For Texas volleyball, the expectations don't change with the start of a new season.
The Longhorns have just one losing record since the inception of the program in 1974, and they responded to that 10-18 record in 2000 by hiring current coach Jerritt Elliott. Since then, Texas has won three national championships, reached 11 Final Fours and averaged 25.4 wins a year.
Texas Longhorns outside hitter Torrey Stafford (4) celebrates with her teammates in the first set of the Longhorns' summer scrimmage against the Rice Owls in Gregory Gymnasium, Aug. 14, 2026. (Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman)Expect more of the same from a loaded Longhorn squad that ranks No. 2 in the nation in the American Volleyball Coaches Association preseason poll. Texas went 26-4 a year ago and welcomes back plenty of experience.
Does that mean Elliott's bunch can return to the Final Four down the road in San Antonio for the first time since winning the second of back-to-back national championships in 2023? We won't know the answer until December.
But for now, here are 26 questions to ponder for the 2026 volleyball season.
MORE: Did coach Jerritt Elliott sign any players in the NCAA transfer portal?
Texas Longhorns outside hitter Torrey Stafford (4) sends the ball over the net in the third set of the Longhorns' summer scrimmage against the Rice Owls in Gregory Gymnasium, Aug. 14, 2026. (Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman)When does the Texas volleyball season start?
At 6 p.m. Saturday against Arizona State at the AVCA First Serve event in Milwaukee, Wis. And it's a tough test; the No. 12 Sun Devils are one of the seven ranked opponents for the Longhorns in eight nonconference games.
What's the biggest nonconference matchup for the Longhorns?That would be old rival Nebraska Aug. 30 at the Players Era Showcase in Las Vegas. The Cornhuskers rank No. 1 and have a score to settle with Texas.
Wait, what score?Nebraska, one of the nation's true blue-blood programs, used to compete with Texas in the Big 12 before joining the Big Ten in 2011. The Huskers hold a 33-25 series edge over Texas, but the Longhorns swept Nebraska in the last meeting between the teams in the 2023 national championship game.
Are there any Longhorns still on the team from that 2023 championship squad?Yes. Setter Ella Swindle started for the Longhorns as a freshman, and middle blocker Nya Bunton was on the squad but didn't play while drawing a redshirt.
Ella Swindle gives Texas a veteran presence at setter, then, right?Yes and no. The 6-foot-3 Swindle, now a senior, has played in 81 career matches and has 2,308 career assists. But it doesn't look like she will start in Elliott's 6-2 rotation this season.
MORE: See the best photos from the scrimmage between Texas volleyball and Rice
What's a 6-2 rotation?Basically, it's when a setter only plays on the back row and gets subbed out before moving to the front row. Essentially, it features two starting setters and allows a team to always have three attackers at the net.
Texas Longhorns setter Rella Binney (3) warms up ahead of the Longhorns' summer scrimmage against the Rice Owls in Gregory Gymnasium, Aug. 14, 2026. (Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman)Who will start at setter for Texas? Ella Swindle or someone else?
Junior Rella Binney started both preseason scrimmages, and five-star freshman Genevieve Harris rotated in as the second setter. Swindle served as the No. 3 setter. But Elliott told reporters earlier this week that his team has "three great setters," and all could play a role this season.
Why are Rella Binney and Genevieve Harris starting ahead of Ella Swindle?Swindle is an ideal setter for a 5-1 rotation - which only uses one setter - because of her size and defensive presence at the net. But Texas has four of the most talented outside hitters in the nation, and a 6-2 rotation allows each of them to get plenty of swings. Plus, Binney and Harris look especially adept at getting the ball to the Longhorns' array of hitters in transition.
Who is Rella Binney?The 5-10 junior from Hawaii enters her third season with the Longhorns and has drawn praise from her teammates and coaches alike for her game savvy and team spirit. Last season, she dished out 278 assists and tallied 106 digs while playing in 30 matches in a backup role behind Swindle.
Why does it seem like Texas always has a Hawaiian on its roster?Elliott, who once played for the University of Hawaii men's volleyball team, has always recruited Hawaii players because he likes their approach to the game as well as their emphasis on the fundamentals. Binney seems to have plenty of both, and she's the latest in a Hawaiian pipeline that includes, among others, Sydney Yogi (2008-11), Sarah Palmer (2010-14), Saige Ka'aha'aina-Torres (2021-22), Keonilei Akana (2022-24) and Devin Kahahawai (2022-25) and as well as 2028 recruit Taimane Ainu'u.
Who are those four talented outside hitters mentioned?Senior Torrey Stafford, sophomore Cari Spears, sophomore Abby Vander Wal and freshman Henley Anderson. All stand at least 6 feet, 2 inches, and all can play all six rotation.
Texas Longhorns outside hitter Abby Vander Wal (6) reaches for a ball in the third set of the Longhorns' summer scrimmage against the Rice Owls in Gregory Gymnasium, Aug. 14, 2026. (Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman)Who will lead the team in kills?
Probably Stafford, considering her pedigree. The Southern California native spent her first two seasons at Pittsburgh before transferring to Texas prior to last season. The 6-2 Stafford has earned All-American honors in each of her first three collegiate seasons and is arguably the most well-rounded outside hitter in the college game; in three seasons, she has 1,288 kills to go along with 578 digs and 88 aces. Last season, she led Texas with 516 kills and paced all of the Texas pins with a 36% attack rate.
