TAMPA, Fla. - The FGCU beach volleyball team (8-7) will conclude the non-conference portion of its schedule on Saturday with tilts against Florida Southern (12 p.m.) and Tampa (2 p.m.) at the Tampa Beach Volleyball Complex.
 
The Eagles will be looking to avenge a tough 3-2 loss to Tampa on March 9 in St. Petersburg. In that matchup, FGCU lost 15-12 in the third set of the one, three and five pairs. Meanwhile, the Green and Blue are coming off a 5-0 win over Florida Southern earlier this week to end a six-match winning streak for the Mocs.
 
Storylines
Karissa Rhoades, who previously became the program's all-time career wins leader, became the first player in program history to reach 50 career wins with a 21-8, 21-8 victory at the No. 2 pair along with her senior partner Katherine Puisis on Tuesday. This weekend, it will be Puisis (Mason, Ohio/William Mason HS) who will be looking to etch her name further up in the record book as the senior can take sole possession of the second-most wins in program history.

Amanda Carroll became just the fourth player in program history to reach 40 wins on Tuesday, and she will now look to give this year's senior class the top three spots in career wins. To do so, Carroll (Albuquerque, N.M./Sandia HS) would need seven more triumphs to give the trio sole possession of the top three spots.

Career Wins Leaders
50 - Karissa Rhoades, 2016-present
46 - Madi Wilcox, 2014-17
46 - Katherine Puisis, 2016-present
40 - Amanda Carroll, 2016-present
38 - Mackenzie Allen, 2015-18
38 - Ashley Glickert, 2015-18
35 - Giovanna Borgiotti, 2017-present

Puisis already holds the program's career winning percentage record at 46-30 (.605), while Rhoades (Valrico, Fla./Bloomingdale Senior HS) isn't far behind.

Career Winning Percentage Leaders (Minimum 30 Wins)
.605 - Katherine Puisis; 2016-19 (46-30)
.602 - Karissa Rhoades; 2016-19 (50-33)
.590 - Madi Wilcox; 2014-17 (46-32)
.547 - Giovanna Borgiotti; 2017-19 (35-29)
.513 - Amanda Carroll; 2016-19 (40-38)

At the No. 3 pair, the sophomore duo of Snowy Burnam and Kayla Whetstone can reach 30 career victories should they win twice on Saturday, while also inching closer to the single season wins record of Puisis and Rhoades that was set last year. In fact, they're looking to become the first two-time 16-game winners in program history later this year, and they'll likely take control of the top spot for career winning percentage once they reach 30 career wins.

Single Season Win Leaders
17 Katherine Puisis; 2018 (17-8 .680)
17 Karissa Rhoades; 2018 (17-8 .680)
16 Giovanna Borgiotti; 2018 (16-9 .640)
16 Ashley Glickert; 2018 (16-9 .640)
16 Snowy Burnam; 2018 (16-10 .615)
16 Kayla Whetstone; 2018 (16-10 .615)
15 Elisa Anne Aldrich; 2016 (15-4 .789)
15 Madi Wilcox; 2016 (15-4 .789)
15 Katherine Puisis; 2017 (15-9 .625)
15 Karissa Rhoades; 2017 (15-9 .625)

Burnam (Palm City, Fla./Jensen Beach HS) and Whetstone (Arlington, Texas/Arlington Lamar HS) are also approaching the record for best single-season winning percentage in program history. The duo is currently 12-3 (.800), but still has some work to do.

Single Season Winning Percentage Leaders
.789 Madi Wilcox; 2016 (15-4)
.789 Elisa Anne Aldrich; 2016 (15-4)
.680 Karissa Rhoades; 2018 (17-8)
.680 Katherine Puisis; 2018 (17-8)
.640 Giovanna Borgiotti; 2018 (16-9)
.640 Ashley Glickert; 2018 (16-9)
.625 Katherine Puisis; 2017 (15-9)
.625 Karissa Rhoades; 2017 (15-9)
.615 Snowy Burnam; 2018 (16-10)
.615 Kayla Whetstone; 2018 (16-10)
 
Giovanna Borgiotti (Vienna, Va./George C. Marshall HS) can become the first player in program history with three-straight double-digit win totals to open her collegiate career on Saturday. The junior continues to grow in the No. 4 pair along with Candace Lacour (Buckeye, Ariz./Verrado HS) as they ended a 10-match winning streak for Florida Southern's Haley Goodrich and Celia Greco on Tuesday. The duo is now 9-6 this year, which ties them with Puisis and Rhoades for the second-best record on the team.
 
