2023 Texas Volleyball - Back to Back!

[Js1 83389]

7 hours ago, Assman said:

10 hours ago, Js1 said:

Also pure coincidence today happened after I got and wore my “back to back” sweatshirt today from barstool

Pics? All the shirts and sweatshirts I see online look sketchy

Looks like it’s gone now

 

[Steven Avery 19]

14 hours ago, TexasDPT said:

Someone on VT posted that Swindle posted on Tiktok that she has been in a boot for 3 months....so probably something more serious.

Damn, just shows how much of a baller she really is then...

If jumping bothered her then how was she able to block? Doesnt make much sense to me 

[Js1 83389]

1 minute ago, Steven Avery said:

If jumping bothered her then how was she able to block? Doesnt make much sense to me 

Pain and load management - she blocked and jousted, but she stopped jump setting.  We will see if she has to have a significant offseason surgery, but it's 8 months until the season starts. 

She's a fucking baller and a warrior - that's my freshman national champion setter.  Makes the title even sweeter - our gimpy freshman setter set her team to 3 consecutive wins versus the #3, #2 and #1 teams on the biggest stages.

I was reminded on Volley Talk that we ran a variation of a 6-2 back in 2014, with Chloe Collins in the front and Nicole Dalton in the back, and went to the Final Four (lost to BYU).  If I recall, Nicole didn't rotate into the front row, she just served, played defense and was the secondary setter for 3 rotations.  That is probably what Elliot thinks he can replicate.  Not a true 6-2 where both setters play 6 rotations, like Wisconsin, but a modified 6-2 where one of your defensive specialists is a setter and only plays backrow. 

Also that NCAA athletes are allowed a pink shirt where the season the athlete took off to have a baby doesn't count and you defer that year of eligibility.  Maybe we redshirt Whitney to get her back into games shape and then she has 2 full years to play after Rutherford graduates. 

[Rickylovesweed 14087]

9 hours ago, Js1 said:

A modified 6-2 where one of your defensive specialists is a setter and only plays backrow. 

 

I think this is almost certainly the plan with Carlson. 

Her strengths are defense and secondary setting. When you factor in Carlson's serve this is probably better than adding a true defensive specialist that might be slightly better defensively. 

Carlson's future, at this level, is not as a setter because of her size. 

Edited December 28, 2023 by Rickylovesweed

[Rickylovesweed 14087]

Comparing this year's roster to next year's roster, I think you can make the argument we are potentially better at every position other than MB. 

1) We definitely have more talent at OH with the transfer additions. Weenas should also have more chemistry with a new team/system. 

2) Swindle should be better in year 2 and healthier (hopefully). We also now have a legit backup setter in Carlson. 

3) Defensively, trading Carlson for Barnes is a wash at worst but I think Carlson is probably a little bit better when you factor in other strengths such as serving/secondary setting. 

The big question is going to be MB. We're replacing two very good and experienced MB in O'Neal and Bergmark. 

[Cairn Horn88 8088]

20 hours ago, SL Xpress said:

 

They weren't salty when they were winning every recruiting battle for the last 3 years, basically building a team from the u19 roster. 

It's amusing when a program's unfair advantages work in their favor, versus when a program's unfair advantages work in an opposing team's favor. Nebraska has dominated Wisconsin in recruiting since forever, yet Wisconsin won 4 Big 10 titles in a row, 9 straight matches, and a national championship over Nebraska and they all cry foul because Wisconsin brought in transfers. 

We used to carry our water against Nebraska in recruiting, but the last 3 years we hadn't won any real head to heads against them in high school recruiting other than Ayden Ames' recent flip. Plus Spears and Vander Wow, and possibly Taylor Harvey if we can get her, too. But 2022/2023/2024 for the most part Nebraska had first dibs on whatever high school recruiting talent they wanted. They even grabbed Kaitlyn Hord out of the portal over us a couple of years ago. 

It's so hilarious to be running circles around them in roster management, both the last two years, and apparently in the years to come as well. Akana, Caffey, and Lauenstein are sure going to make it tough for Nebraska to sell themselves as the more supportive environment. 

Some of these high school recruits, after watching the Ladies dismantle Stanford, Wisconsin and then Nebraska,  should possibly be having a change of heart and rethinking where they might want the consider going to play…..I know I would…..and we know for a fact they were watching and saw what we saw.

