It's a football season of great expectations, a chance to build upon a volleyball postseason run, a new head coach for women's soccer, a challenging slate for men's soccer, a highly anticipated return to the deafening Yuengling Center atmosphere for men's basketball and a women's basketball season that will culminate with USF hosting the 2025 Women's Final Four.
The University of South Florida athletic department is on the brink of a busy and notable fall season. Here's a look at 12 things — USF's Dandy Dozen — that are can't-miss events for Bulls fans right up until we turn the calendar to 2025.
Get your tickets for these exciting events by calling 1-800-GoBulls or visiting USFBullsTix.com.
New Era For Women's Soccer
For the first time since 2006, USF women's soccer will not be coached by Denise Schilte-Brown, who ended her highly successful 17-season tenure to become head coach of the new USL Super League franchise, the Tampa Bay Sun. There shouldn't be a huge culture change — her husband and longtime USF associate head coach Chris Brown is the new head coach — and there won't be a drop-off in expectations, either. In the most challenging season-opener in program history, the Bulls will welcome defending national champion Florida State to Corbett Stadium (Thursday, Aug. 15). The Seminoles (22-0-1 last season) captured the fourth national championship in program history (2014, 2018, 2021, 2023) by defeating Stanford 5-1 in the final. The Bulls are 0-11-1 all-time against FSU, although seven matches were decided by one goal, including two meetings in the NCAA Tournament.
Noisy Night For Men's Soccer
Coach Bob Butehorn's USF men's soccer team opens with a quality non-conference opponent when the Seattle Redhawks visit Corbett Stadium (Thursday, Aug. 22). Noise is encouraged: It's Vuvuzela Giveaway Night. Seattle, a perennial power, had one of its best seasons in 2023 with a 12-4-3 mark and a program-best No. 9 national ranking. It's a rematch of last season's USF trip to the Pacific Northwest, when the Bulls fell 2-0 in a tightly contested match. The Bulls return their leading scorer, first-team All-AAC player Jalen Anderson, along with midfielder Pedro Faife, a member of the AAC's All-Rookie Team.
Marquee Volleyball Matchup: ACC vs. AAC
Coach Jolene Shepardson's volleyball team, coming off a 22-12 season and a Fab Four appearance at the National Invitational Volleyball Championship, has a marquee home matchup in the South Florida Invitational against the NC State Wolfpack (Saturday, Sept. 14), an ACC powerhouse that finished 22-7 last season and returns two All-Region players (outside hitters Ava Brizard and Amanda Rice). Shepardson's Bulls, which won last season's AAC East Division title, also have road matches against the Florida State Seminoles and Florida Gators to provide a rugged tune-up before conference play commences. Expect returning setter Caroline Dykes to add stability to the USF lineup.
Hurricanes Roll Into Tampa
Coach Alex Golesh's football team has a marquee non-conference game on Saturday, Sept. 21 when the Miami Hurricanes visit Raymond James Stadium. It's USF's first meeting with UM since 2013. The Bulls hold a victory against the Hurricanes (23-20 overtime in 2010) but are seeking their first home win against the storied program that has won five national championships. Bulls quarterback Byrum Brown will face one of his counterparts that's also appears on numerous national award watch lists. UM's new quarterback is expected to be Cam Ward, a transfer from Washington State who accounted for 6,963 yards and 48 touchdowns in two seasons with the Cougars. Ward, selected as the ACC's preseason player of the year, will inherit a top receiver in Xavier Restrepo, who had 85 catches for 1,092 yards and six touchdowns for the Hurricanes, who were picked third (with 17 first-place votes) in the ACC Preseason Poll. He joined the Bulls' Sean Atkins (92 catches, 1,050 yards in 2023) on the Biletnikoff Award Watch List.
Friday Night Lights: Memphis at USF
In a showcase game that could have plenty to say about who wins the AAC title, the Bulls will host the Memphis Tigers at Ray Jay (Friday, Oct. 11) in an ESPN primetime showcase. Memphis was voted first in the AAC Preseason Media Poll, receiving 23 of the 30 first-place votes. USF was voted fourth. It's a matchup of two of the nation's best quarterbacks — USF's Byrum Brown against Memphis' Seth Henigan – both of whom appear on numerous national award watch lists. USF fell last season at Memphis in an offensive shootout (59-50) that featured plenty of fireworks (including Brown passing for 357 yards and a school-record tying five touchdowns) and a combined 1,163 yards of offense.