So, can Torrey Stafford play another year after this even though she's a senior?Yes, thanks to the NCAA's new "five-for-five" rule that removes the idea of a redshirt and allows every collegiate athlete to play five seasons. But Stafford recently told the American-Statesman that she won't think about a possible fifth season until after the 2026 campaign and remains intrigued by professional opportunities in Europe.
Why does the name Cari Spears sound familiar?Volleyball fans know she's a 6-3 powerhouse who hammered 358 kills in 2025 while earning freshman All-American honors. More casual sports fans know her as the daughter of former Dallas Cowboy and ESPN football pundit Marcus Spears as well as the older sister of five-star Texas men's basketball freshman Marcus Spears Jr.
Texas Longhorns middle blocker Taylor Harvey (10) and outside hitter Cari Spears (23) celebrate a blocked spike during the volleyball game against Minnesota at Gregory Gym on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026 in Austin. (Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman)What about Abby Vander Wal?
The 6-3 Vander Wal, who had 280 kills as a freshman in 2025, enjoyed a spectacular summer alongside Texas teammates Anderson, Harris and middle blocker Taylor Harvey while helping the U.S. national team win the under-21 Pan-American Cup. She's become a better passer and a better defender, so expect to see lots more of Vander Wal on the back row and at the service line.
Is freshman Henley Anderson as good as everyone says?So far, yes. The nation's top recruit for the 2026 class, the 6-3 Dripping Springs native helped her hometown Tigers win a Class 6A state championship in high school. Based on how Elliott used her in the two preseason scrimmages, Anderson has slid right into a starting role.
OK, we've heard about Genevieve Harris and Henley Anderson. Will any other freshmen play?It's a big freshman class that also includes highly rated libero Emma Cugino and young middle blocker Camille Presley. Cugino didn't play much in the two preseason scrimmages and seems like she will serve an internship of sorts behind senior starting libero Ramsey Gary and reserve Anja Kujundzic.
What about Camille Presley?Presley is a 17-year-old Austin native who recently completed her high school classwork at Austin High and reclassified from the 2027 class to 2026. She's young but talented. And at 6 feet 3 inches, she could emerge as a valuable defensive option off the bench.
So, who starts at middle blocker?Bunton and Harvey got all the reps with the starters in the first two scrimmages, with Presley and dual-sport athlete Mackenzie Collins rotating in for depth. The 6-3 Bunton had a breakout season in 2025 with 96 kills and 61 blocks while the 6-3 Harvey earned freshman All-SEC honors after 78 kills and 46 blocks.
Texas Longhorns head coach Jerritt Elliott talks to his players ahead of the volleyball game against Minnesota at Gregory Gym on Monday, Aug. 10, 2026 in Austin. (Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman)Will Texas get more offense from its middles?
Elliott hope so, because Bunton and Harvey have to keep defenses honest in order to get the Longhorns' array of pin players free swings. That's one reason Binney and Harris are seeing the most action at setter; both excel with the quick interior sets.
What about the back row defense? Who's replacing Emma Halter?Emma Halter, a beloved fan favorite at libero who's now playing for the Indy Ignite in Major League Volleyball, is gone. But fellow Hoosier State product Ramsey Gary seems like natural replacement, since the senior had 207 digs in 30 matches as a defensive specialist a year ago. Plus, she starred in the libero jersey with Indiana before transferring to Texas prior to last season.
How many games will Texas win in the regular season?Few teams have as grueling a nonconference schedule as Texas, which faces seven ranked teams in its eight matches before starting SEC play Sept. 25 at Tennessee. A toe-stub or two seems inevitable. Plus, the SEC features a tricky road trip to No. 3 Kentucky. Let's go with a 20-3 record in the regular season.
Will Texas win the SEC?The Longhorns hadn't gone back-to-back seasons without a conference title in 20 years before finishing second in the SEC in 2025 for the second straight year. The SEC only has five ranked teams entering the season, which makes that Sept. 27 road trip to Kentucky arguably the season's biggest hurdle. If they clear that, the Longhorns will have a clear path to its first SEC title.
What about Texas A&M? Didn't the Aggies win last year's national championship?Yes, much to the chagrin of Elliott. But the No. 8 Aggies suffered some heavy graduation losses and must visit Austin Nov. 1 in the only regular-season meeting between the two rivals.
What other SEC teams could contend for a conference title?Florida (No. 17) and Tennessee (No. 22) are the other ranked teams from the SEC but keep an eye on a dangerous Georgia team led by outside hitter Bianna Muoneke, the daughter of former Texas basketball player Gabe Muoneke.
Will Texas return to the Final Four, which is in San Antonio?The Longhorns seem due, and they would grab a fearsome homecourt advantage if they could reach the Final Four Dec. 17-20 at San Antonio's Alamodome. But that's what makes nonconference games against No. 1 Nebraska, No. 6 Wisconsin, No. 7 Louisville, No. 11 SMU and No. 12 Arizona State especially important; if Texas can go, say, 4-1 against that slate, it will likely secure the team a high enough RPI at the end of the year to again serve as a regional host. If things break right, the Longhorns won't have to leave the state of Texas in the postseason in order to claim a sixth national championship.
Sign up for the Daily Briefing from the Austin American-Statesman. Start your day with the must-read headlines from Austin's most trusted news source.This article originally published at 26 questions as Texas volleyball opens 2026 season including: Will UT make the Final Four?.
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