Nov. 19, 2002

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Kentucky volleyball team has received the eighth seed in the 2002 Southeastern Conference Tournament in Fayetteville, Ark., and will face SEC Champion and third-ranked Florida at 2 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 22.

Kentucky finished the SEC regular season with a 6-10 record, while the Gators ended a perfect 16-0 season with a 3-0 victory over the Wildcats this past Sunday in Gainesville. UK appears in the postseason tournament for the fourth time in the last fifth seasons and the 22nd time overall in its 26-year history.

Kentucky has claimed five SEC titles in its history, second only to Florida with nine. UK’s 31-17 record in league tourney play translates to a .646 winning percentage, also second in the conference. Kentucky’s last title came in 1988 with a win in the finals over Tennessee.

Only the top-eight teams in the conference qualify for the tournament, with Mississippi State, Ole Miss and Auburn missing out on this year’s bout. The tournament opens on Friday with No. 2 South Carolina taking on No. 7 Alabama at 11:30 a.m. Sixth-seed Tennessee will look to upset third-seed and tournament-host Arkansas at 5:30 p.m. before the opening round wraps with No. 4 LSU and No. 5 Georgia squaring off at 8 p.m. All times are Eastern.