Aug. 13, 2009

COLUMBIA, S.C. –
The first season of the new television agreement between the Southeastern Conference and ESPN kicks off this fall, and the South Carolina volleyball team will be a part of the inaugural season, hosting ESPNU along with Florida on Wed., Oct. 7, in the Volleyball Competition Facility.

The matchup between the Gators and Gamecocks starts at 7 p.m. in what will be the third telecast by ESPNU of SEC volleyball on the year and the first in primetime. Kentucky’s volleyball match at LSU on Sept. 20 will be the first broadcast of any women’s sport under the new SEC-ESPN agreement.

The broadcast marks the fourth-straight season the Gamecock volleyball program has had a televised match. Last year, the squad went 1-2 on the air, winning at home over archrival Clemson on SC ETV before falling in road matches at Florida and Tennessee.

ESPNU launched in 2005 and is currently seen in 46 million households across the country.

More television matches will be released later by the SEC offices for other platforms, which will expand the coverage of both women’s soccer and volleyball to nearly three times their previous levels.