DAYTON— The No. 23-ranked Dayton volleyball team opens its journey to the 2024 NCAA Volleyball Tournament with a game against fellow Southeastern Conference team South Carolina on Thursday, December 5 at 5:30 p.m. ET.

The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ by veteran play-by-play man Mike Leslie with former Baylor Bear Hannah Sedwick as an analyst.



The Flyers in the NCAA Tournament
UD has reached the NCAA Tournament 18 times in its volleyball history, including 13 times under the direction of a head coach Tim Horsmon. He was head coach when the Flyers first entered the tournament in 2003.


Dayton has reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament 10 times, including last season after defeating Pepperdine five times. The Flyers have never advanced past the opening weekend of the postseason and are seeking their first-ever Sweet Sixteen berth.



Almodovar reigns
Dayton redshirt senior Lexie Almodovar was named Atlantic 10 Player of the Year, winning the award in back-to-back seasons for the Flyer.


The Noblesville, Indiana native is the sixth Flyer to earn multiple A-10 Player of the Year awards, joining three-time winner Jamie Peterson and two-time winners Alaina Turner, Rachel Krabacher, Lindsay Fletemier and UD Hall of Famer Faye Barhorst in exclusive club.



The difference a year makes!
While this is not an Atlantic 10 award, Junior Liana Sarkissian would have to be considered the most improved player in the league this season. Sarkissian moved from right guard to middle blocker and her numbers have increased significantly across the board.


The Greenwich, Connecticut native averaged more than one more kill per set (1.41 to 2.52), more blocks per set (0.68 to 1.14) and made a significant increase in attack average (0.224 to 0.378 ). She has also averaged 0.20 service aces per set and 52 digs this season. Sarkissian won the Atlantic 10 Player of the Week award as well as the A-10 Defensive Player of the Week award.



Miller, the maestro
senior Alyssa Miller has orchestrated one of the best offenses in the country, not just the Atlantic 10, in her final season as a Flyer. The Overland Park, Kan., native has posted a career-high 10.87 assists per set this season, good for 14th. There is space in the country. Miller also has a career-high 2.60 digs per set.


Perhaps even more impressive, Miller has the Flyers batting at a record .302 pace this season. The brand is ranked 6th in the NCAA this season.



One last attempt
Redshirt senior Alayna Yates returned to Dayton for a super senior year and delivered one of the best offensive seasons of her career. The middle blocker has batted an Atlantic 10-leading .366 this season and averaged 1.04 blocks per set.


Yates’ career attack percentage has increased to .330, ranking her eighth in Dayton volleyball history.



The best comes last
Redshirt senior Brooke Smith improved her game in her final season as a Flyer, setting career highs in kills (230), kills/set (2.40), digs (52), total blocks (67), blocks/set (0.70) and points (268) and points per set (2.79).


The Leo, Indiana native and Louisville native played eight matches with more than 10 kills this season and set a Flyer single-game record for hitting percentage in a three-set match when she had 10 kills on 12 shots without errors scored (.833) in Saint Louis. Smith also earned Atlantic 10 Player of the Week honors this season.



Exploring South Carolina
South Carolina has a 16-11 overall record after going 7-9 in the SEC this season. The Gamecocks earned an overall berth in the NCAA Tournament and boasted two top-25 wins over Florida.


Riley Whitesides is the best offensive weapon in South Carolina’s lineup, averaging 4.43 kills/set, which ranks 23rd nationally.



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