USF news roundup: Volleyball goes for AAC tourney title, Lacrosse adds players
The top-seeded USF volleyball team gets a rematch with UAB to open the American Athletic Conference tournament on Friday in Wichita.
The match will be available on ESPN+ at 6 p.m.
The Bulls earned the top seed and the right to host next year’s tournament by winning the AAC’s regular-season title. It was USF’s first regular-season championship since 2002.
USF clinched that title with a three-set sweep of the Blazers in the regular-season finale at the Corral.
If South Florida defeats UAB, the Bulls will face the winner between No. 5 Tulsa and No. 4 Wichita State at 3 p.m. Saturday. USF defeated both teams this season.
The final is at 1 p.m. Sunday.
Also, USF’s Maria Clara Andrade was named the AAC’s Offensive Player of the Week for the final week.
Through six sets, Andrade had 35 kills and stretched her double-digit kill streak to 21 matches. She added two aces, two blocks, ten digs, and a team-high .516 hitting percentage. She finished the weekend with 38 points, averaging 6.33 per set.
In the Bulls' sweep over UAB, Andrade finished with a career-high .533 hitting percentage. On 30 attempts, she had 17 kills with one error.
Lacrosse team adds third signing class
As USF prepares to face its first season of competition in the spring of 2025, head coach Mindy McCord announced the addition of nine student-athletes to the roster.
The 2025 class includes one goalie, two attackers, three midfielders, one attacker/midfielder, and two defenders. They will participate in the program’s second season in the spring of 2026.
The players come from seven states: two from Colorado and Georgia and one from Maryland, New York, New Jersey, Indiana, and Virginia.
"This is a class that will be transformative for years to come,” McCord said. "The 2025 class is the first in our history that went through a complete recruiting cycle, knowing what our program is all about and having a thorough understanding of what our South Florida goals and culture are all about. That’s why it’s a top recruiting class that is built on skill, athleticism, and character.”
For a rundown on the signees, click here.
Army vs. Tulane for AAC football title
Army and Tulane will battle for the conference title on Friday, December 6, at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.
The location of the game will be determined in the final weeks of the regular season.
It's the third straight title game appearance for Tulane (9-2) while Army (9-0) is in its first year in the conference. Army has a huge non-conference game Saturday against Notre Dame at Yankee Stadium.
The championship game will be played at the home venue of the participant with the highest winning percentage in conference games. If the teams are tied in the final regular-season standings, the conference tiebreaking procedures will determine the host location. Since Army and Tulane will have not played in the regular season, then the applicable tiebreakers will hinge on the Nov. 26 College Football Playoff rankings and the results of games through Nov. 30.
Basketball: Women welcome Jacksonville, Men will face Portland
The USF women’s basketball team will try to build on its victory over UT Rio Grande when Jacksonville visits the Yuengling Center on Wednesday night.
The Bulls, 3-2, have beaten Jacksonville all 16 times the programs have played.
In the 57-45 win over Rio Grande, Inis Piper had 15 points, a career-best five steals, a season-best three blocks, and seven rebounds. Sammie Puisis led USF in scoring with 17 points.
The men will play against Portland in the opening game of the Myrtle Beach Invitational. The Pilots are 2-2 after beating Long Beach State in their last outing. Before that, they lost to Oregon 80-70 in overtime.