This Wednesday, the No. 6 Texas volleyball team will face the TCU Horned Frogs in Fort Worth. Following the 2022 NCAA championship-winning season, outside hitter Melanie Parra entered the transfer portal and eventually landed at TCU. This Wednesday’s game will reunite Parra with her former team. 

Parra has thrived at TCU, where she has been named Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week twice and set the school four-set record with 34 kills against Texas Tech. Parra has gotten the opportunity to put her skills on display defensively as well. She has amounted 162 digs and 41 block assists this season, showing herself to be a key player for the TCU volleyball team. 

During her time at Texas, Parra gained a sizable following due to her background. She accumulated a large fanbase in Mexico because of her time playing on Mexico women’s national volleyball team. Parra is from Culiacán, a city in Sinaloa, Mexico, where she was first scouted for her skills. She received attention from the community when she was offered a spot to play on the U-18 Mexican National Team at the age of thirteen. 

Parra originally announced her commitment to Texas in 2020. Parra went on to play two seasons with the Longhorns from 2021-22. When Parra began her volleyball career at Texas, she started eight games and finished with 76 kills, 5 assists, 11 aces, 47 digs and 9 blocks. Parra was a versatile player who would rotate all six positions. As a freshman, she averaged 0.61 aces and finished fourth on the team for digs. She was known for her ability to serve efficiently and ace the ball. 

In December 2022, Parra made the decision to enter the transfer portal. When playing for a very competitive, skilled team such as the Longhorns, players must fight for playing time and spots on the starting roster. Although the reason Parra chose to transfer was never publicly confirmed, she did have significantly less playing time in 2022 compared to the 2021 season. Parra played just 45 sets in 2022, a significant difference from the 99 sets she played in 2021. 

Although she’s no longer at Texas, Parra is back to excelling on the collegiate volleyball stage. This Wednesday will be the first time Melanie Parra will play her former team as a TCU Frog.