 

 

[Js1 83389]

Marina Crownover in the portal. Also why we needed Carlson 

[texfan11 90]

Nebraska tears all over twitter make me laugh. They argue Texas just uses the transfer portal and doesn’t have homegrown talent. Then you point out the homegrown talent and they argue Asjia is too old to be playing their poor little 18/19 year olds 😂

2 hours ago, Js1 said:

Marina Crownover in the portal. Also why we needed Carlson 

She was always so hype on the sidelines, and I’m sure that was appreciated. I hope she is successful on her future team!

[Js1 83389]

If Elliot wants to collect them all, Kentucky MB Goetzinger is in the portal. 2.58kps at a .295 clip, 75 blocks (2nd on the team). 6’4 with one year left 

[SL Xpress 7492]

3 hours ago, Js1 said:

If Elliot wants to collect them all, Kentucky MB Goetzinger is in the portal. 2.58kps at a .295 clip, 75 blocks (2nd on the team). 6’4 with one year left 

Whatever he wants to do, I'm on board with. But Leyla Blackwell out of San Diego has much better stats. I also like her better watching the two teams play. 

After Lauenstein, Rutherford, and especially Carlson, I'm just going to assume Elliott is going to get whoever he wants. 

I know no one on the team has entered the portal (other than Phillips/Heinrich for beach, and Crownover) but I have to assume after spring practices and the European tour we'll get some folks entering the June window. 

What has happened this winter portal period is crazy to me. Even with all the craziness we've seen in the past. 

[Js1 83389]

Still no Devin in the portal. Think we have to wait until midweek once the 48 hour window closes. 

Either she’s very content winning rings at Texas or she truly believes she will be given a fair shot in the spring/summer to win a pin spot. Or maybe she will focus on beach

[Js1 83389]

Cook took a transfer from Minnesota (Landfair)

[Rickylovesweed 14087]

This is gearing up for a rematch in the national championship match next year if that's the way the bracket falls. That will be a bloodbath of epic proportions. 

[SL Xpress 7492]

I love facing Nebraska in the postseason. I don't care what round we see them. It was funny watching them lose to Oregon in the Sweet 16 last year to break their Elite Eight streak, especially in part because they got stuck in a really bad rotation in set 4 after running out of subs. But it sure would have been fun to steam roll them in Omaha, too, if they could have made it there. Which we would have done. 

Losing to them sucks more, but winning against them is so much sweeter. I love that feeling. 

[Gut Wagon 8038]

Nm

Edited January 3 by Gut Wagon

[Hornbeliever 704]

I needed to get the stink of the Washington game off so was watching UT volleyball YouTubes and somehow meandered to this.  

Interesting enough take by neutral observers.  They weren’t very complimentary of Ella but very complimentary of team and Madi.

 

 

 

[Js1 83389]

Texas' 2024 class is ranked #9, which is pretty good since I think (?)MB Ames (Prosper) and libero Emerick (Austin) are the only ones on scholarship; it might actually just be Ames on scholarship.  Ames is the #3 recruit and Emerick is #33.  The class also includes setter Rella Binney from Hawaii and DS Brennan Ramirez from Waxahachie. 

But we probably have the #1 transfer portal class with Rutherford, Lauenstein and Carlson, so it evens out. 

Edited January 3 by Js1

[Js1 83389]

Uh oh, JE posted another “boom”

[SL Xpress 7492]

34 minutes ago, Js1 said:

Uh oh, JE posted another “boom”

I really do think we're getting Taylor Harvey. Could be a transfer portal person, though. 

[Js1 83389]

9 minutes ago, SL Xpress said:

I really do think we're getting Taylor Harvey. Could be a transfer portal person, though. 

Even if it’s Harvey, that’s a huge 2025 pickup. Beating Stanford for a recruit is nice 

[10SNE1 107]

Is Harvey looking to play basketball as well? I noticed she follows the Texas basketball team via instagram. 

[Js1 83389]

1 minute ago, 10SNE1 said:

Is Harvey looking to play basketball as well? I noticed she follows the Texas basketball team via instagram. 

She’d have to be on a basketball scholarship as those take priority over VB ones. Probably not though. I wouldn’t risk a player getting an ACL/knee injury that are becoming more common in basketball 

[SL Xpress 7492]

I haven't heard anything along those lines, 10SNE1. 

The thing that's been remarkable about her recruitment is the number of unofficial visits she's taken to Texas. Like 4? I don't remember ever seeing any volleyball recruit for any school take as many unofficial visits as she has to Texas. 

Her sister goes to Stanford. Like Js1 already said, beating Stanford is really tough. It would be a huge feather in our cap for recruiting purposes. Texas is for sure a goliath when it comes to volleyball recruiting, make no mistake about that. But Nebraska and Stanford are really our only peers, and historically it's been tough - but not impossible - to beat either one. 

