Texas Athletics Takes Huge Step to Support Thriving Volleyball Program

As the Texas Longhorns work to keep themselves alive in the NCAA tournament, exciting news about their program's future has been released.

Dec 17, 2022; Omaha, Nebraska, US; Texas Longhorns head coach Jerritt Elliott during the press conference after the win against the Louisville Cardinals at CHI Health Center. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images | Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images

The Texas Longhorns volleyball team officially advanced to the Elite Eight in the NCAA tournament with a decisive win over the Indiana Hoosiers on Friday.

They are set to host the Wisconsin Badgers on Sunday in the Gregory Gymnasium, hoping to use the momentum of a boisterous Longhorn crowd to propel them into the Final Four in Kansas City, Missouri. 

However, as they prepare to play in front of their home crowd one last time in 2025, the Longhorns have announced that home could look quite different in the years to come. 

New arena plans for Texas volleyball

Texas outside hitter Cari Spears (23) slams past Florida outside hitter Aniya Madkin (9) during an NCAA women’s volleyball game at Steven C. O'Connell Center Exactec arena in Gainesville, FL on Friday, November 7, 2025. [Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun] | Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

On Wednesday, the university revealed a request for proposal to seek private developers to help fund a 6,000-seat multipurpose arena that would replace Gregory Gymnasium as Texas volleyball’s host site for home games.

This new arena would take up roughly four acres in Texas’ Athletes and Entertainment District on campus. This district is located north of East MLK Jr. Boulevard between Robert Dedman Drive and Interstate 35. 

The arena would seat around 6,000 fans, which is about 2,000 more than Gregory Gymnasium holds. The new project will also contain an adjacent student-athlete housing facility, meaning that the quality of life for student athletes at Texas could improve at large. 

Longhorns President Jim Davis gave a statement about the magnitude of the project:

"It is important for us to be strategic about how we use our space and how our students and visitors engage with our campus," Davis said. "This is a unique development that will enhance the University's athletics facilities and housing portfolio and benefit students, Longhorn fans and our city for years to come. I am grateful to our Board of Regents for their support for our vision."

Why volleyball and why now?

Dec 17, 2022; Omaha, Nebraska, US; Texas Longhorns head coach Jerritt Elliott walks the sidelines against the Louisville Cardinals at CHI Health Center. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images | Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images

This new initiative would greatly impact the volleyball program’s future, making it important for the public to understand what this program means to the university.

Texas volleyball has won two of the past three national titles, making a total of five national championship appearances in the past decade. Head coach Jerritt Elliott has been with the program since 2001, cultivating an environment of strength, stability and consistency. 

While it would be at least a couple of years before the new arena would be ready to host the Longhorns, the potential surrounding the project could help bolster Texas’ already strong recruiting efforts. 

For now, their primary focus will be advancing in the NCAA tournament and continuing to reinforce the dominance of their program, but it’s worth noting that the future looks bright for the program.