The Teams: Tarleton State (11-11, 2-6 WAC) vs. UTRGV (14-6, 3-4 WAC)
Where: Stephenville, Texas
Arena: Wisdom Volleyball Gym
Time: 1 p.m. CT 
Streaming Platform: ESPN+
 
The Texans are looking to keep the Homecoming winning streak alive as they go head-to-head with UTRGV on Saturday in Wisdom Volleyball Gym. The Purple and White have taken every Homecoming match since becoming a Division l university. A competitive history between the two teams shows an overall record of 5-4 in favor of Tarleton State. 
 
Quick hits
• This is the best start for Texan Volleyball in the Division l era through 22 matches since 2021. In the 2021 season, the Purple and White finished 15-14 overall and 6-6 in conference.  
• This will be the 10th meeting between the two teams. The Vaqueros and the Texans have a long history with the first ever meeting between the team taking place in October of 1986 when the Texans took the match 2-1 at a neutral site. The next match was hosted by Tarleton State in 2001 on Sept. 9, and the Purple and White claimed their second victory over UTRGV with a 3-2 win. Seven years later, Sept. 5, 2008, the teams met again at a neutral site and the Texans swept the Vaqueros. 
• March 22, 2021, Tarleton State carried out another sweep for their second home victory over UTRGV and their fourth overall victory against the Vaqueros. The following day, the Purple and White took the match in four sets at home with a 3-1 final. In the fall 2021 season, on Oct. 9, 2021, UTRGV saw their first ever win against Tarleton State. The Vaqueros turned the tables and took the match 3-1 from the Texans at home. On Nov. 11, 2021, the Purple and White made their way to Edinburg as UTRGV hosted Tarleton Volleyball for the first time and the home team won in four sets at 3-1. 
• In the 2022 season, the Vaqueros came to Stephenville for the first meeting of the season between the two teams. On Sept. 24, 2021, the visiting team kept the 3-1 final streak going as they claimed the match in four sets. The Texans and Vaqueros closed out the regualar season with a match hosted by UTRGV on Nov. 12, 2021. Tarleton State fell in five sets, bringing the overall record between the two teams to 5-4 in favor of the Purple and White.
• Junior Allison Bryant leads the WAC with 299 kills and is tied for 18th in the nation for kills. Bryant is third in the WAC with 320.0 points. 
• Matti Theurer earned the honor of the WAC Libero of the Week on Oct. 18, 2023.
• Sophomore Emma Burke has compiled 32 aces to lead the WAC. Burke has also tallied 91.0 blocks to rank second in conference and tie for 21st in the nation.
• Sophomore Megan Hodges leads the team with 512 assists on the season. Hodges compiled 24 assists in the most recent match against UTA.
• In the match against the Mavericks, the Texans compiled 66 digs, 54 kills, 50 assists, 11.5 total blocks for their second highest match of the season and 10 aces.  
• In the 2023 season, Tarleton State has compiled 1,128 kills to lead the WAC. The Texans have ammassed 1042 assists and 135 aces the team's season high of 12 aces against UIW. The Purple and White have surpassed the 1,000 mark for digs with a grand total of 1,277 digs on the season with 8 matches remaining in the regular season. Texan Volleyball averages 14.7 digs per set. Tarleton State's defense has compiled 28 solo blocks and 257 block assists for 156.5 total blocks.
 
Notables
 
Watch list
Allison Bryant joins the Purple and White as a transfer from Palm Beach State. The junior outside hitter has quickly made her mark as a member of the team as she leads the Texans and the WAC in kills with a total of 299. Bryant's season-high comes from a five-set battle against the UIW Cardinals where she racked up 24 kills throughout the duration of the match. The Kelseyville, California, native, has compiled 10-plus kills in 18 out of 22 matches played for the Texans. She also ranks third in the WAC with 320.0 points on the season. 

In her second season with the Texans, Megan Hodges has quickly put up some impressive numbers. Leading the team with 512 assists, Hodges has made it clear she is here to compete. The setter is in second for digs with 186 on the season.

