JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - North Florida volleyball enters its second weekend of the non-conference tourney slate at the UCF Challenge. After opening the year in Gainesville, UNF doesn't stray too far from home this weekend as the Ospreys take on a pair of challenging teams in Kansas State and Syracuse in Orlando.

After this weekend, UNF will have played four of its first five matches of the year against Power Five foes.

MATCH NOTES
Series History
KSU: UNF and Kansas State are meeting for the second time in program history ... the first and only meeting between the two teams was Sept. 7 of 2017 as the Ospreys dropped a 3-1 decision to the Wildcats in Atlanta ... this will be the second time the teams are meeting at a neutral location ... 
Syracuse: UNF and Syracuse are meeting for the first time in series history ... it'll be the second time this season UNF has faced an ACC team at a neutral location.

Scouting Report
KSU: Kansas State is led by long-time head coach Susie Fritz ... KSU is 3-0 after sweeping its season-opening weekend at home ... it's the first time that KSU has started the season 3-0 in eight years … returning senior Elena Baka claimed all-tournament team and MVP honors during the year-opening tournament … the Wildcats currently pace the league in blocks, aces and opponents' hitting percentage … Fritz has logged 381 career wins during her time in Manhattan ... the Wildcats went 15-13 and 6-10 in the Big 12 a year ago ... KSU's roster features seven letterwinners ... the program lost six from last year, including two starters ... KSU returns four plus its libero from last year and brings in one transfer ... UNF goes up against former ASUN rival, Syndey Bolding, who was a letterwinner at middle blocker before transferring in to Kansas State ... Aliyah Carter paced the team with 4.03 kills/set and 2.51 digs/set a year ago at outside hitter ... libero Mackenzie Morris dug out 3.96 balls per set as a junior last season.
Syracuse: Syracuse features a lot of brand new faces on the coaching staff and on the roster ... the Orange are led by first-year head coach Bakeer Ganesharatnam ... he logged well over 100 wins as the head coach of Temple prior to coming to Syracuse ... Syracuse defeated Campbell and Wofford but was swept by Charlotte ... Polina Shemanova was named to the ACC Volleyball Preseason All-Conference Team ... former Osprey Bre Walp arrived to Syracuse as a graduate transfer ... she joins Didar Ozcan and Ariana Joubert as transfers … Alyssa Bert leads the team in digs with 51 … Syracuse also welcomed two new assistant coaches to its staff ... the Orange went 17-13 last year and 6-12 in the ACC.

An Osprey Win Would…
Against KSU: Would be UNF's first-ever win against a Big 12 team.
Against Syracuse: Would make UNF 1-0 against Syracuse and give UNF a win against an ACC team for consecutive seasons.

Newcomers Making Appearances
Seven Ospreys made their UNF debuts during the weekend in Gainesville ... North Florida saw the first sets played from Jenna Zimmermann, Mahalia White, Mackenzie Piester, Alannah 
Nelson, Maymie Guthrie, Mya Sopata and Kierstyn McFall.

No. 5 Has Entered the Chat
No. 5 Mahalia White made her presence known in her first weekend of the season. The outside hitter posted 48 kills, 4.80 kills/set and 5.2 points per set as a Gators Invitational All-Tournament Team selection.

Other Notes

• Rocio Moro moved into second all-time in UNF history for digs last weekend at the Gators Invitational. Moro sits at 1,669 digs. She'll be expected to near the record later this year, which is set at 1,929. 
• Moro was selected to the ASUN Preseason All-Conference squad as ASUN Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. She's earned that honor two times in as many years.
• Solimar Cestero enters the weekend with 1,051 kills, 11th most in UNF history. She needs 33 to crack into the top 10.