The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
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Texas State
No. 2 Volleyball preview: at Texas State
03.15.2021 | Volleyball
Texas travels for the first time this spring to face Texas State in San Marcos.
#2 Texas Volleyball at Texas State
Texas: 19-0 | Texas State: 27-6
Monday, Mar. 16 – 6 p.m. CT
Strahan Arena at the University Events Center| San Marcos, Texas
Texas in the Polls
Texas is ranked No. 2 in the 2021 AVCA Top-25 poll for the ninth-consecutive week, collecting six first-place votes. The poll debuted on Jan. 5 with Texas at No. 2, and with a 19-0 record the Longhorns have remained in that spot. Texas currently leads the Big 12 and is ranked fourth in the nation with a .331 hitting percentage. The Longhorns spent the entirety of the fall ranked in the top spot of the AVCA poll.
The Texas State Series
Texas leads the all-time series with Texas State 43-9 and holds an 18-4 advantage in San Marcos. The Longhorns and Bobcats faced off last week, with Texas cruising to a straight-sets victory, 25-19, 25-18, 25-18, at the Frank Erwin Center. Brionne Butler recorded 10 kills and led the Longhorns with a .556 hitting percentage and seven blocks, including three in the third set. Skylar Fields paced Texas with 13 kills and had a .458 hitting percentage to go along with a pair of blocks, while Logan Eggleston recorded eight kills, two blocks and three service aces. Eggleston and Naomi Cabello tallied 11 digs each, with Cabello adding two service aces, both coming on back-to-back points late in the third set. Jhenna Gabriel totaled 31 assists and three blocks, including a solo block to close out the match. Asjia O'Neal picked up six kills and two blocks, Melanie Parra collected five kills, and Sydney Peterson finished the night with seven digs.
Accolades for Eggleston & Butler
Logan Eggleston and Brionne Butler were named Big 12 Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week, respectively. Eggleston finished with a season-high 23 kills in Texas' four-set win over No. 6 Baylor. She also had five service aces and 14 digs. The offensive player of the week award is Eggleston's fourth during the 2020-21 season. Butler continued her dominant performance this season with 10 kills and nine blocks against the Bears. The defensive player of the week award is Butler's third during the 2020-21 season.
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 this season, Texas is fourth in the nation at a clip of .331. The trio of Brionne Butler, Asjia O'Neal and Molly Phillips are the top three hitters in the Big 12. Butler is hitting .429, while O'Neal is at a .414 clip and Phillips is hitting .359. Logan Eggleston is at a clip of .326. All four of those players rank in the top five 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 17th nationally with 11.14 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 sixth in the nation in total blocks and second in the Big 12 Conference. Brionne Butler leads Texas and is ranked second in the nation with 94 total blocks, with Asjia O'Neal (75 blocks) and Molly Phillips (55 blocks) also ranked in the top-100 nationally at 15th and 80th, respectively. Butler currently leads the Big 12 conference and is 11th nationally averaging 1.49 blocks per set, while O'Neal is fifth in the conference with a 1.15 blocks per set average.
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.
