JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - North Florida volleyball opens the 2024 season with the North Florida Invite as it hosts Mercer, Quinnipiac and Rhode Island Friday, Aug. 30 and Saturday, Aug. 31.

All matches, including neutral site contests not involving UNF, will be streamed and available on ESPN+.

North Florida returns 11 letterwinners to a team that was selected to finish fifth in the ASUN Preseason Poll.

TOURNEY DETAILS

• Who | North Florida, Mercer, Quinnipiac, Rhode Island
• What | North Florida Invite
• When | Friday, Aug. 30 and Saturday, Aug. 31
• Where | UNF Arena

Live Coverage

• Live Stats - unfospreys.com
• ESPN+

Last Time Out
FORT MYERS, Fla. - North Florida (17-15) had second-seeded Lipscomb (21-7) on the ropes, but the Bisons were able to stave off UNF's match point in the fourth as the Ospreys bowed out of the Atlantic Sun Championship Semifinals in a five-set heartbreaker Friday, Nov. 17. 

Maddie Boyd tied the UNF DI era single game blocks record with 12, while Kailey McKnight had a game-high 17 kills.

Newcomers

• North Florida's roster features seven newcomers
• UNF's roster features four true freshmen including Dakota Skye-Spurrier, Kamila Mieles, Madison Hammermeister and Kacey Kazmierski
• A few upperclassmen transfers in Jacqueline Arrington, Ella Bines and Jexsamarie Perez have joined the roster. 

Returners

• Head coach Kristen Wright enters her seventh season leading the Ospreys
• She is knocking at the door on 100 wins, tallying 90 in her time in Jacksonville
• Outside hitter Kailey McKnight was named to the ASUN Preseason squad
• Joining McKnight as returning upperclassmen are Kierstyn McFall, Kyla Solis, Janelly Ceopa, Mackenzie Piester, Anna Butler, Annie Antar, Rylee Moorhead, Amy Burkhardt and Maymie Guthrie
• McFall returns after posting 248 kills and 47 blocks in 122 sets last year

Scouting

Rhode Island

• The Rams went 4-26 a year ago and 1-17 in league play
• Rhode Island freshman Madi Disu was named to the 2023 Atlantic 10 All-Rookie Team a year ago
• Ryan Sullivan is in his first season as the head coach at Rhode Island after joining staff July 1

Quinnipiac

• Quinnpiac tallied a 19-10 record last year, performing well in the MAAC with a 14-4 league record
• The Bobcats advanced to the MAAC title match last year before falling to Fairfield in four sets
• Outside hitter Ginevra Giovagnoni was named MAAC Preseason Player of the Year

Mercer

• The Bears had a solid season last year, going 16-12 and 12-4 in league play
• Mercer is a long-time rival of the Ospreys, having been in the Atlantic Sun for over a decade
• The Bears were tabbed to finish third in the preseason poll for the SoCon
• Middle blocker Skyler Bumpers was named to the Preseason All-Conference Team
• FSU transfer Skye Ekes joined Mercer ahead of the 2024 campaign