Matchup: FGCU (0-0) vs FAU (0-0)
When: Aug. 24 | 10 AM | James L. Knight Sports Complex
Links: Live stats
Coaches: Matt Botsford (5th season at FGCU – 89-38 (.701); same overall) | Fernanda Nelson (7th season at FAU – 90-82 (.523); same overall)
 
Matchup: FGCU vs UCF (0-0)
When: Aug. 24 | 4:30 PM | James L. Knight Sports Complex
Links: Live Stats
Coach: Todd Dagenais (11th season at UCF – 185-136 (.576); same overall)

Matchup: FGCU vs Miami (0-0)
When: Aug. 25 | 11 AM | James L. Knight Sports Complex
Links: Live Stats | Video (ESPN 3/ACC Network)
Coach: Jose "Keno" Gandara (6th season at Miami – 99-54 (.647); same overall)
 
MIAMI, Fla. – The FGCU volleyball team will open its 2018 season this weekend with three matches in the Sunshine State Challenge on the campus of the University of Miami.

All matches will be held at the James L. Knight Sports Complex on campus and admission is free.

"I'm excited. It's opening weekend," FGCU head coach Matt Botsford said. "We're playing three really competitive teams with really solid programs, so we're going to be tested and will have to play really well. I think we're certainly capable of it."

FGCU is 8-6 all-time in season openers. It will be the 15th season in program history, including the 12th in the Division-I era.

THE GREEN AND BLUE
Botsford, in fact, enters this season approaching 100 wins at FGCU as he opens his fifth season with the program. He has compiled an 89-38 record and his teams have registered at least 20 straight wins overall in three straight seasons and at least 10 wins in ASUN play in four straight seasons – both of which are record streaks in FGCU's Division-I era (2007-present).

This year's team will be Botsford's most experienced squad as the roster features five seniors and 22 seasons of prior collegiate experience. It comes one year after taking his least experienced team, with 17 seasons of experience, to an ASUN runner-up finish for the second straight season.
 
Among those five seniors, several are approaching career milestones.

Amanda Carroll, who already holds the program's career records for kills (1,354), kills per set (4.05), attack attempts (3,472), points (1563.0) and points per set (4.68), is 31 digs away from 1,000. She currently ranks sixth in that category and fourth in the Division-I era. Furthermore, her kill production has her on pace to finish second in ASUN history. The multi-dimensional outside hitter has notched double figure kills in 78 of 94 matches and double-digit digs in 46 of 94. Her 41 career double-doubles is the most in the program's Division-I era and the second most all-time behind 2016 Rio Olympian Brooke Youngquist-Sweat (50, 2004-07). In fact, her and Youngquist-Sweat are the only two players in program history with at least 1,000 kills and 500 digs.
 
Karissa Rhoades (Valrico, Fla./Bloomingdale Senior HS), who transitioned to a full-time libero role late in her sophomore career, sits at 742 career digs and is on pace to become just the seventh player in program history with at least 1,000, joining Carroll (Albuquerque, N.M./Sandia HS), who is 31 away from becoming the sixth.

Maggie Rick, meanwhile, is on pace to become the program's all-time assist leader with 3,685. She is just 724 assists shy of surpassing Gigi Meyer, and her current total is already 10th in ASUN history. She owns the third, fourth and fifth highest single season assist totals and three of the six highest single season totals in assists per set in the Division-I era.

In her career, Rick (Alpharetta, Ga./Blessed Trinity Catholic HS) has produced at least 20 assists in 96 of 97 matches. She's had at least 60 four times, 50-59 eight times, 40-49 23 times and 30-39 46 times. With 133 more digs, she can become just the third player in program history with at least 1,000 assists and 700 digs in a career – joining Meyer (4,408 assists/947 digs) and Chandra Lefever (3,108 assists/765 digs).

SCOUTING FAU
FAU, which is led by former FGCU assistant coach Fernanda Nelson, compiled an 18-9 record last year, including a 9-5 mark in Conference USA play. Their season ended with a loss to UTSA in the quarterfinals of the C-USA tournament.

This year's team is picked to finish third in the conference, which is the team's highest since joining C-USA. Nelson, meanwhile, has compiled a 90-82 record in six seasons.