Sophomore Emma Burke is a vital part of the Texan's defense. Leading the team with 91.0 blocks and is fourth on the team with 163 kills, the returner is a consistent, key player for Tarleton. Burke also leads the Texans in service aces with 32 to lead the conference. 

Defensive specialist Matti Theurer has seen time in each set for the Texans so far this season. Leading the defensive with 355 digs, the junior averages 4.08 digs per set.

\Another notable returner is junior Grayson Schirpik. The outside hitter from Leander, Texas, is currently third  on the team with 168 kills on the season, averaging 1.95 kills per set. Schirpik also ranks fourth on the team in points with 194.0. In the 2022 season, Schirpik was a vital power for the Purple and White.

Rajini Fitzmaurice has pulled some serious weight for the Texans in recent matches. Fitzmaurice sits in second for most kills on the team with 224. The outside hitter sits in second for service aces with 21 on the season. Fitzmaurice is also in third for digs with 163 on the season, with a career high of 17 against UTSA.
    
 
 
Future upgrades coming soon
 Tarleton State is in the era of upgrades. With the groundbreaking of the new event center, Tarleton State Volleyball will part ways with the Wisdom Volleyball Gym that has been the home for the Texans since 1977. Tarleton Volleyball will move to Wisdom Gym, which has been home to Tarleton Men's and Women's Basketball since 1970, after the completion of the events center. Tarleton Volleyball will soon allow more room to accommodate fans in a familiar setting as well as give members of Texan Nation the opportunity to utilize reserved seating for future Texan Volleyball matches.
 
WAC preseason poll
 Tarleton was picked to finish 9th out of 11 in the Western Athletic Conference. With 28 points, the Texans were picked to follow up Southern Utah (34). Tarleton State will go to battle against Grand Canyon, who is projected to win the league, on Sept. 30 in Phoenix, Arizona. 
 
A record start
This is the best start for Texan Volleyball in the Division l era through 22 matches since 2021. In the 2021 season, the Texans were 11-11 through 22 matches. This is Tarleton's best start through 22 matches since they went 6-6 in conference. 

 WAC awards
Matti Theurer was named WAC Libero of the Week on Oct. 18, after seeing two new season-highs in the most recent match for the Texans.
 
 
Two-way player
Megan Hodges (S) currently leads the team in assists with 512 and assists per set with 5.89 on the season. Hodges is tied for second most digs with 186 and averages 2.14 digs per set. 
 
 
Second year stride
In her second season as a Texan, Emma Burke has been a powerhouse player for the Purple and White. In the 2022 season, Burke saw time in 28 matches but the sophomore has surpassed her numbers from the previous season with 22 matches played for Tarleton State so far. The middle blocker has compiled 163 kills in comparison to her total of 126 in the previous season. With 33 collegiate career aces, 32 coming from the 2023 season, Burke leads the WAC in service aces. The Texas, native, has tallied 38 digs on the season to top her total of 14 in the 2022 season. Burke sits at 91.0 total blocks on the season so far to surpass her 67.0 total blocks in the previous season. She has also compiled 247.0 points on the season so far in comparison to her 167.0 total previously. 
 
New year, new numbers
With several newcomers putting on the Purple and White for the first time, the newest members of Tarleton Volleyball have seen impressive numbers to greatly contribute to the team's success. Rajini Fitzmaurice comes to Tarleton State from Liberty University. In her first season for the Texans, the outside hitter has quickly become a leading force for Tarleton State compiling 224 kills for the Texans to top her career high season at Liberty of 163 in 2019. Fitzmaurice also beat her career high of 18 aces in the 2019 season. The Lake Mary, Florida, native has tallied 21 aces in her first season at Tarleton State with 8 set conference matches remaining for the Purple and White. With a 260.5 point contribution to the team, Fitzmaurice has already beaten her previous record in a season with 206.0 points in her first season at Liberty in 2019.