Following back-to-back national championships, Texas Volleyball looks to continue improving the program to solidify its tradition as a collegiate volleyball dynasty in the 2020s.
Building a program as successful as the University of Texas over the past few years did not happen overnight, but is the result of a systematic effort by those within the university who prioritize volleyball. The program is poised to continue its reign at the top, as evidenced by the athletic department's current obsession with the sport.
Heading into next season, Texas will look to carry on the skills of departing seniors Carissa Burns and Assia O'Neal.
O'Neal was one of the team's stars and became a first-team All-American in 2022 with nearly 200 kills in a season. It's always difficult to make up for outside accomplishments, but a strong transfer and freshman class should allow Texas to sustain the loss of O'Neal.
Texas will rely on a promising 2023 recruiting class with an emphasis on players up front. Texas was able to sign Nya Banton, the top middle blocker in the country. Additionally, O'Neal on the outside will be replaced by the tandem of Jordyn Byrd, the 2021-2022 Gatorade Volleyball Player of the Year from Florida, and Sydney Helmers, a three-time All-State selection from Kentucky. .
“Sydney is also a physical outside hitter with a great skill set. We feel she has the skills to be one of the best outside hitters in the country,” said head coach Gerrit Elliott. said. “We are excited about her range, size, athleticism and what she brings to the table.”
Texas also turned to the transfer portal to fill more immediate needs. Elliott has landed its biggest target of the transfer season in former Nebraska Cornhusker Whitney Lowenstein. Lauenstein will be a mainstay on the 2024 roster after finishing second in kills during Nebraska's 2022 campaign.
In addition to reloading their roster, the Texas Athletics continue to look for other ways to set themselves apart from other teams in the nation. At last week's Texas Athletics Town Hall, Athletic Director Chris Del Conte made headlines when he talked about Texas State's latest athletic initiatives.
“One of the things we're looking at is building a mini-Moody (center) on campus for volleyball and other activities. That's in the documents we're looking at right now,” Del. Conte said.
In just its second year of construction, the Moody Center has become one of the premier environments for college basketball and one of UT's entertainment hubs, as evidenced by its on-court results. Mini Moody will serve similar purposes as both an athletics and entertainment venue, providing Texas State with another revenue stream to funnel into student life, including athletics.
But the new arena means Texas Volleyball will say goodbye to Gregory Gym, where it has played all of its home games since 1998. The program requires private facilities, as the average audience size is approximately 4,995 people. The move for a volleyball-only arena clearly signals Texas' focus on one of the state's largest non-revenue sports and its intent to solidify Texas as a generational sports powerhouse. There is.
