After starting the season 2–2 on a road stretch featuring learning moments and growing pains, Texas volleyball returns to Gregory Gymnasium in Austin to play their home opener against the No. 15 University of Southern California Trojans.
This will be the first matchup between the Longhorns and Trojans since Texas eliminated USC from the NCAA tournament 3-0 in December 6, 2024. Texas holds a 4–2 advantage over USC in terms of historical battles between the programs, winning the previous three matchups dating back to 2008.
In their six contests, the Longhorns have won 14 of 21 sets between the two teams. USC has yet to win in Austin, going 0–2 since 2019.
Texas has been dominant at home in recent seasons. The Longhorns boast a 37–8 home record over the past three seasons, including a 13–2 record at home in the 2025 season, with losses against No. 3 Kentucky and No. 5 Wisconsin. Texas hopes to get off to a similarly dominant start at home this season.
USC rolls into town 1–1 with a win against No. 12 Arizona State and a loss against No. 10 Creighton this past weekend at the State Farm Women’s Volleyball Showcase. USC started the season ranked No. 20, but following their opening weekend performances, they have jumped up in the latest poll to No. 15. USC continues their season in Austin in hopes of returning to the national tournament, where they were eliminated by California Polytechnic State University in the Sweet Sixteen.
Texas tinkered with its personnel against Nebraska, but the team has a few days before their home opener to iron out the new rotation following sophomore outside hitter Abby Vander Wal’s season-ending injury.
“We’ll keep working on the areas that we see where we get exploited and making sure that we do a good job,” head coach Jerritt Elliott said in a post game press conference following the game against Nebraska. “We’ve got a lot of learning to do.”
The game against USC will give fans a look at what the team will look like going forward.
Senior setter Ella Swindle saw the court for the first time this season against Nebraska, playing in two sets in the loss. Freshman libero Emma Cugino made her second appearance of the season, playing in all three sets for Texas after appearing in just one set against Marquette.
Texas needs to find more consistency against USC. Texas had stretches of nice play against Nebraska, but large Nebraska runs led to a resounding Texas loss.
“I thought our team came out tonight and played steady,” Elliott said. “We just could not sustain it for long enough periods of time.”
If Texas can show out against USC, it could start to rebuild confidence while looking down a tough stretch of games. Following USC, Texas’s next five games consist of teams currently ranked No. 6, No. 8, No. 5, No. 22 and No. 3 teams. Picking up wins and gaining experience against premium competition is going to be important come tournament time.
Texas faces a battle for momentum against the No. 15 Trojans for its first appearance in Gregory Gymnasium this season on Wednesday, Sept. 2, at 8 p.m.