No. 8 Texas Volleyball’s foray into the Southeastern Conference begins Friday against Texas A&M in College Station and while the Longhorns are back-to-back national title holders, so far their 2024 season reflects a spotty start (5-3). The two teams last met in the first round of the 2023 NCAA Division I Tournament when the Longhorns defeated the Aggies 3-1. However, it isn’t lost on any observers this will be the first time the two have met as in-conference rivals since 2011.
Thus far the Longhorns have faced four AVCA Top 25 teams in pre-conference play and Texas A&M’s schedule has included two of those ranked teams. The Aggies secured a victory over No. 22 Baylor but were swept by No. 7 Wisconsin. Among the four Top 25 teams Texas has faced in the first stretch, the Longhorns easily handled Wisconsin and Baylor but fell to No. 2 Stanford and No. 18 Minnesota.
Before the Longhorns began Big 12 Conference play one year ago, they were also 5-3 and proceeded to sail, producing a 13-match winning streak that helped propel them into the NCAA Division I Tournament to secure the crown, again. Last season Texas averaged .282 hitting efficiency with 13.4 kills/set, 12.5 assists/set, 1.7 aces/set, 2.9 blocks and 13.4 digs per set, respectively. Although it is early, their 2024 team is not significantly different, hitting at .263 with 13.3 kills per game, earning 12.5 assists/set, 1.5 aces/set, 2.2 blocks and 13.8 digs per set.
Much like the growing pains of the 2023 season, the starting roster for Texas is still in flux. There are questions swirling around the setter position despite Ella Swindle leading her team to the National Championship as a true freshman last year. Baylor portal transfer and junior Averi Carlson (S) is competing for the quarterback position and redshirt senior Reagan Rutherford (OPP) from Kentucky has been key to the team that lost veterans Asjia O’Neal and Molly Phillips upon graduation. Senior Madisen Skinner (OH) continues to lead the team in kills per game (3.9) but is slightly down from her 2023 numbers (4.8). Outside hitter and senior Jenna Wenaas has been more consistent offensively, redshirt sophomore Marianna Singletary (MB) leads the team in blocks (39) and junior libero Emma Halter tops the Longhorn chart with 13 aces.
Friday’s 6:30PM match (SECN+) will be a tough road game for the Longhorns given the storied history between the two schools, and will be quickly followed by a trip to Baton Rouge on Sunday versus the LSU Tigers at 2PM (SECN).
