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The South Florida Bulls women’s volleyball team has another opportunity to compete for an American Conference championship. However, the program must finish its regular-season schedule before confirming its postseason position. Head coach Jolene Shepardson has guided the Bulls through a challenging 2026 campaign. Despite several difficult stretches, South Florida remains firmly in the conference tournament race. The Bulls strengthened their postseason chances Sunday, November 8, with an impressive sweep of UAB. South Florida defeated the Blazers 25-22, 26-24, and 25-17 at The Corral in Tampa. The victory improved South Florida’s overall record to 8-16 and its conference record to 7-7. Additionally, the Bulls moved into seventh place in the American Conference standings. The conference tournament features the top eight teams following the regular season. Consequently, South Florida enters its final two matches in a favorable position.
Bulls Sweep UAB in Crucial Conference Match
South Florida needed a strong response following three consecutive conference losses. The Bulls delivered against UAB, using balanced offense and timely defensive plays. Addy Brus led the attack with 17 kills, four assists, two blocks, and one service ace. Meanwhile, Anne Perez contributed a career-high eight kills and two solo blocks. Iyanna Garvin added six kills and five blocks. Setter Nina Jioshvili-Ravva recorded 21 assists and 11 digs, securing her 11th double-double of the season. South Florida started the opening set with confidence. After the teams reached a 10-10 tie, the Bulls produced a 5-1 scoring run. UAB responded and eventually tied the score at 17. However, South Florida maintained its composure and secured the opening set 25-22. The second set presented a much bigger challenge. UAB raced ahead 8-1 and appeared ready to even the match.
Nevertheless, South Florida refused to surrender. The Bulls gradually erased the deficit and tied the score at 17. South Florida eventually grabbed its first lead at 25-24. The Bulls completed the comeback with a dramatic 26-24 victory. The third set belonged to South Florida from the beginning. The Bulls opened with a 7-2 run and later extended their advantage to 21-13. Brus delivered seven kills during the final set. South Florida finished the afternoon with a convincing 25-17 victory. The Bulls recorded 43 kills and six service aces during the match. More importantly, they demonstrated the determination necessary for postseason success.
How South Florida Reached the Postseason Race
The Bulls entered the 2026 season facing one of the toughest nonconference schedules in the country. Their opening 11 matches included nine opponents that reached the 2025 NCAA Tournament. That difficult schedule tested South Florida’s depth, confidence, and ability to compete against nationally recognized programs. However, Shepardson understood the importance of preparing her team for conference competition. The Bulls needed those early experiences to develop chemistry and improve their execution. South Florida eventually found success during American Conference play. One important victory came against Florida Atlantic on October 21. The Bulls fell behind two sets before producing a remarkable comeback. South Florida captured the next three sets, including a 15-13 victory in the deciding fifth set.
That comeback demonstrated the team’s ability to handle pressure. It also provided a valuable conference victory against a strong opponent. Four days later, South Florida defeated Memphis in four sets. The Bulls captured the opening two sets before Memphis responded in the third. However, South Florida regained control and finished the match with a 25-16 fourth-set victory. The Bulls then encountered another difficult stretch. Rice swept South Florida on October 30 before East Carolina won their November 1 meeting in five sets. Florida Atlantic followed with another sweep on November 4. Consequently, South Florida entered its UAB matchup needing to reverse its momentum. The Bulls responded with one of their most complete performances of the conference season. That victory kept their postseason ambitions within reach.
Shepardson Has Built a Winning Foundation
Shepardson understands what conference championships mean to South Florida volleyball. The former Bulls standout helped the program capture two conference championships during her playing career. She returned as head coach in January 2020 and began rebuilding the program’s championship expectations. In 2023, South Florida captured the American Conference East Division championship. The Bulls also reached the National Invitational Volleyball Championship semifinals. The following season brought another important accomplishment. South Florida captured the 2024 American Conference regular-season championship. Shepardson also earned conference Coach of the Year honors for her leadership. Then, in 2025, South Florida returned to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2002. Those accomplishments established a foundation for the program’s future. However, Shepardson now faces the challenge of guiding a younger, developing team through another postseason race. The Bulls have struggled with consistency throughout 2026. Nevertheless, their ability to recover from difficult losses remains encouraging.
Conference Championship Tournament Approaches
The 2026 American Conference Volleyball Championship takes place November 20-22 at Rice University’s Tudor Fieldhouse in Houston. Florida Atlantic currently leads the conference standings with an 11-3 record. Meanwhile, Tulsa, Rice, and Tulane sit close behind at 10-4. South Florida occupies seventh place with its 7-7 conference record. North Texas follows in eighth place at 6-8. The Bulls finish their regular-season schedule against Tulane and East Carolina. First, South Florida travels to New Orleans for its November 13 matchup against Tulane.
The Bulls then return home to face East Carolina on November 15. Both opponents present significant challenges. However, South Florida can improve its postseason position with strong performances. Brus must continue providing offensive leadership. Meanwhile, Garvin and Perez need to maintain their presence around the net. Jioshvili-Ravva also plays an important role in directing the offense. Her ability to distribute the ball could determine South Florida’s success against stronger conference opponents.
Bulls Have Another Opportunity to Make History
South Florida’s season has featured more adversity than recent championship campaigns. Nevertheless, the Bulls still have an opportunity to finish with a meaningful postseason run. The victory over UAB demonstrated what this team can accomplish when its offense and defense work together. Now, the challenge involves maintaining that consistency against Tulane and East Carolina. Shepardson has already helped restore South Florida volleyball to conference championship contention. Another postseason appearance would provide valuable experience for her developing roster. The Bulls understand that conference tournament success requires discipline, confidence, and timely execution. Fortunately, their recent victory showed encouraging signs in all three areas. South Florida has not completed its postseason journey. Instead, the Bulls have positioned themselves for an opportunity to continue competing. The final two regular-season matches will help determine their tournament position. From there, South Florida hopes to pursue another American Conference championship and NCAA Tournament appearance.
Author Profile
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Bradley Walker (VP) and Head of our Florida operations for NGSC Sports, bringing extensive experience across collegiate, professional, and amateur athletics. His coverage spans USF Athletics, including football, baseball, lacrosse, and softball, as well as University of Tampa baseball.
Bradley also provides coverage of minor league baseball with the Clearwater Threshers and Major League Baseball with the Tampa Bay Rays. On the national stage, he covers college football bowl games and conference championship matchups, along with premier golf events across the PGA Tour, LIV Golf, and LPGA Tour.
In addition to his reporting work, Bradley is the play-by-play announcer for Pinellas Park High School Patriots football, lending his voice and insight to Friday night lights.
He is also an active podcast host and contributor, serving as a host on The Walker Report, where he delivers in-depth sports analysis, interviews, and coverage across multiple levels of competition.
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