Volleyball On SI

Three Things to Know About Texas Volleyball After First Looks

Texas volleyball has completed its preseason portion of the schedule, but what was revealed about the team, and what is head coach Jerritt Elliott planning?

Paige Durrenberger

Dec 17, 2022; Omaha, Nebraska, US; Texas Longhorns Logan Eggleston (33) attacks against the Louisville Cardinals at CHI Health Center. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 17, 2022; Omaha, Nebraska, US; Texas Longhorns Logan Eggleston (33) attacks against the Louisville Cardinals at CHI Health Center. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports / USA TODAY Sports

Coming off of two exhibition wins, one against Minnesota and one against Rice, Texas volleyball is headed to the American Volleyball Coaches Association First Serve event in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

After failing to reach the Final Four in 2025, the Longhorns are looking to open the season strong against Arizona State and Marquette, their first two official matchups of the 2026 regular season.

Increasing Depth with Middle Blockers

As the days tick down to the upcoming season, fans began getting antsy about Texas' middle blocker situation. With just redshirt junior Nya Bunton and sophomore Taylor Harvey, any injury could be detrimental to the team's hopes of a successful season.

However, head coach Jerritt Elliott was able to secure two key additions right before the scrimmages to give the Longhorns a little more wiggle room in its rotation.

Sophomore Mackenzie Collins saw ample action in both games, securing a couple of key kills while she adjusts to the collegiate volleyball stage.

Collins, who is also a member of the Texas track team, hasn't played competitive volleyball since her senior year at Shadow Creek High School in 2024. Originally recruited by reigning national champions Texas A&M, Collins will be an integral part of the Longhorns' roster, even if she isn't making consistent appearances on the court.

Freshman Camille Presley was added to the team just a day before the first exhibition game against Minnesota. At just 17 years old and standing at 6-foot-2, Presley clocked four unofficial blocks against Rice; the only question is whether she will be able to keep the freshman mistakes to a minimum while keeping up with the demanding schedule Texas has up ahead.

Even with these two additions in Elliott's back pocket, Bunton was dynamic on the court. She managed to score multiple kills in multiple sets, while also being one of Texas' most reliable blockers. Opposing teams should not underestimate Bunton at the net.

Where is Ella Swindle?

Senior setter Ella Swindle was not part of the starting lineup in either game this past week, raising questions about how often fans will see her on the court this year.

Elliott opted for junior setter Rella Binney to start both matches, leaving Swindle to cheer on the Longhorns with her teammates by the bench rather than on the court.

Against Minnesota, Swindle didn't appear until the second set, and against Rice, she had to wait until the fourth set to get some playing time.

Last year, Swindle started in 29 of the 30 matches Texas played, accumulating 53 kills, 195 digs and 955 assists.

While Swindle's absence comes as a bit of a surprise, Binney has shown her efficiency on the court, helping out her fellow stars, senior outside hitter Torrey Stafford and sophomore outside hitter Cari Spears, secure multiple solid kills against their opponents.

"Rella's a dog," Stafford said after the Rice match. "She's always been like that, even in practice, she competes in every drill."

Even with the decrease in playing time, Swindle doesn't seem fazed, cheering and yelling out chants with her teammates on the bench.

Service Errors, Service Errors And More Service Errors

Even though Texas secured both exhibition wins, 3-1 against Minnesota and 3-2 against Rice, there were some major issues at the service line.

Without official scoring, the exact number of service errors is unknown, but against Rice, the count was most definitely in the 20s.

While Stafford defended the Longhorns' serving performance, telling reporters that they were encouraged by their coaches to be on the offensive, the sheer number of errors gave the Owls several free points.

If Texas wants to be a dominant force among the top volleyball schools, it needs to clean up its mistakes before a team takes full advantage.

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Paige Durrenberger
PAIGE DURRENBERGER

Paige Durrenberger is a sports writer and Economics student at the University of Texas at Austin. She has covered golf, softball, and the Texas Stars for The Daily Texan and is also a contributing writer for 5Wins. Raised in Dallas, Texas, when Durrenberger isn’t covering sports, she’s either out running with her dog Bailey or cheering on whichever Dallas team is in season.

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