While Texas volleyball fans stumbled into a sense of panic after a rough weekend in Las Vegas, the Longhorns themselves stayed calm and went back to work.
After all, head coach Jerritt Elliott hit reset on a season still in its infancy after the Longhorns lost starting outside hitter Abby Vander Wal to a knee injury in Saturday’s win over TCU. Finding a rhythm in a new 5-1 rotation could take some time, especially with setter Rella Binney in her first season as a starter.
As it turned out, the No. 9 Longhorns (3-2) needed just a couple of days, based on how they played in a 3-0 win over No. 15 USC in Wednesday’s home opener at Gregory Gymnasium.
“Just getting to practice with our lineup for the first time, literally, yesterday was something that helped us be a lot more comfortable,” outside hitter Cari Spears said. “No matter what happens in past games, our goal stays the same. We know the type of team we can be.”
Rella Binney of the Texas Longhorns reacts during the Players Era Volleyball Showcase: Nebraska v Texas at T-Mobile Arena on Aug. 30, 2026 in Las Vegas. (Zach Del Bello/Players Era/Getty Images)
Is Texas closer to the team that swept USC? Or more like the squad that got overwhelmed by No. 1 Nebraska in Sunday’s 3-0 loss in Las Vegas? Time will tell, as will a brutal nonconference schedule that continues Sunday in Nashville against No. 6 Louisville.
Texas Longhorns setter Rella Binney (3) sets the ball in the second set of the Longhorns’ summer scrimmage against the Rice Owls in Gregory Gymnasium, Aug. 14, 2026. (Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman)
But the showing against USC before a rabid, sold-out crowd at Gregory is a step in the right direction, Elliott said.
“We had really a day-and-a-half of practice to be able to do this lineup, and it’s getting more smooth,” he said. “We made some alignment shifts and got into more of a rhythm for the game.”
The rhythm starts with Binney, a 5-foot-10 junior from Hawaii who spent her first two seasons on the bench behind Ella Swindle. She earned the starting spot during the offseason because of her ability to run the offense with the quick tempo that Elliott wants, and that won’t change even after the switch from a 6-2 to a 5-1 rotation.
Texas Longhorns setter Rella Binney (3) celebrates a point as Texas volleyball plays Indiana in a Sweet 16 NCAA Tournament match in Gregory Gymnasium in Austin, Friday, Dec. 12, 2025. The Longhorns will advance to Elite Eight with a 3-0 win. (Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman)
That means Binney no longer rotates in with freshman setter Genevieve Harris on the back row, which is what happened through the first three matches of the season. Now, Binney must get a few rotations at the net and try to offset her lack of height with some spring in her step and plenty of spunk.
Binney showed both against USC. She doled out 31 assists, smacked down a kill on an overpass and even got a hand on several shots by a potent Trojans attack.
Texas Longhorns head coach Jerritt Elliott coaches as the Texas Longhorns face off against USC at Gregory Gym in Austin on Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2026. (Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman)
“We just get so hyped for her,” said Spears, a 6-3 sophomore who had a match-high 17 kills on 28 swings. “I mean, she’s literally short, and she knows that. But in practice, when she’s blocking, she’d be up there blocking us sometimes. If you hit into her, then she’s going to get you. We’re so proud of her, and she’s been doing so good.”
She’s also getting the ball at the right spot to Spears, Torrey Stafford, Henley Anderson and the other Texas attackers. The Longhorns hit above .300 for the first time this season, and Elliott thinks that offensive efficiency will only grow as Binney settles into her role as the primary setter.
“She’s really starting to execute the game plan,” Elliott said. “We were getting a lot of isolations from her, which is what we really wanted.”
Where: Bridgestone Arena, Nashville
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