Despite being the ranking back-to-back National Champions, Texas Volleyball entered the SEC in 2024 unable to secure the Conference title. A stark change from dominating the Big 12 crown for a record setting seven straight Championships prior.
Today the #5 team will face their first top-ten contest versus #8 Wisconsin in the Opening Spike Classic following a sweep of #12 Creighton on Friday night.
This year’s team contains veterans like senior standout Emma Halter (Libero) and junior Ella Swindle. Since the end of last Season, Swindle has reclaimed the starting setter position where she led the Longhorns in 2023 to their second Natty in consecutive years only to be followed by a puzzling sideline in favor of a Baylor transfer who since transferred again. Another returner, sophomore Ayden Ames (Middle Blocker) from Prosper is on the team’s starting squad.
The transfer portal has produced two starters for Texas, junior Torrey Stafford (Outside Hitter) who was the 2024 AVCA First Team All-American from Pitt and junior Ramsey Gary from Indiana. Friday night, in Stafford’s first game wearing Burnt Orange she led the team with 12 kills and a hitting efficiency of .300. Stafford was also named to the 2025 AVCA National Player of the Year Watch list in July. Gary, a Defensive Specialist, was Second Team All-Big 10 with 968 digs in two seasons and picked up 12 digs for the Longhorns in their season opening victory.
Rounding out the last of Texas’ starters, Nya Bunton (Middle Blocker) who saw minimal playing time during the 2024 season after redshirting her freshman year and Cari Spears (Outside Hitter) the 2024 Texas Gatorade Player of the Year from Frisco (Prestonwood Christian Academy). After the Longhorns finish their road-show in Wisconsin, they return to Texas to play Rice in Houston on Wednesday at 6PM and then host a classic next Sunday at Moody Center versus #6 Stanford at noon.
