct. 26) and Texas A&M (Oct. 31).
ALABAMA RECEIVING VOTES IN AVCA POLL, NO. 30 IN RPI
A 2-0 week to close out the regular season helped Alabama maintain its spot in the AVCA coaches' poll as the Tide are receiving seven votes to place eight spots out of the Top 25. Alabama is one of three SEC teams to appear in the Week 14 poll, joining No. 5 Florida and No. 13 Kentucky. In the NCAA RPI, Alabama finished the regular season at No. 30 as the fourth-highest SEC team, trailing only Florida (7), Kentucky (14) and Texas A&M (19).
2014 SEASON HIGHLIGHTS
- A win in the regular season finale over Tennessee on Nov. 29 marked the 25th win this season for Alabama, setting a new school record for wins in a season.
- Krystal Rivers and Kat Hutson were both named to the All-SEC team, marking the first time since 2007 the Tide has had multiple honorees on the team.
- Alabama set a Foster Auditorium attendance record for the second time this season on Nov. 21, as 2,169 fans packed in to watch Alabama defeat Auburn, 3-1. This beats the previous record of 1,749 set earlier this season on Sept. 28 against LSU. Alabama has set a new attendance record three times since Ed Allen became head coach in 2011.
- Junior setter Sierra Wilson surpassed 4,000 career assists during the four-set victory over Auburn on Nov. 21, becoming just the fourth setter in Alabama history to do so.
- The sweep over Georgia on Sunday, Nov. 16 marked the 10th home victory of the season for Alabama, giving the Tide three-straight seasons with at least 10 wins at home.
- Alabama's 3-2 win over South Carolina on Nov. 9 was the team's 20th of the season, giving the Tide back-to-back 20 win seasons for the first time since 2004-05 and just the fourth time in program history.
- Alabama defeated No. 23 Texas A&M, 3-2, on Oct. 31, earning the team's first Top 25 win since 2007 and the team's first Top 25 win over an SEC opponent since 2006.
- Kat Hutson was named the SEC Freshman of the Week on Nov. 3 for her performance against Texas A&M. It was her first career weekly conference honor and the fourth overall for Alabama this season.
- Krystal Rivers was named Preseason All-SEC, earned back-to-back SEC Offensive Player of the Week honors on Sept. 22 and Sept. 29 and then a third time on Oct. 27.
- Alabama received Top 25 votes for the first time in school history on Sept. 29, appearing five spots outside the Top 25 in the Week Five AVCA poll.
- The Tide won three tournament titles during the preseason, winning the Marcia E. Hamilton Classic on opening weekend in St. Louis, the ISTAP Collegiate Cup 2 in Montgomery, Ala., and the Crimson-White Tournament in Tuscaloosa.
- Alabama returns nine players from last year's squad while welcoming eight newcomers.
NEXT TIME OUT: NCAA REGIONALS
The winner of Friday's match in Tallahassee will be one of 16 teams to advance to the NCAA Regionals and will head to Seattle, Wash., next weekend to face either Arizona, Yale, Seton Hall or BYU.
