AUSTIN (KXAN) — Texas volleyball has ended the past two seasons at the top of the sport, hoisting national championship trophies after dominating performances in the title game in 2022 and 2023.
Although they lost some heavy hitters due to graduation, such as Asjia O’Neal and Molly Phillips, the team still has plenty of big-time talent.
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The headliner of the roster is senior Madisen Skinner, the 2023 Big 12 Female Athlete of the Year and was also named the Final Four’s Most Outstanding Player.
Skinner, a Kentucky transfer, also has earned the distinction of being named to the All-SEC team twice in her days as a Wildcat. This season marks her return to the conference.
Head coach Jerritt Elliott stresses that even though there are many talented players on the team, there’s plenty of work to be done in this early part of the season.
“This is a completely new team, and there is a lot of work that needs to be done, this is the deepest team that we’ve ever had,” Elliott said. “There’s a lot of culture building that has to take place in terms of my responsibility so, I think it’s my job to look out in the forks of the road at where the potential problems are going to be.”
One area Texas doesn’t see becoming a problem is focus, as the Longhorns are not worried about the pressure or expectations that come with being back-to-back champions.
“I mean everyone’s like, ‘three-peat, got to get another one,’ and for us is just taking it one day at a time, trusting the process, and it’s worked out well so far for us up to this point so, just going to keep the same routine,” Skinner said.
“I don’t think it’s (back-to-back titles) is pressure, I think it’s a big driver,” junior Emma Halter said. “I don’t know, you’ve got your foot on the gas and you’re ready to go, you’ve accomplished something and it makes you want it even more the next year.”
If the Longhorns win it all again this season, they’ll be the first program to win more than two straight since Penn State in 2009. The Nittany Lions ended up winning four straight.
Texas will take the court for the first time Aug. 17 when they host UTSA for an exhibition match at Gregory Gym. The match is set to begin at 1 p.m.