Tonight #5 Texas Volleyball (26-4) will play #3 Wisconsin (30-3) in the NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball semifinals in Tampa. Despite holding the 2022 national championship title, the Longhorns are the underdog. After Texas slipped from the top rank at the beginning of the season, #1 Wisconsin dominated until a loss to then #2 and undefeated Nebraska and in a late November rematch, was the only program to beat the Cornhuskers this year.
Texas represents the only non-#1 seed in the final four and defeated the AVCA #2 and number one seeded Stanford to advance. The NCAA ranks Wisconsin #1 in blocking defense but Texas is not far behind in the third slot, led by the #2 ranked blocker in the country, Asjia O’Neal. The Badgers also boast the #2 highest hitting percentage (0.313) whereas the Longhorns still lag at #14 (0.283). However, this offensive history didn’t prevent Texas from nearly sweeping the #1 offensive team in the nation when they upset the Cardinal last week (3-1). In fact, the Longhorns’ outside hitter Madisen Skinner ranks #6 nationally in kills per set (4.79), far above the Badger’s kill-leader at #28.
Texas will need an ensemble of effective hitters tonight to support the work of Skinner and in tandem with O’Neal’s blocking prowess, the team to play tough defense at the net and on the court to minimize the country’s number two offense. The Longhorns will also have to limit errors which helped propel them over Stanford who was marred by them. A victory over Wisconsin would land Texas in the National Championship game for the second year in a row, allowing them an opportunity to secure back-to-back titles.
