Standing in the way of a national title for No. 3 Texas volleyball are two teams all too familiar with some of the Longhorns’ players.
Junior outside hitter Torrey Stafford made a name for herself at Pittsburgh before deciding to transfer to Texas, and both programs now find themselves as No. 1 seeds in the tournament. Despite being on the opposite side of the bracket, a potential championship matchup may loom.
Meanwhile, for junior libero Ramsey Gary, a matchup with her former team looms even closer. This past offseason, Gary transferred from Indiana, which clinched a No. 4 seed in the tournament. Having been placed in the Austin regional, the Hoosiers may see the Longhorns in the Sweet 16 in Gregory Gym.
Outside of those potential reunions for two of its players, there are several other teams that Texas will likely have to go through as it faces a very difficult draw.
If the Longhorns beat Florida A&M in the first round, they may face No. 24 Penn State in the second. Despite the inconsistent season, the Nittany Lions still boast wins over No. 10 Wisconsin, No. 12 Creighton, No. 13 Kansas and No. 16 USC. As the defending national champion and the only ranked eight-seed, Penn State seems to be the toughest second-round matchup for any No. 1 seed.
The Longhorns’ biggest challenge of the Austin Regional, however, could come in the Elite Eight, with No. 5 Stanford and No. 10 Wisconsin sitting on the other side of the regional bracket. Although Texas has beaten both teams already, the Badgers are currently riding a nine-match win streak. The Cardinal had match points against Texas in their meeting, so it still serves as a tough task to advance to the Final Four.
The No. 1 seed that the Longhorns would potentially face in the Final Four is, fittingly, No. 2 Kentucky. The Wildcats have gotten the upper hand on the Longhorns in their two matches this year, including a comeback five-set loss for Texas in the Southeastern Conference Championship game. The Longhorns showed visible improvement against the Wildcats in their second meeting compared to the first, giving them an enticing chance to advance to a national championship.
Texas is no stranger to tough matchups, as it had the hardest strength of schedule nationally this season. That mettle will be critical in guiding the Longhorns throughout the NCAA Tournament, and they will look to lean on their experience throughout.
