The Teams: Tarleton State (15-14, 6-9 WAC) at Abilene Christian (11-17, 6-9 WAC)
Where: Abilene, Texas
Arena: Moody Coliseum
Time: 6 p.m. CT 
Streaming Platform: ESPN+
 
The Texans are gearing up to close out regular season play against the Wildcats for the final match within the conference. The match between the two will finalize the bracket for the WAC Tournament. The winner of the matchup will take the sixth seed and go head-to-head with UTRGV, and the losing team will take the eighth seed to take on Stephen F. Austin in the first round. Tarleton State will make their way to Orem, Utah, to compete in postseason play for the first time since becoming a Division l program. 
 
Quick hits
• Tarleton State is eighth in conference heading into the match. A 6-9 conference record going into the match secured a spot in the WAC Tournament for the Texans for the first time since becoming a Division l program.
• Matti Theurer claimed the title of WAC Libero of the Week for the second time this season on Nov. 8. She first received the award on Oct. 18 to secure the first WAC title of the season for the Texans.  
• This will mark the 57th meeting between the two programs. The Texans hosted the inaugural meeting and fell in four sets for a 3-1 final in favor of the visitors. The overall record sits at 11-45 in favor of the Wildcats. In the most recent match, Tarleton State hosted ACU and took down the Wildcats with a 3-1 result. 
• Junior Allison Bryant leads the team with 3,332 kills and 358.5 points. 
• Sophomore Emma Burke has compiled 35 aces for the Texans. She has also amassed 116.0 total blocks for the 2023 season.  
• Sophomore Megan Hodges leads the team with 691 assists on the season. She has also compiled 243 digs and 36 service aces in the 2023 campaign.
• Rajini Fitzmaurice is consistently a key player for Tarleton State. With an impressive season high of 22 kills in the match against the Redhawks, Fitzmaurice has now seen 18 matches with 10+ kills for her overall total of 318 kills for the season. The Florida, native, has compiled 21 aces for the Texans. Fitzmaurice has totaled 217 digs and 362.5 points.  
• The Purple and White have compiled some impressive numbers with 1,477 kills, averaging 13.0  kills per set. The Texans have amassed 1,354 assists, 181 aces and 1,636 digs averaging 14.4 digs per set. The Tarleton State defense consists of 33 solo blocks, 349 block assists and 207.5 total blocks.
• Both teams are coming into the match after 3-1 losses to the no. 3 team in conference, UTRGV. The match between the Wildcats and the Texans will conclude WAC regular season play for the conference and will solidify the bracket for the WAC Tournament. The winner of the match will be the sixth seed, while the losing team will fall into eighth. Both ACU and Tarleton State hold the tie breaker over CBU, who will be the seventh seed. The winner of Monday's match will take on UTRGV and the loser will take on the conference leader, Stephen F. Austin, on Thursday for day one of tournament play. 
 
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 in kills with a total of 332. 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 24 matches played for the Texans. 
In her second season with the Texans, Megan Hodges has quickly put up some impressive numbers. Leading the team with 691 assists, Hodges has made it clear she is here to compete. The setter is in second place for digs with 243 on the season.
Sophomore Emma Burke is a vital part of the Texan's defense. She leads the team and is ranked second in the WAC with 116.0 blocks. The middle blocker is fourth on the team with 224 kills. The returner is a consistent, key player for Tarleton. Burke has also contributed 35 aces for the Texans. 
Defensive specialist Matti Theurer has seen time in each set for the Texans so far this season. Leading the defense with 460 digs, the junior averages 4.04 digs per set. The libero has also amassed 24 aces on the season. 
Another notable returner is junior Grayson Schirpik. The outside hitter from Leander, Texas, is third on the team with 234 kills on the season, averaging 2.07 kills per set. Schirpik also ranks fourth on the team in points with 272.5. 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 318 and season high of 22 kills in the match against Seattle U. The outside hitter is tied for fifth on the team in service aces with 21 on the season. Fitzmaurice is also in third for digs with 217 on the season, with a career high of 17 against UTSA. 
 
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. 
 
WAC awards
On Oct. 18, Matti Theurer claimed the first WAC award of the season for the Texans as she was named Libero of the Week. In the match against UTA, Theurer saw multiple new season-highs with four aces and four points tallied for the Purple and White. She compiled 39 digs in two matches and averaged 4.17 digs per set. She also contributed eight assists in two matches. Theurer recieved the WAC Libero of the Week award for a second time on Nov. 8, after two big back-to-back wins over GCU and CBU for the Texans. The senior compiled 32 digs in two matches for 4.57 digs per set, 11 assists, and three aces. 
 
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.
 
 
Two-way player
Megan Hodges (S) currently leads the team in assists with 691 and assists per set with 6.06 on the season. Hodges is tied for second most digs with 243 and averages 2.13 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 29 matches played for Tarleton State so far. The middle blocker has compiled 224 kills in comparison to her total of 126 in the previous season. Burke has 36 collegiate career aces, with 35 coming from the 2023 season. The Texas, native, has tallied 48 digs on the season to top her total of 14 in the 2022 season. Burke sits at an impressive 116.0 total blocks on the season so far to surpass her 67.0 total blocks in the previous season. She has also compiled 324.5 points on the season so far in comparison to her 167.0 total previously. 
 
New school, 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 318 kills for the Texans to top her previous career high season at Liberty of 163 in 2019. Fitzmaurice has beat her previous 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 one set conference matches remaining for the Purple and White. With a 362.5.0 point contribution to lead the team, Fitzmaurice has beaten her previous record in a season with 206.0 points in her first season at Liberty in 2019.
 
Up next for Texan Volleyball
Tarleton State will make history as the Texans attend the WAC Volleyball Tournament in Orem, Utah for post season play for the first time since becoming a Division l program. The winner of the ACU vs. Tarleton match will be the sixth seed and will face UTRGV in the first round of the tournament. The losing team will go head-to-head with SFA Thursday.