Florida's 2015 volleyball season — by some standards the worst one the Gators have ever had under the venerated Mary Wise — had taken a turn for the better in the NCAA Tournament. The No. 11 seed Gators staged a comeback to pry perennial thorn Florida State from their hide at home last Friday, then rallied after dropping the third and fourth sets to stave off No. 6 Wisconsin this Friday — and, in so doing, won their first five-setter in six tries in 2015.
On Saturday, No. 3 Texas loomed — but the Gators had a recent history of success in Austin to lean on, having defeated the Longhorns in regular season matches in Gregory Gym in both 2014 and 2015.