Torrey Stafford didn’t join Texas volleyball until the winter, when she transferred into the program after two standout seasons at Pittsburgh.
But she’s quickly embraced the expectations in Austin, as evident after a preseason scrimmage Friday against Utah at Gregory Gymnasium.
“We actually labeled this championship match No. 1,” Stafford said after the Longhorns’ impressive performance. “We’re climbing, and we're excited for the ride.”
Champions are forged in the fires of tournament matches come November and December, but a preseason scrimmage can at least light a few coals. Texas, No. 5 in the American Volleyball Coaches Association preseason poll, swept the first three sets against No. 23 Utah 25-19, 27-25, 25-19 before the Utes battled back to win the final two sets of a glorified practice that went the distance regardless of the score.
Stafford paced the Longhorns’ attack with 13 kills and just four hitting errors on 27 swings over the first three sets while setter Ella Swindle tallied 27 assists, nine digs, three aces and three kills. Officials didn’t keep stats over the final two sets.
Jerritt Elliott: Torrey Stafford ‘a great teammate’
But Texas coach Jerritt Elliott said he didn’t care much about the score or stats. Rather, he focused on finding any kind of rhythm, especially since the Longhorns have had only a week of practice.
“I thought the way that we played and ran our offense, it was pretty smooth,” Elliott said. “There’s so many things and layers that we're trying to be able to put in and trying to execute, especially with a lot of new players and new faces. We’ve got a lot of youth out there who are super talented, but trying to get the nerves out.”
That youth includes five freshmen on a 16-player roster with eight new faces. Cari Spears, one of those prized freshmen from the nation’s top-ranked recruiting class, started opposite Stafford while classmate Abby Vander Wal rotated in at the pin. Freshman middle blocker Taylor Harvey also saw plenty of action.
Spears struggled with 10 hitting errors and six kills on 27 swings but also played in all six rotations, which testifies to the big role she’ll likely have this season. Vander Wal had five kills and three errors on nine swings while Harvey tallied two kills and two errors on five swings. Each had a pair of blocks for a suddenly massive Texas front row that didn’t rotate anyone in shorter than 6-foot-2 over the first three sets.
Stafford liked what she saw from the freshmen regardless of the miscues. She also said her priorities this season — besides that championship she mentioned — include helping develop the Longhorns’ rising freshmen stars.
“It's exciting to see them step on the court and just do their thing,” she said. “As the season goes on, obviously there's going to be highs and lows. And I think just being with them and just uplifting them in those moments and empowering them is something we always talk about.”
That attitude, said Elliott, is just as important as Stafford’s wide range of shots.
“She’s just a great leader and a great teammate,” he said. “There’s so many good things that she’s already done for our program.”
Ella Swindle: Chemistry clicking early for Texas
Swindle’s done plenty for the Texas program, too, considering she started at setter as a freshman for the 2023 squad that won the second of back-to-back national titles. But she struggled in 2024 when Elliott went to a 6-2 rotation that split the setting duties between herself and Averi Carlson.
Carlson has since transferred closer to her Dallas-area home at SMU, and backup setter Rella Binney missed the scrimmage against Utah with a left foot injury that Elliott said wasn’t serious. That gave Swindle plenty of time to find her rhythm against Utah, and she enjoyed every moment.
“I'm having the time my life,” Swindle said. “This is what is so fun. I'm so excited to run the offense, and I'm excited to have people who trust me.”
It looked like Swindle had fun while orchestrating an offense that showed midseason form against Utah. Swindle said the quick rhythm testified to the “the culture” that’s already been established — even with all the roster turnover.
“We spend a lot of time together,” she said. “We're very comfortable with each other on and off the court, so we trust each other a lot. And I think that's allowed us to kind of get a jump-start on the season.
“We have a lot of freshmen who don't play like freshmen, and they get to learn from Tory and the other hitters. Everyone’s very bought in; there's not really a lot that we have to figure out outside of just playing volleyball.”