Developing an 18–2 record so far this season, No. 4 Texas volleyball has shown the strength of its program and the specific personnel it boasts this year.
Behind each member of their talented roster is a unique recruitment journey, one that likely started far before the start of their collegiate career and one that encapsulates what made Texas more desirable than the other programs they looked at.
Luckily for the Longhorns, their program’s historical esteem and the strength of youth volleyball in Texas means that they often get to piece together a few crucial pieces of their puzzle without looking beyond state borders.
This was the case for sophomore middle blocker Ayden Ames.
“What drew me to Texas was their winning tradition of the volleyball team,” Ames said. “It’s just so impressive to be able to go on generational runs like Texas does, and once I got on campus and got to know the coaches and the players, it completely solidified my decision.”
Ames hails from Prosper, Texas, and turned heads in high school by earning the 2023-24 Gatorade National Player of the Year award among numerous other accolades. Completing high school with 1,594 kills, 312 blocks and 96 service aces, Ames knew the Forty Acres was the logical next step in her volleyball career.
“The girls were just so inviting and welcoming,” Ames said. “The coaches really work to develop you, not just as a player, but as a person as well.”
Texas is consistently recognized as a top state for youth volleyball, and Texas clubs accounted for four of the top 10 club volleyball teams in the nation last year. One of these clubs, Texas Advantage Volleyball, was where freshman outside hitter Cari Spears spent her high school days.
“In Texas, high school volleyball is very, very competitive, and there’s a lot of amazing girls that come from Texas,” Spears said.
Spears attended Prestonwood Christian Academy in Plano, Texas, and despite the fact it’s a smaller private school, she noted the environment in high school practices was still competitive and tightly organized.
“A lot of my teammates were amazing, and they’re doing amazing now at the schools they’re at,” Spears said. “They really challenged me to get better every day.”
The freshman consistently ranked within the top five in her recruiting class nationally, and she had grown up wanting to go to Stanford. However, as the recruitment process intensified, Spears looked more closely at what each program could offer her.
“Being from Texas, I heard a lot about it, and so that’s when I would say I kind of started thinking about possibly going to Texas,” Spears said.
As both Spears and Ames mentioned, committing to Texas for them meant the opportunity to join a program with a high standard for success in a city that seemed like the right fit for them.
Now, the two join many other Texas natives who have taken the court in Gregory Gymnasium. With the dominance they have helped establish this season, only time will tell what other Longhorn legends will join this esteemed program in the future.