FGCU is 3-6 all-time against FAU, including a 3-3 record over the past six outings. This will be the first neutral site matchup between the two teams, and the Green and Blue holds a 2-2 record in road matchups in the series. FAU picked up a four-set victory in Alico Arena on Sept. 2 last year.

SCOUTING UCF
UCF will feature a roster with six freshmen after finishing 20-14 last year, including a 12-8 record in AAC play. They advanced to the National Invitational Volleyball Championship, where they defeated UNC Greensboro in the opening round before falling to Georgia in straight sets. They won nine of their final 11 matches after starting 11-12.

One of those six freshmen, McKenna Melville, led UCF's offense with 14 kills while hitting .257 in an exhibition win over Tampa. The team is coached by Todd Dagenais, who is 185-136 through 10 full seasons.

FGCU is 1-3 all-time against UCF, who defeated the Eagles in four sets on Sept. 2 in Alico Arena last year in the first meeting between the two teams since 2011. This will be the first-ever neutral site matchup between the programs.

SCOUTING MIAMI
Miami, who swept FIU in an exhibition match, is led by sixth-year head coach Jose "Keno" Gandara, who sits one win away from 100 with the team (99-54).  The Hurricanes finished 22-6 overall and reached the second round of the NCAA tournament last year en route to returning to the NCAA Championship for the ninth time in program history.

Additionally, Miami won its first postseason match since 2014, defeating the College of Charleston in the opening round in Gainesville. The Canes fell to No. 2 Florida in four sets in a second-round matchup, but finished with their best winning percentage since 2012.

Gandara's team returns seven players, including redshirt senior Haley Templeton, who is a four-time preseason All-ACC selection. She is also a reigning First Team All-ACC selection who posted 1,172 assists last year, including an ACC best 10.75 per set.

At the same time, Gandara's squad will feature seven freshmen plus one transfer – Bridget Wallenberger (Milwaukee). And his team will have to overcome the loss of reigning ACC player of the year Olga Strantzali due to graduation – plus two other starters.
 
FGCU is 0-3 all-time against Miami with the Hurricanes winning all nine sets played. Two of the three came in Coral Gables (2009, 2014). Miami defeated FGCU on Sept. 2 last year in the Homewood Suites Sunshine State Classic.
 
NEXT UP
Following this weekend, the Eagles will next be in action when they head to Albuquerque, N.M. for the Lobo Classic Aug. 31-Sept. 1.

FOLLOW ALONG
For up-to-the minute information and a behind-the-scenes look at the FGCU volleyball program, follow us on Twitter at @FGCU_VB, on Facebook at /FGCUVolleyball and on Instagram at @FGCU_VB.
 
COACH BOTSFORD
Matt Botsford is entering his fifth season as head coach of the FGCU women's volleyball program in 2018. He was hired on Feb. 10, 2014. In his four seasons, Botsford-led teams have compiled an 89-38 (.701) record overall, including a 42-14 (.750) record in ASUN play. He has taken the program to heights it has not seen in the Division-I era (2007-present) – registering at least 20 wins overall in three straight seasons and at least 10 wins in conference play four straight seasons. Furthermore, the team's offensive efficiency has drastically improved since Botsford started. In his first two seasons, his squad produced hitting percentages of .212 and .220. The past two, which have seen .267 and .256 percentages, are the third and fourth highest in program history. All four seasons under Botsford have seen a top-3 ASUN regular season finish and at least an ASUN semifinal appearance. His first two campaigns resulted in regular season runner-up finishes, and the past two have seen the Eagles advance to the tournament championship. On Sept. 10, 2016, Botsford led his team to a five-set win over Indiana in Alico Arena, which signified the program's first-ever win over a team from a Power-5 conference.
 
SUPPORT THE CAUSE
FGCU Athletics sponsors events throughout the year to benefit the FGCU Campus Food Pantry (www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry) and the Harry Chapin Food Bank (www.harrychapinfoodbank.org), FGCU Athletics' charities of choice. For more information, including how to make a contribution, please visit www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry and utilize the hashtag #FeedFGCU to help.