#5 Texas Volleyball at TCU
Texas: 21-1 (14-0) | TCU: 4-15 (3-11)
Thursday, April 1 – 1 p.m. CT | Friday, April 2 – 1 p.m. CT
Schollmaier Arena | Fort Worth, Texas
Texas in the Polls
Texas is ranked No. 5 in the 2021 AVCA Top-25 poll, the 11th-consecutive week the Longhorns have ranked in the top-five. The poll debuted on Jan. 5 with Texas at No. 2, where the Longhorns remained until a 1-1 week, including a loss to Rice and a win at then-No. 6 Baylor. Texas currently leads the Big 12 and is ranked fourth in the nation with a .325 hitting percentage. The Longhorns spent the entirety of the Fall 2020 season ranked in the top spot of the AVCA poll.
The TCU Series
Texas leads the all-time series with TCU 18-1, including an 8-1 mark in Fort Worth. The Longhorns have won the last eight matches, sweeping both 2019 contests. The programs last met on Nov. 16, 2019, with the Longhorns sweeping TCU, 25-19, 25-16, 25- 23. Skylar Fields collected nine kills and three blocks, while Logan Eggleston had seven kills, three aces, eight digs, and two blocks. Brionne Butler posted a season-high eight blocks, including three solos, and added four kills. Molly Phillips had one kill, one dig, and two blocks. Jhenna Gabriel had a match-leading 31 assists and nine digs and led the offense to a .329 hitting percentage. Sydney Petersen posted eight digs and two aces.
Most Efficient Team In The Nation
As a team in 2019, Texas hit .325 on the season, to lead the nation. That mark was also tied for fourth-best in Longhorn history, matching the percentage hit in 2012. So far during the 2020-21 season, Texas is fourth in the nation at a clip of .325. The trio of Brionne Butler and Asjia O'Neal are the top two hitters in the Big 12, while Molly Phillips is currently fourth. Butler is hitting .414, while O'Neal is at a .406 clip and Phillips is hitting .362. Logan Eggleston is hitting at a clip of .319. All four of those players rank in the top six in hitting in the Big 12.
Sharing the Wealth
With five attackers hitting at a very high level, the Longhorns have managed to create a balanced offensive attack. Setter Jhenna Gabriel has been a big part of that and leads the Big 12 and ranks 15th nationally with 11.06 assists per set. Twice this season she has set a career high with 58 assists in a match. Gabriel's 58 assists at Oklahoma on Sept. 25 are third-most in a four-set match this season.
Block Party
The Longhorns rank fourth in the nation in total blocks and second in the Big 12 Conference with a combined 214.5. Brionne Butler leads the nation with 117 total blocks, while Asjia O'Neal (82 blocks) is ranked 25th nationally and fifth in the Big 12 Conference. Butler currently leads the Big 12 conference and is 7th nationally averaging 1.56 blocks per set. O'Neal is seventh in the conference with a 1.06 blocks per set average.
Four Times for Butler & Eggleston
Logan Eggleston and Brionne Butler have each picked up Big 12 Conference weekly honors on four occasions this season. Eggleston was named Offensive Player of the Week following sweeps of Oklahoma, Kansas, Iowa State and once this spring following the March 3 win over Baylor. Butler was named Defensive Player of the Week twice in the fall after the sweeps of Oklahoma and Baylor and following the spring wins over Baylor. Additionally, Skylar Fields was named the Offensive Player of the Week after the Longhorns swept West Virginia.
2020 Fall Season Highlights
With 14-0 record in league play during the Fall season, Texas won the Big 12 Conference Championship for the fourth straight season and the 13th overall. Texas swept 10 of the 14 matches, dropping only seven sets during the season with three matches going to five sets.
Texas extended its Big 12 home winning streak to 51 straight matches after going 8-0 in conference play at the Frank Erwin Center in 2020.
Logan Eggleston opened the season on a tear, collecting three consecutive Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week (9/29, 10/6, 10/13) honors to open the campaign, while Brionne Butler twice earned Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week (9/29, 11/10) honors.
Jhenna Gabriel led the Big 12 Conference with 11.58 assists per set during the season, finishing second with 579 total assists in 50 sets played. Her .336 hitting percentage was the third-best in the NCAA during the fall, while Brionne Butler ranked fifth in the NCAA with 1.48 blocks per set and Logan Eggleston's 4.62 kills per set ranked seventh.
Home Matches at The Erwin Center
Following a pair of non-conference matches against Oklahoma held at Austin High School, Texas Volleyball has resumed playing its home matches in 2020-21 at the Frank Erwin Center, also home to Texas Men's and Women's Basketball, to provide adequate space for social distancing for teams, fans and working event staff. Texas Volleyball has not played in the Erwin Center since 1997. The Longhorns hosted three matches that year in the arena, earning wins against No. 21 UCLA (Sept. 12), No. 14 Texas A&M (Sept. 24), and No. 9 Nebraska (Oct. 17). UT also played select home volleyball matches in the Erwin Center in 1984, 1986-90, 1996 and 1997, but have never played a full season inside the arena. In 1994, it also played host to the NCAA Volleyball Championship and Semifinal matches.
