April is here, and Texas volleyball returned to Gregory Gymnasium for the 2025 Orange and White scrimmage.
Throughout the offseason, the team has been preparing for the fast-approaching fall season. Dealing with key departures from last year, the Longhorns look to newcomers and leaders on the team while heading into the new season.
Prior to the evening, the team competed in Houston, for the FAST Collegiate Invite. While the match serves primarily as a tune-up, head coach Jerritt Elliott emphasized the importance of the evening for both players and fans as he enters his 24th season with the Longhorns.
“It’s like our practices,” Elliott said. “It’s an opportunity to play in front of our fans and get the nerves out of playing in the gym for the first time, especially for the new players. It’s great for them to be out here and playing.”
With lineups constantly rotating, the scrimmage focused more on experimentation than competition. The coaching staff used the evening to test different combinations on the court, rotating players through various positions and responsibilities to simulate in-game situations.
“A lot of them did a lot of good things over a period of time,” Elliott said. “We were switching so much, so it’s hard to get continuity with that, but (we were able) to see different combinations.”
That adaptability and depth could prove vital as the Longhorns enter a season full of expectations. Early signs suggest the team is already forming strong bonds which has been vital to their success off-season.
“Our chemistry is really good,” Elliott said. “They’re learning a lot and learning well, and we’re able to implement certain things on a growth period. This is our time where we do a lot of growth and training.”
The vital part of why chemistry is building on the team is due to leadership from senior libero Emma Halter and junior setter Ella Swindle.
“We have great leadership in Emma and Ella,” Elliott said. “We’ve got kids that really care about each other. It’s been part of our culture for a long period of time.”
The Longhorns look to redefine their success heading into the next season as the 2022 and 2023 back-to-back national champions. Kicking off the season in Madison, Wisconsin at the Opening Spike Classic against Creighton on Aug. 29, the team will continue to use the offseason to set the tone.
As far as the rest of the spring season heading into the fall, the Longhorns head to San Antonio to play against UTSA next Friday.
