Tarleton State Volleyball starts three-match Texas road trip in Houston, faces Rice Wednesday

HOUSTON – Tarleton State Volleyball begins a three-match road trip in the state of Texas this week, taking on Rice at Tudor Fieldhouse on Wednesday at 6 p.m.

Tarleton State and Rice will meet for the first time in program history. The schools are separated by 275 miles.

Rice, who received votes in the AVCA Top 25 poll this week, won all three of its matches in Mobile, Alabama, last week. The Owls defeated South Alabama, Georgia State and Mississippi State.

Tarleton State will face its second opponent that received Top 25 votes in 2026. The Texans faced (RV) Arizona last Saturday, where the Texans fell 3-0.

Wednesday's match will be broadcast on ESPN+ and live stats will be provided through StatBroadcast.

FANTASTIC FRESHMEN

Tarleton State's freshmen have shined in the Texans' non-conference matches.
Middle Blocker Onita Davis and outside hitter Jacqui McClain were both named to the Wildcat Classic All-Tournament Team.
McClain led with a match-high 10 kills to go with 10 digs for her first collegiate double-double against Prairie View A&M (8/30). Her double-double made her the first freshman since 2021 to have a double-double in at least one of her first three collegiate matches (Trinity Vinzant).
McClain also had five service aces, tying the most by a freshman in a match in the Division I era.
Davis had 15 kills at Arizona (8/29), the most by a Tarleton State freshman against a Power 4 opponent.
Setter Kingsley Minus produced back-to-back double-digit assists outings at Arizona (17) and Prairie View A&M (14).

THE JOHNSON EFFECT

Entering her second season in 2026, the program's turnaround has been immediate.
After winning just seven matches in the year prior to head coach Jazmyne Johnson's arrival, the Texans improved by nine wins to finish in the top three in the Western Athletic Conference standings in 2025.
The No. 3 seed Texans followed suit with their first-ever Division I postseason tournament win in the WAC Tournament, winning a five-set thriller over California Baptist to advance to the conference tournament semifinals.
Johnson also helped the Texans win the WAC Libero and Freshman of the Year awards in addition to four All-Conference awards.

MARVELOUS MADISON

Senior middle blocker/outside hitter Madison Frank earned her second career All-Conference honor in 2025.
Frank was named to the All-Western Athletic Conference Second Team in 2025. She earned a spot on the All-WAC Freshman Team in 2023.
Frank, from Aledo, Texas, earned Second Team All-WAC honors after a strong offensive season in 2025. She posted a career-high of 244 kills and had 18 kills against California Baptist (09/25).
Frank emerged as one of the conference's most efficient and reliable point-scorers. She also added 56 blocks, contributing valuable net defense.

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