SAN MARCOS – After a standout 20-win season capped by their 13th NCAA tournament appearance, the Texas State women’s volleyball team is gearing up for another promising season.
Ranked 39th in the nation according to last year’s NCAA rankings, the Lady Cats are set to kick off their season on August 24th against Lamar, a team they have never lost to at home, holding a perfect 5-0 record. As they aim to extend their dominance, Texas State is poised to build on their strong performance and pursue further success in the competitive Sun Belt Conference.
Following their matchup against Lamar, the Cats will journey to Houston, Texas, to compete in the Rice Tournament. There, they will challenge Houston Christian, Texas Southern, and Rice. Texas State enters the tournament as the likely favorite, having boasted the best record last season among the participating teams.
On September 4th, the Lady Cats will take on the UTSA Roadrunners in San Antonio. Historically, Texas State has dominated this rivalry with a commanding 24-7 record. Looking ahead to this season’s encounter, Texas State aims to uphold their winning tradition against UTSA.
Next up is a challenging matchup in College Station on September 6th against the Aggies. This game will be a significant test early in the season for the Cats. The Aggies were ranked 37th last season, two spots higher than Texas State. Historically, Texas State has struggled against the Aggies, having never beaten them with an 0-7 record. Overcoming this early-season challenge could be crucial for Texas State’s ranking.
Next, the Cats embark on a journey to the Pacific where they will participate in the Hawaii Tournament in Manoa on September 11th. During this tournament, the Cats will face Hawaii twice. This matchup is notable as Hawaii was ranked just ten spots lower than Texas State last year. Hawaii posted a better record than Texas State (23-8), but this could be attributed to the weaker competition in Hawaii’s conference, the Big West.
Additionally, these two teams have met only once before, with Hawaii emerging victorious. Oregon State will also be an opponent for the Cats in Hawaii, which should not pose a tough challenge for Texas State. Texas State is expected to be the favorite in this tournament and will aim to secure their first win against Hawaii.
Following their Pacific journey, the Cats head to the desert to compete in the UTEP Tournament from September 20-22 in El Paso, Texas. There, they will face Texas A&M Corpus Christi, UTRGV, and UTEP. Historically, the Cats have dominated Texas A&M Corpus Christi with a 13-2 record. Against UTRGV, Texas State has won eight consecutive matchups, while their series against the UTEP Miners is tied at 2-2. Similarly, Texas State is likely to be the favorite in this tournament, with UTEP being the second favorite.
After their desert excursion, the Cats will begin conference play, kicking off on September 27th at Louisiana. The Cats’ non-conference schedule is filled with tournaments across the country where they are expected to perform strongly. A matchup with the Aggies in College Station will be an important opportunity for the Cats to gain national recognition.
The Cats have lost graduate student KJ Johnson, who played a crucial role for the team last year. Johnson won the Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week and the Sun Belt Conference Newcomer of the Year awards. In addition, Johnson earned a spot on the 2023 All-Conference Second Team. Johnson led the team in kills (382) and recorded the most double doubles of any Bobcat last season. Johnson also ranked nationally among the top 100 players for kills per set (3.62) and total attacks (1,114).
The loss of Johnson will leave a significant gap for the Cats to address in the upcoming season.
Megan Woods, a senior last year, and Sophie Childs, also a senior, are two players the Cats will not have this year. Childs recorded 133 kills and contributed 41 blocks last season.
Jacqueline Lee is another absence from the Bobcats this season. Last season, Lee tallied 258 digs, the fourth most of any Bobcat, and achieved 25 service aces.
On the flip side, the team welcomes freshman Kaitlyn Davis. Davis was named First Team All-District in 2021 in Tomball ISD and earned MaxPreps Player of the Year in the same year. She also secured the District 15-6A MVP in 2023-2024 during her senior year of high school.
Another new addition is Naara Tanco from Austin, Texas. Tanco received Third Team All-American honors and was part of the All-Region Team during her senior year of high school.
With the arrivals of Davis and Tanco, the losses of key players will be mitigated.
Texas State Volleyball enters the upcoming season poised to navigate challenges posed by key departures while integrating promising new talent, aiming to build on their strong foundation and achieve success in both non-conference tournaments and conference play.
