> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.bayareaexaminer.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # The Fletch Report: December 11th, 2023 - URL: https://www.bayareaexaminer.com/the-fletch-report-december-11th-2023/ - Published: 2023-12-11T11:00:22.000Z - Updated: 2023-12-11T11:00:22.000Z - Description: Your Weekly Newsletter Recapping USF Olympic Sports - Author: Collin Sherwin - Tags: #Migrated-1792597384348, #Import 2026-10-21 15:44 ``` 909 Words 3 Minutes, 49 Seconds of reading ``` Welcome back to a brand new edition of The Fletch Report, your go-to weekly newsletter dedicated to bringing you the latest on University of South Florida's Olympic Sports. In this concise and informative newsletter, we'll dive into the highlights of the previous week's athletic events and matches, while also offering a glimpse of what's on the horizon. [Subscribe](#/portal/signup) ### USF Weekly Honors Conference Honors will probably move very slowly as we approach a quiet, basketball only part of the athletics calendar: - Evelien Lutje Schipholt was named to AAC Honor Roll for women’s basketball. ### USF Women’s Basketball: Sammie’s Back **Four Hundred and Five:** USF women’s basketball, enthralled by the return of Sammie Puisis for the first time this season, put on a clinic against Gardner-Webb, winning 105-75 on Sunday afternoon. Sammie, in her first start back while recovering from an injury, went for 21 points on the match. She was bested by her teammate Vittoria Blasigh, who went for a career high 31 points. Marina Asensio went for a career best 16 points and 7 assists in extended action for the sophomore. USF held a strong rebounding advantage, 44-30, and held as many as a 31 point lead midway through the 3rd quarter in an offensive dominant showcase. Both teams combined for 12 three pointers made during the contest. The victory was a milestone for Coach Jose Fernandez, who has now notched 450 wins while leading USF women’s basketball program. **Look Ahead**: USF women’s basketball will face their toughest match of the year so far, welcoming top 5 NC State to the Yuengling Center on Saturday at 7 p.m. ### USF Men’s Basketball: Stunned the Noles **Orange Classic:** In a resounding way, USF found the right side of the score sheet in a tough match up against in state foe Florida State. At the Orange Bowl Basketball Classic, USF stunned FSU 88-72, in a game that was not as close as the score shows. Entering Sunrise Arena, USF was on a three game skid, but took a wire-to-wire victory over a major program thanks to a game-high 20 points by returning star Selton Miguel. Jose Placer and Kasean Pryor hit 3s in the opening minutes for the Bulls to break open a massive 8-0 run, where USF did not come close to trailing after FSU closed the gap to 8-7\. Chris Youngblood had another productive game, getting 18 points in 24 minutes of action. USF’s defense forced 16 turnovers, and the Bulls were even with FSU on the boards with 41 a piece. Poor free throw shooting and 3%age haunted the Noles, while USF enjoyed a 75% rate at the FT line. A once stout FSU defense, who entered the game holding teams to 25% from three, were shocked by USF hitting 53% on the game. **Look Ahead:** USF will welcome two teams this week in a return to normal action (without going through 5+ days without games). First up will be Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Tuesday at 7 p.m. followed by Loyola Chicago on Saturday at 4 p.m. ### USF Volleyball: Historical End **Elite Dominance:** USF volleyball faced Georgia Southern in an elite 8 match up at the NIVC with a trip to the final four on the line. USF dominated the match, winning 3-0 and secured a trip to El Paso for a semifinal match against UTEP. Against the Eagles, USF got out to a fast start, leading 13-9 thanks to another stellar game from Maria Clara Andrade, who went for a game high 22 kills and 12 digs for a double-double. The Bulls secured the first set 25-22 when Andrade got her 9th kill thus far in the match, more than the Georgia Southern team combined. The second set was pure dominance, USF won 25-12, and during that Caroline Dykes notched her 3,000 career assist, as she went for added 37 assists on the match. The third set saw the Eagles battle to tie the set at 24, but Tizi Puljiz got a block and a kill to end the set at 26-24, giving USF the match point and send the Bulls to the Fab 4. **A Historical Close:** USF traveled to El Paso to take on UTEP in the Fab 4 of the NIVC, with a chance to take on Wichita State in the finals and cement the 2023 season as one of the best turnarounds in school history. However, the Miners’ played spoiler and defeated USF 3-0. Buse Hazan lead the Bulls with 11 kills and had two aces of her own, but UTEP’s firepower was too much for the Bulls to keep up with. UTEP took the first set easily 14-25\. The second set saw the Bulls close to being able to tie the match, but the Miners’ came away to steal it and won 24-26. The young Bulls team couldn’t find an extra gear, and the third set was over before you blinked with UTEP winning 13-25 and clinching the match against USF. Despite the loss, USF’s 2023 volleyball season is one for the record books: - Most wins (22) since 2002. - First post-season tournament since 2018 (NIVC). - First AAC All-Conference First Team selection since 2020. The team is also extremely young, with only three seniors, one would expect USF to return most of their talent looking to build off this momentum in the 2024 season.