It would be really nice. Especially since she's considered the best middle blocker in her class. 

[Js1 83389]

Queen

https://www.theplayerstribune.com/posts/asjia-oneal-texas-longhorns-ncaa-college-volleyball

 

[10SNE1 107]

https://www.instagram.com/p/C1r-KGIR0b2/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=32df9a18-6246-44c9-bccf-a0957bdaf5a9&ig_mid=CC09E5C2-F4A1-404A-B28B-EE623043FBD1

[Js1 83389]

#MBU

[10SNE1 107]

Is there not a volleyball recruiting thread in here like in the hornfans website?

[Assman 1830]

Where can I find individual player rankings by class? I tried to look Taylor up to see how she was ranked in her class and couldn't find anything.

[10SNE1 107]

https://volleytalk.proboards.com/thread/93194/recruiting-class-2025?page=58

[10SNE1 107]

https://prepdig.com/national/

 

This website only lists the top 5 and it's different than what I previously posted. 

Edited January 4 by 10SNE1
Spelling

[Js1 83389]

46 minutes ago, Assman said:

Where can I find individual player rankings by class? I tried to look Taylor up to see how she was ranked in her class and couldn't find anything.

She’s the top MB in her class but I’d wait until they rank them later. She’s 2025 anyhow 

[Texas Wahoo 3376]

Volleyball will be on ABC from now on:

 

 

[Gut Wagon 8038]

3 hours ago, Js1 said:

Queen

https://www.theplayerstribune.com/posts/asjia-oneal-texas-longhorns-ncaa-college-volleyball

 

Epic 

[SL Xpress 7492]

Ayden Ames and Taylor Harvey were both at Nebraska for their big 92k football stadium event. 

I want to thank John Cook for putting them together on that recruiting trip so they could figure out they wanted to play together...somewhere else.

Cook has been an MVP for helping Texas put together finishing touches on its championship winning program for a couple of years now. I want to thank him for creating a culture that continues to drive talented players our way. 

[Js1 83389]

Also big ups to Stanford and their abysmal home crowd. Harvey saw the Gregory and Maples crowds and the two don’t compare at all. 

[gsoda3 3194]

this 2025 class is sick

[Rickylovesweed 14087]

Elliott was the best recruiter in the country without national titles. Everyone is even in more trouble now with actual results. 

[Hawndoh 2352]

Man, I ordered my wife a volleyball championship t-shirt from shop.texassports.com on Dec 17 and it still just says "processing" and predicts Jan 18. 

You would think merchandise would be something UT can do well, but I don't know if I'm ever getting this shirt.

The estimated date of delivery has changed like six times.

[Js1 83389]

8 hours ago, Assman said:

Where can I find individual player rankings by class? I tried to look Taylor up to see how she was ranked in her class and couldn't find anything.

 

Highest ranked middle in the 2025 class for both services 

[Mittens 8027]

[Js1 83389]

Spears is 6'3
Van der Wal is 6'3
Harvey is 6'3
Gaido is 6'4

[gsoda3 3194]

27 minutes ago, Js1 said:

Spears is 6'3
Van der Wal is 6'3
Harvey is 6'3
Gaido is 6'4

which one of those are looking to be 6 rotation players?

[Js1 83389]

39 minutes ago, gsoda3 said:

which one of those are looking to be 6 rotation players?

Oh god I have no idea. I think JE has really fallen in love with the 3 little approach. And it’s worked for us 

[SL Xpress 7492]

32 minutes ago, gsoda3 said:

which one of those are looking to be 6 rotation players?

There is no pin out there with ambitions beyond college who aspires to be a 3 rotation hitter.

The only reason 3 rotation hitters are able to be as common as they are in the college game is because the rules allow for 12 substitutions per set (the libero does not count as a substitution). In international play, including the Olympics and national team tournaments, but also in professional leagues, only 6 substitutions are allowed, and they're more limited in nature. 

Only being able to play 3 rotations severely limits any aspirations beyond college, especially since international leagues limit the amount of foreign players each team can sign. It's a big reason why Skylar Fields left Texas for USC. Even though she was pretty bad defensively both of her years there, USC was willing to feature her as a 6 rotation player because she was so good offensively in ways that Texas never would have. 

It's very common for transfers to occur among top pin hitters because even though they're playing, they don't have a path towards being a 6 rotation player. 

