South Florida Bulls volleyball

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South Florida Bulls volleyball
Southflorida wordmark 2022.png
Founded1972;53 years ago (1972)
University University of South Florida
Athletic director Michael Kelly
Head coachJolene Shepardson (4th season)
Conference The American
Location Tampa, Florida
Home arena The Corral (capacity: 1,000)
Nickname Bulls
ColorsGreen and gold [1]
   
AIAW/NCAA Tournament appearance
1993, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2025
Conference tournament champion
1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1995, 1996, 2002
Conference regular season champion
1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2002, 2024

The South Florida Bulls volleyball team represents the University of South Florida in the sport of women's volleyball. The Bulls compete in the American Conference of NCAA Division I. The team plays their home games at The Corral inside the Yuengling Center on USF's campus in Tampa, Florida. They are coached by Jolene Shepardson who was hired after the 2019 season. The Bulls have reached seven NCAA women's volleyball tournaments and won a combined 19 regular season and tournament conference championships in their history, the most of any women's team at USF.

Contents

History

Like many women's sports teams in colleges across the country, the USF women's volleyball team was founded in 1972 after the passing of Title IX. The NCAA did not sponsor women's sports at the time, so the Lady Brahmans as they were known until 1987 played in the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) Small College Division (equivalent to NCAA Division II) for their first year and the AIAW Large College Division (equivalent to NCAA Division I) from 1973 until the association dissolved after the spring of 1982. [2]

The Brahmans played as independents as members of the AIAW, as well as during their first year in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). They joined USF's men's teams in the Sun Belt Conference before their 1983 season, and they won their first conference championship that year. [3]

The program was very successful in the years directly after they joined the NCAA. In the first 21 seasons after the AIAW's collapse, USF won all of their 11 regular season conference titles and seven conference tournaments, as well as making each of their seven NCAA women's volleyball tournament appearances. They have also made the National Invitational Volleyball Championship (formerly called the Women's Invitational Volleyball Championship) four times, including a quarterfinal appearance in 1994 and semifinal appearance in 2023.

In 1995 the team moved from the old USF Gymnasium, where it had called home since the team was founded in 1972, to The Corral, a volleyball-specific area within the Yuengling Center with a capacity of about 1,000. [4] The Bulls also play some home games on the main floor of the Yuengling Center (used for the men's and women's basketball teams), particularly rivalry games and games against ranked opponents.

The Bulls won their first conference title in 22 years in the 2024 season, and reached the NCAA tournament in 2025 for the first time since 2002. [3] [5]

Season-by-season results

YearConferenceGames playedRecordWin percentageConference recordHead coachPostseason
1972Independent (AIAW Small College Division)1810–8.556N/AJanie Cheatham
1973Independent (AIAW Large College Division)3220–12.625
19742315–8.652
19753019–11.633
19763216–16.500Cyndi Miranda
19774225–17.595Kathy Patrick
1978329–23.281Rich Romine
19794219–23.452Mary Beth Hood
(first 30 games; 15–15)
Hildred Deese
(final 12 games; 4–8)
19803514–21.400Hildred Deese
19813823–13–2.632
1982Independent (NCAA Division I)3517–18.486
1983 Sun Belt Conference 4222–20.5247–2
19843826–12.68413–2Debbie Richardson
19854426–18.59111–3
19864734–13.72310–0
19875029–21.58011–5
19883525–10.7149–1
19894122–19.5378–1 WIVC (first round)
19904218–24.4296–5
1991 Metro Conference 3518–17.5143–3Perry Hankins
19922715–12.5564–2
19933023–7.7676–0 NCAA (first round)
19943728–9.7575–1 NIVC (quarterfinal)
1995 Conference USA 3227–5.84411–1 NCAA (first round)
19963227–5.84413–1 NCAA (first round)
19973526–9.74315–1 NCAA (second round)
19983325–8.75813–3 NCAA (first round)
19993315–18.4557–9Nancy Mueller
20003428–6.82415–1 NCAA (first round)
20013021–9.70013–3
20023730–7.81112–1 NCAA (second round)
20033212–20.3756–7
2004299–20.3105–8Claire Lessinger
2005 Big East 264–22.1541–13
20062912–17.4147–7
20072919–10.6558–6
20083117–14.5487–7
20092818–10.6439–5
20102810–18.3576–8
20112812–16.4297–7
20123217–15.5317–8Courtney Draper
2013 American Conference 3217–15.53111–7
20143214–18.4388–12
20153211–21.3448–12
20163219–13.59410–10
20173012–18.4007–13
20183220–12.6259–9 NIVC (first round)
2019307–23.2331–15
2020146–8.4293–5Jolene Shepardson
2021317–24.2261–19
20223010–20.3334–14
20233422–12.64713–6NIVC (semifinal)
Total1714951–761–2.555330–24311 Appearances
Bold indicates tournament won
Italics indicate Conference Championship

[3]

USF Athletic Hall of Fame

Two former volleyball players are members of the University of South Florida Athletic Hall of Fame. Michelle Collier played from 1998 to 2002, owns seven school records, and has her number 10 jersey hanging from the rafters in The Corral. She was inducted in 2011. [6] Erika Berggren played from 1993–96 and was named conference player of the year twice. She was inducted in 2022. [7]

Media

Under the current American Conference TV deal, all home and in-conference away volleyball games are shown on one of the various ESPN networks or streamed live on ESPN+. [8] Live radio broadcasts of games are also available worldwide for free on the Bulls Unlimited digital radio station on TuneIn. [9]

See also

References

  1. ↑ USF Athletics Brand Guide (PDF). August 18, 2022. Retrieved August 23, 2022.
  2. ↑ Hosick, Michelle (January 28, 2011). "When equal opportunity knocks". NCAA.org. Archived from the original on 31 January 2011. Retrieved 3 February 2011.
  3. 1 2 3 "2019 USF VB Media Guide (PDF)" (PDF). USF Athletics. Retrieved 2020-12-17.
  4. ↑ "The Corral". USF Athletics. Retrieved 2020-08-31.
  5. ↑ "USF Volleyball Captures 2024 AAC Regular Season Title". USF Athletics. 2024-11-17. Retrieved 2024-11-18.
  6. ↑ "Michelle Collier (2011) - USF Athletic Hall of Fame". USF Athletics. Archived from the original on 2020-06-24. Retrieved 2020-11-14.
  7. ↑ "Erica Berggren (2022) - USF Athletic Hall of Fame". USF Athletics. Retrieved 2022-11-18.
  8. ↑ "AAC, ESPN Agree To 12-Year Media-Rights Deal Worth $1B". www.sportsbusinessjournal.com. Retrieved 2022-11-13.
  9. ↑ "Bulls Unlimited". USF Athletics. Retrieved 2022-11-18.
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