News release from Texas A&M Athletics:
BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION – The Texas A&M volleyball team opens conference play hosting No. 8 Texas in the Cotton Holdings Lone Star Showdown Friday in Reed Arena with first serve set for 6:30 p.m.
The Maroon & White concluded their non-conference slate with a pair of matches in Madison, Wisconsin last time out. A&M faced the No. 7 Badgers on the first day, falling in a three-set battle. However, they bounced back the following day with a four-set win over Troy.
The Aggies enter league play with a 9-1 record, including eight-straight wins to open the campaign which ranks as third best in program history. The group also secured a trio of victories versus 2023 NCAA Tournament teams in its hot start, sweeping both South Alabama and Texas State before downing UNI (3-1).
A&M welcomes the Longhorns to Reed Arena for the 96th meeting between the teams. Texas holds a lead in the overall record between the programs; however, the Aggies have 23 victories to their name including their most recent which was a sweep in front of the 12th Man in 2010.
The Longhorns have won the previous two national titles and play their first SEC match since joining the conference this season. Texas has a 5-3 record on the year and carries a two-match win-streak into Aggieland.
Entering conference play, the Aggies lead the NCAA in assists per set (13.97) and are second in kills per set (14.77), they also rank 17th in hitting percentage (.285), 32nd in opponent hitting percentage (.158) and 42nd in blocks per set (2.54).
Individually, A&M’s standout setter Maddie Waak continues to orchestrate the Maroon & White’s offense, holding second in the nation in assists per set (11.54). The 2023 NCAA leader in blocks per set, Ifenna Cos-Okpalla, continued her domination into this season as she ranks fifth in the country with 1.54 blocks a frame. The middle blocker duo of Morgan Perkins and Cos-Okpalla place in the top-50 nationally in hitting percentage, ranking 31st (.416) and 43rd (.403), respectively.