The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Kansas State
No. 1 Volleyball preview: at No. 13 Kansas State
10.15.2020 | Volleyball
The Longhorns head back on the road to take on the Kansas State Wildcats.
No. 1 Texas Volleyball at No. 13 Kansas State
Texas: 6-0 | KState: 3-1
Friday, Oct. 16 – 8 p.m. CT | Saturday, Oct. 17 – 6:30 p.m. CT
Bramlage Coliseum | Manhattan, Kan.
Top-Ranked Texas
Texas is ranked No. 1 in the 2020 AVCA Top-15 poll for the third-consecutive week. The poll debuted on Sept. 30, with Texas at No. 1 and with a 6-0 record the Longhorns have remained in that spot. Texas currently leads the nation with a .342 hitting percentage and 15.68 kills per set.
3-Peat
Logan Eggleston was named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week for the third consecutive week. She becomes the first Texas Volleyball player to receive the Big 12's weekly award for offense or defense over three straight weeks. The junior continues to lead Texas and the Big 12 in kills with 5.21 per set. She totaled 30 kills and 5.0 per set in back-to-back sweeps of Iowa State while hitting .409 in the two matches. Eggleston added five service aces, five blocks and 15 digs as she has helped the Longhorns to a streak of 13-straight sets won. In addition to Eggleston's three awards, Brionne Butler earned the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week award following the two wins over Oklahoma to open the season.
The Kansas State Series
Texas leads the all-time series with Kansas State, 44-8, and holds a 20-5 advantage all-time in Manhattan. Last season, Texas swept a pair of matches over the Wildcats. In the Longhorn's last trip to Manhattan, Logan Eggleston led the way with 11 kills and 11 digs and Skylar Fields added 10 kills and four blocks.
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. Through six matches this season, Texas again leads the nation at a clip of .342. Brionne Butler leads the Longhorns with a .422 hitting percentage, followed by Molly Phillips at .404. Asjia O'Neal is hitting .361, Logan Eggleston is at a clip of .351 and Skylar Fields is at .321. All five of those players rank in the top 10 in hitting in the Big 12.
Balanced Offensive Attack
In the Sept. 25 win over Oklahoma, five Longhorns finished with double digit kills. Logan Eggleston led the Longhorns for the second-straight night, totaling 18 kills while Skylar Fields finished with 16 kills and added two blocks. Brionne Butler had 12 kills and five blocks, while Molly Phillips also had 12 kills and three blocks. Asjia O'Neal finished with 11 kills and five blocks.
Jhenna Gabriel's Career Night
In the four-set win at Oklahoma on Sept. 25, Jhenna Gabriel dished out a career-high 58 assists. She also added nine digs, three blocks and one service ace. Gabriel's previous career high of 54 came in the NCAA Regional Semifinal against UC Santa Barbara.
Home Matches at Frank Erwin Center
Texas Volleyball is playing its home matches in 2020 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.
2019 Attendance Notes
Texas Volleyball set a home attendance record in 2019 with an average of 3,873 fans per match. The previous mark was 3,780 which was set in 2013 following the Longhorns' 2012 National Championship. The 3,873 is also a huge improvement from the 2018 season which saw an average of 3,313. Gregory Gym sold out on eight occasions, including multiple matches that were sold out weeks in advance. Against Texas A&M, Gregory Gym saw 4,328 fans in attendance, the eighth most in Gregory's current configuration.