A player like Madisen Skinner was willing to play 3 rotations last year, but it was with the understanding she'd be trained as a 6 rotation player in practice, and then after Eggleston left (even while Eggleston was on campus last year towards the end of the season) Skinner started playing all 6 rotations. 

There will be a lot of juggling going on. Also, Henley Anderson is in the class of 2026 out of Austin. She's unbelievable as a left pin, and she loves Texas. Not to mention Byrd, Helmers, and Tompkinson already on the roster, all of whom redshirted. And Kahahawai who has two years of eligibility left. Plus you have Rutherford as a one year rental, and Lauenstein who still has 2 years of eligibility left.

A lot of these players are almost certainly transferring at some point, when the rubber hits the road. I'm beyond shocked Kahahawai didn't enter the portal, but I still expect her to be in it in the spring period. Just like Parra left last year. 

Nebraska has similar issues after recruiting in cheat mode for 3 years in a row, plus adding Landfair and Beason. Jurevicius, the #6 player in the country last year, already transferred to Penn State. Lauenstein left the team last year. Kubik transferred to Tennessee. Batenhorst and Krause are having to compete with Landfair, who probably has 2 years of eligibility remaining. It's doubtful they have a 6 rotation spot open, given that Murray and Beason have two spots locked up, and they're going to want to play one of Choboy or Mauch. Rodriguez is considered one of the best liberos in the country. Choboy was the top libero recruit last year, and Mauch is the top libero recruit this year. 

First world problems. 

[SL Xpress 7492]

21 minutes ago, Js1 said:

Oh god I have no idea. I think JE has really fallen in love with the 3 little approach. And it’s worked for us 

This is Rutherford's highlight reel for 2023 put together on January 4. 

Her season long hitting percentage out of the back row wasn't all that impressive, but you can see her showing what she can do from there on a few plays in the video. It is a highlight video, of course, so you're not really seeing her when she's struggling. I will say the editor picked matches against top opponents. 

While you watch the video, just think of her and Skylar Fields being on the same high school team. Also, both she and Skinner played club together. Anyway, to call her a dynamic right side is an understatement.

 

Edited January 5 by SL Xpress

[Js1 83389]

I wanted Rutherford more than Lauenstein. She’s dynamic and we needed a terminal dynamic RS. No offense to Molly bc she’s great 

[SL Xpress 7492]

2 minutes ago, Js1 said:

I wanted Rutherford more than Lauenstein. She’s dynamic and we needed a terminal dynamic RS. No offense to Molly bc she’s great 

I wasn't a big fan of the Lauenstein pick up at first. But I wasn't a fan of bringing on Wenaas, either, and that turned out okay after not seeming to be okay for quite a bit of the year (with no knowledge of how bad it might have been if she hadn't been here). It helped immensely to have Skinner in the back row for her rotations, but it still worked regardless. 

But I'm with you. With Rutherford coming on board, I'm like, "who cares? Let's see how it pans out!" Plus Carlson? What kind of witchcraft is this?

And both Lauenstein and Carlson are outstanding servers. 

[SL Xpress 7492]

I apologize if this was posted previously, but this really is a must read from Asjia. It's long but so worth it. Right up there with Jordan Whittington's recent goodbye video. Holy crap I'm going to miss watching her play for Texas so much. Reading this makes me so proud to be a Texas volleyball fan in ways I haven't earned, but I'm grateful for nonetheless. 

https://www.theplayerstribune.com/posts/asjia-oneal-texas-longhorns-ncaa-college-volleyball

[Js1 83389]

11 minutes ago, SL Xpress said:

I apologize if this was posted previously, but this really is a must read from Asjia. It's long but so worth it. Right up there with Jordan Whittington's recent goodbye video. Holy crap I'm going to miss watching her play for Texas so much. Reading this makes me so proud to be a Texas volleyball fan in ways I haven't earned, but I'm grateful for nonetheless. 

https://www.theplayerstribune.com/posts/asjia-oneal-texas-longhorns-ncaa-college-volleyball

I posted it. I love the family environment Elliot fosters. He truly cares about the players on a personal level. I despise the hate he gets but winners get that level of hate.

Cook is undeniably a massive douchebag. Elliot has his faults but he loves his players. 

My hatred of Nebraska volleyball will drop significantly when he’s gone and someone like Busboom Kelly takes over. Cook is just unlikeable. Elliot is not. 

Edited January 5 by Js1

[pyrohornIII 4770]

Has anyone seen anything about a celebration of the team once school is back in session?  Maybe a parade or some sort of event at Moody?   I wouldn't think Gregory could handle the crowd.