As the 2024 season advances, Texas State volleyball will kick things off on Aug. 24 with an exhibition game against Lamar University at Strahan Arena.
The team enters the game coming off a strong note with their last spring game, which resulted in a win over Texas A&M in four sets.
Sean Huiet begins his fifth season as head coach of the Bobcats and is five games shy of 100 career wins with the program. The Bobcats will push to celebrate the milestone early in the year.
Standout players:
Middle blocker Jade Defraeye proved her strengths on the court in the 2023 season earning the Sun Belt Conference (SBC) Defensive Player of the Year and leading the team with 133 blocks. This will be the French native’s junior year with much left to contribute.
Libero Alyssa Ortega will start her senior year and third season as a Bobcat with accomplishments including making the 2023 All-Sun Belt Conference Second Team. Ortega led Texas State in 2023 with 440 digs and 39 aces throughout 108 matches.
Ryan Torres, fifth-year setter, is a strong play connector on the court, assisting 813 times in the 2023 season. Torres stood out among conference setters and was recognized as the Sun Belt Setter of the Week three times last fall.
Redshirt sophomore outside hitter, Samantha Wunsch, made a clear impact on the team in 2023 after sitting out for a redshirt season in 2022. In her first year on the court, Wunsch came out with multiple conference accolades including All SBC First-Team and SBC Commissioner’s List among other titles. Eyes will be close on Wunsch this season to see what she can do in her second year of eligibility.
Key matchups:
Since joining the SBC in 2022, James Madison University (JMU) has been a difficult opponent for Texas State Volleyball. In their two-year history, the Bobcats are 1-5 against the Dukes and were eliminated from the SBC tournament by them both years.
Beating the 22nd nationally ranked team would be a signal of Texas State’s continued growth and provide positive prospects for the team reaching further into the post-season tournament.
Fans can mark their calendars for Nov. 14 and 15 where the Bobcats will face JMU in their last matches of conference play.
Gaps to be filled:
Former outside hitter K.J. Johnson graduated from the team in 2023 as the leading player in kills, with 387 for the season. Though it was her only season with the Bobcats, Johnson made an impression and was named the 2023 Sun Belt Newcomer of the Year.
With a key player missing from the court, the team will look for incoming players to fill this role in 2024. Prospective outside hitters include freshmen Mary Jane McCurdy, Caelyn Emmerling and transfer Nina Moorer.
