Fans can get their first look at a Texas volleyball team trying to secure its spot in the history books when UTSA visits Gregory Gym for a preseason scrimmage Saturday.
This season, the Longhorns can become just the second women’s volleyball program to win three consecutive national titles since the NCAA sanctioned the sport in 1981. Penn State won four straight from 2007 to 2010.
But Texas will enter the 2024 campaign with several new faces in the rotation as well as some notable absences, which means finding a rhythm is an early-season priority for head coach Jerritt Elliott .
“This is a completely new team, and there is a lot of work that needs to be done,” said Elliott, who has won three national titles in 23 seasons leading the Longhorns. “This is the deepest team that we've ever had, so there's a lot of culture-building that's going to have to take place in terms of my responsibility.
“I think it's my job to look at the forks in the road and where the potential problems are going to be, and I need to take care of all those. And then when we get to the tournament, we'll see how this team rolls out and plays, and we'll give it our best shot, as always.”
Here are five things to watch Saturday when the Longhorns take the court:
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Who will replace Asjia O’Neal and Bella Bergmark at middle blocker?
The All-American O’Neal left Texas as the all-time leader in total blocks, and the underrated Bergmark ranked fourth on last year’s team with 200 points. Marianna Singletary, a 6-foot-4 redshirt sophomore, looks poised to step into a bigger role, and Elliott loves the early returns on 6-4 freshman Ayden Ames , Gatorade’s national high school player of the year last season.
Ames “is phenomenal, probably the best middle I've ever had as a freshman in terms of just a complete player,” said Elliott, a stoic sort not prone to hyperbole. “She knows how to play the game, so she's putting herself in a position to earn that starting spot.”
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Which player will get the most swings opposite Madisen Skinner?
Texas has the best attacker in the nation in Skinner, a 6-2 outside hitter who earned VolleyballMag.com’s player of the year award in 2023. But who will emerge as the most reliable attacker at the other pin? Jenna Wenaas returns after ranking second on the team with 313 kills a year ago, and former Nebraska star Whitney Lauenstein joins the Longhorns after sitting out the 2023 season. But Reagan Rutherford , a two-time All-American at Kentucky, will probably see the most action across from Skinner, her former teammate with the Wildcats.
“Reagan really catches my attention every single day,” returning libero Emma Halter said. “She has amazing energy, a really strong arm and a lot of experience, so she brings a lot of good leadership to this team.”
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What role will Averi Carlson have?
A two-time All-Big 12 setter at Baylor who has started every match in her two collegiate seasons, Carlson stunned volleyball followers by transferring to Texas in the offseason. Sophomore Ella Swindle returns as one of the top setters in the nation, which means Carlson is a luxury for Elliott and the coaching staff. She’s also a standout defensive player and a strong server, which should make her an immediate member of the rotation.
Who are possible breakout candidates?
Texas boasts a plethora of veterans, which means some of the program’s younger players could use Saturday’s scrimmage as an opportunity to impress. Sydney Helmers and Jordyn Byrd , a pair of 6-4 redshirt freshman attackers and highly rated high school recruits, have seen limited action in college. Devin Kahahawai , a 6-4 junior, is another young attacker looking for a regular spot in the rotation; she had 42 kills in 33 sets last season but is still searching for consistency.
Those players could earn a spot in the rotation with a strong preseason, if not a spot in the starting lineup, Elliott said.
"There's no particular starting lineup," he said. "We're going to be mixing kids in and out, and we want to see them in different combinations with different players, and just seeing them perform. Zero decisions been made right now; we're trying to really identify work ethic, communication (and) how players are handling certain situations.”
How will Elliott handle the rotation on a deep squad?
There are 20 players on this year’s team, the most Elliott has had in his tenure at Texas. As volleyball fans know, coaches don’t roll out the six best players in any given rotation. Instead, they try to find the players whose skill sets mesh together for the best chemistry.
“I’m just excited to see a lot of different lineups and just see what combos kind of work best,” Skinner said. “I feel like this is a great time to do. Obviously, we want to win (Saturday), but this is really our only time to put a couple of people out there and see how they work together.”
Saturday's scrimmage
UTSA at Texas, 1 p.m., Gregory Gymnasium, free to the public
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Going to the free Texas volleyball scrimmage Saturday? Here are 5 things to watch
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