Homecoming: A Time To Break Ground
USF football's Homecoming game is against former Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback (1994-99) and current UAB Head Coach Trent Dilfer's Blazers (Saturday, Oct. 19), who are making their first trip to Tampa since 2003, when both teams were members of Conference USA. USF is seeking revenge from last season's 56-35 defeat in Birmingham, but the game isn't the Homecoming week's only attraction. Groundbreaking ceremonies are anticipated for USF's $340-million on-campus stadium and football operations center, which are scheduled to open in the 2027 season. It's mostly a ceremonial photo opportunity, but it still stands as one of the most significant moments in USF's football history, adding even more of a celebratory atmosphere to Homecoming Week.
Athletic Hall of Fame Inducts Four
The USF Athletic Hall of Fame will induct four new members — baseball coach Eddie Cardieri (1986-2006), men's soccer forward Jeff Cunningham (1994-97), football quarterback Matt Grothe (2005-09) and men's golf standout Chase Koepka (2012-16) — this fall. USF's Hall of Fame will swell to 38 individuals and one team after inducting the winningest baseball coach in USF history, a Major League Soccer All-Star, a beloved Bay area quarterback who led the Bulls to a No. 2 national ranking and the first student-athlete from men's golf to enter the Hall of Fame. The 2024 Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be held on Friday, Nov. 8 at the Muma Basketball Center on the USF campus. Ticket information and details will be forthcoming.
High-Profile Opener For Men's Basketball
USF men's basketball opens its season in style by taking on the Florida Gators in the Jacksonville Sports Foundation Invitational (Monday, Nov. 4) at VyStar Veterans Area in Jacksonville. UF leads the series 19-5 and USF is seeking its first win against the Gators since 1995. In the second year under Coach Todd Golden, the Gators won 24 games last season (UF's highest total since 2016-17) and averaged a program-record 85.7 points per game. Coach Amir Abdur-Rahim's Bulls return three starters from last season's 25-8 AAC regular-season champions, including Kobe Knox (who started all 33 games) and point guard Jayden Reid, a member of the AAC All-Freshman Team.
Raise The Banner!
When the USF men's basketball team opens its home season against Arkansas-Pine Bluff (Tuesday, Nov. 12) at the Yuengling Center, fans can celebrate the 2024 AAC regular-season championship as the banner is hung in the arena's rafters. The Golden Lions (13-18 last season) were defeated by USF at the Yuengling Center on Dec. 12, 2023, with the Bulls putting six players in double figures (including Knox with 18 points and Reid with 16). That effort began a 13-game home-court winning streak last season for the Bulls.
Women's Basketball Challenges SEC Opponent
Coach Jose Fernandez, beginning his 25th season with USF women's basketball, has never been afraid of a challenge. The Bulls will take on the SEC's Vanderbilt Commodores (Thursday, Nov. 14) at the Yuengling Center. The Bulls are 0-3 all-time against Vanderbilt (23-10 last season), but Fernandez holds victories against nine different SEC programs (Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, LSU, Ole Miss, Mississippi State and Texas A&M). The Bulls return 3-point sharpshooter Sammie Puisis, the 2023 AAC Newcomer of the Year, and Vittoria Blasigh, the 2024 AAC Freshman of the Year, along with last season's leading scorer, Romi Levy (14.7 points per game).
Bulls, Cardinals Tangle At Disney
USF women's basketball has competed against the Louisville Cardinals when the programs shared three difference conference homes (Conference USA, Big East, AAC). The Bulls also hosted Louisville in the 2015 NCAA Tournament second round at the Yuengling Center. Now USF and Louisville, a perennial power in the ACC (24-10 last season), will tangle in a special matchup (Sunday, Nov. 24) at Disney's Wide World of Sports.
Duke Visits Tampa For The Holidays
In a holiday treat, the Duke Blue Devils, coached by Olympic gold medalist and WNBA champion Kara Lawson, will visit the Yuengling Center to take on Jose Fernandez's women's basketball team (Saturday, Dec. 21). USF is 0-3 against Duke (22-12 last season) and the last meeting was Nov. 15, 2007 as part of a season-opening double-header at Amalie Arena with Tampa preparing to host its first Women's Final Four. In April 2025, USF will be the host school for Tampa's fourth Women's Final Four, also at Amalie Arena (April 3-6).
–#GoBulls–
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