The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
28-4,17-1Big 12
#1 Nebraska
33-2,19-1Big Ten
Volleyball wins back-to-back National Championships
12.17.2023 | Volleyball
The Longhorns swept No. 1 Nebraska to win the program’s second-consecutive national title.
TAMPA, Fla. – No. 5 Texas Volleyball dismantled No. 1 Nebraska, 25-22, 25-14, 25-11, to win the program's second-consecutive National Championship at Amalie Arena on Sunday afternoon.
In addition to being Texas Volleyball's second-consecutive National Championship, this is the program's fifth title all-time following the 1981 AIAW title and NCAA titles in 1988, 2012 and 2022.
The Longhorns (28-4) served the Cornhuskers off the floor, finishing with 12 service aces including the final point by senior Asjia O'Neal. O'Neal finished with a career-high five service aces, while Madisen Skinner, Ella Swindle and Keonilei Akana each had two aces apiece.
Texas held Nebraska to just an .013 hitting percentage in the match. The 47 points the Longhorns held Nebraska to are the fewest an opponent has been held to in the Championship Match since the NCAA Women's Volleyball scoring system changed from 15-point sets in 2001.
Skinner was named the 2023 Final Four Most Outstanding Player after finishing with 16 kills to go with five digs, one block and two service aces. O'Neal had a career-high five service aces, including serving match point to win the title, and added four kills and three blocks. Jenna Wenaas finished with nine kills and four blocks, while Bella Bergmark added three kills and four blocks. Swindle, just the third true freshman setter to lead her team to a National Championship and first since 2016, dished out 21 assists and had seven digs, five kills, two service aces and one block. Emma Halter finished with nine digs and six assists.
The teams traded runs throughout the first set and it remained tight until the very end with the Longhorns ending it on a 3-0 run and pulling it out 25-22. Skinner led the way with six kills, while Wenaas added three kills.
With Texas trailing 10-7 in the second set, O'Neal served an incredible 11-0 run in which she had four-straight aces to give the Longhorns an 18-10 lead. The Longhorns served tough all set and finished with seven aces to cruise to a 25-14 win.
The Longhorns closed out the sweep with a completely dominant final set, 25-11. Texas hit .481 in the set and held the Cornhuskers to a .000 hitting percentage.
Texas Volleyball becomes the ninth Longhorn program ever to win back-to-back NCAA Championships, joining Baseball (1949-50), Football (1969-70), Men's Golf (1971-72), Rowing (2021-22), Men's Swimming & Diving (multiple times), Women's Swimming & Diving (multiple times), Women's Tennis (2021-22) and Women's Track & Field (multiple times).
The University of Texas has now captured 65 national team championships (61 NCAA titles, four AIAW crowns) in school history. Today's victory marked the 10th NCAA Championship claimed by the Longhorns since the start of the 2020-21 academic calendar year (2021 Men's Swimming and Diving, 2021 Women's Tennis, 2021 Rowing, 2022 Men's Indoor Track and Field, 2022 Women's Tennis, 2022 Rowing, 2022 Men's Golf, 2022 Volleyball, 2023 Women's Outdoor Track and Field, 2023 Volleyball).
FINAL FOUR ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Emma Halter, Texas
Asjia O'Neal, Texas
Madisen Skinner, Texas
Ella Swindle, Texas
Bekka Allick, Nebraska
Merritt Beason, Nebraska
Anna Smrek, Wisconsin
Most Outstanding Player: Madisen Skinner