Cortney VanLiew (Seymour, Ind./Columbus East HS) has been a mainstay at the No. 5 pair for the Green and Blue this year. The sophomore has recorded a career-high seven victories and can push herself over .500 on the season (7-8) with a pair of wins on Saturday. She has teamed with Emma Hansen (Trophy Club, Texas/Westlake Academy) and Alayna Ryan (Fort Myers, Fla./Fort Myers HS).

Tampa Preview
The Spartans (11-9) opened the season by losing four straight matches to ranked teams in 5-0 fashion before bouncing back to win eight of its next nine - including wins over ASUN members Jacksonville, North Florida, FGCU and North Alabama. Seven of the team's losses have come against ranked teams - No. 3 Florida State, No. 6 Cal Poly, No. 8 FIU, No. 9 South Carolina, No. 16 FAU, No. 18 Tulane and No. 19 Georgia State. They are coming off a 3-2 victory over Saint Leo on Wednesday.

Florida Southern Preview
The Mocs (10-9) have won six of their past seven after a loss to FGCU on Tuesday. Their win total doubles last year's, and they are led by the duo of Haley Goodrich and Celia Greco, who are 11-1 at the No. 4 pair. They suffered the lone loss to Borgiotti and Lacour on Tuesday, although both sets were close.

ASUN Roundup
After Saturday's action, FGCU will close the regular season with six crucial conference matches over a three-day stretch April 11-13 in Jacksonville.
 
This summer, the ASUN announced the additions of Austin Peay, Jacksonville State and Morehead State as affiliate members of the conference for beach volleyball. Those three teams competed as independent programs in the NCAA the past several seasons and will join new ASUN member North Alabama in bringing the conference to 10 members and a division split. The North Division features Coastal Carolina, Austin Peay, Jacksonville State, Morehead State and North Alabama. The South Division features FGCU, Jacksonville, Mercer, North Florida and Stetson.

In terms of the postseason, the top team from each division will automatically qualify for the ASUN tournament. They will be joined by four at-large participants with selection and seeding done by the ASUN office, in conjunction with the same process currently employed by the NCAA.
 
Thus, the regular season finale against division foes North Florida, Mercer and Jacksonville will play a large role in who gets postseason berths.
 
FOLLOW ALONG
For up-to-the minute information and a behind-the-scenes look at the FGCU beach volleyball program, follow on Twitter at @FGCU_BeachVB, on Facebook at /FGCUVolleyball and on Instagram at @FGCU_BeachVB.

COACH BOTSFORD 
Head coach Matt Botsford, who is also the head coach of the FGCU indoor volleyball program, is in his sixth season at the helm of the FGCU beach volleyball program in 2019. He has compiled a 49-35 record over the past three-plus seasons (55-64 overall) while improving or steadying the team's win total each season. In fact, he led the program to 11 wins in 2016, 15 in 2017 and 15 more in 2018 - all three of which either tied or set new records for most wins in a season. The beach volleyball program is in just its eighth season in 2019 and has an overall record of 66-79. Prior to his time in Southwest Florida, Botsford held successful stints as an assistant at Notre Dame, Miami, IUPUI, Indianapolis and most recently Colorado State. A former professional volleyball player, he is a 1998 graduate of Tri-State University (now Trine), where he earned a degree in Social Studies Education. He earned a master's degree in Business Administration from the University of Indianapolis.

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.

#FEEDFGCU
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 raise awareness.
 
ABOUT FGCU
FGCU teams have combined to win an incredible 75 conference regular season and tournament titles in just 11+ seasons at the Division-I level. Additionally, in just seven+ seasons of D-I postseason eligibility, the Eagles have had a combined 35 teams or individuals compete in NCAA championships. Seven FGCU programs have earned a top-25 national ranking in their respective sport – including both men's and women's soccer again in 2018. In 2016-17, the Green and Blue posted a department-best 6th-place finish in the DI-AAA Learfield Directors' Cup and top-100 showing nationally, ahead of several Power-5 and FBS institutions. FGCU also collectively earned a record 3.35 GPA in the classroom in the Spring, 2018 and had an ASUN Conference and State of Florida best five teams earn the NCAA's Public Recognition Award for their Academic Progress Rate in their sport.  The Eagles also served an all-time high 7,200 volunteer hours – being recognized as one of two runners-up for the inaugural NACDA Community Service Award presented by the Fiesta Bowl.