Battleground States: Texas

Battleground States: Texas

We are back with another edition of Battleground States. The series where we discuss the top prospects from the states that should have the most interesting recruiting battles come June. This week we are sticking with the trends and focusing on “The Mecca of College Volleyball Recruiting”: Texas. The Lone Star State is home to 25 D1 schools, including the back-to-back national champions. 

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State of Texas Division 1 Programs (25)

• Abilene Christian University (WAC)- Abilene, TX
• Baylor University (Big 12)- Waco, TX
• University of Houston (Big 12)- Houston, TX
• Houston Christian University (Southland)- Houston, TX
• Incarnate Word (Southland)- San Antonio, TX
• Lamar University (Southland)- Beaumont, TX
• North Texas University (AAC)- Denton, TX
• Prairie View A&M University (SWAC)- Prairie View, TX
• Rice University (AAC)- Houston, TX
• Sam Houston State (CUSA)- Huntsville, TX
• Southern Methodist University (AAC)- University Park, TX
• Stephen F. Austin State (WAC)- Nacogdoches, TX
• Tarleton State University (WAC)- Stephenville, TX
• TCU (Big 12)- Fort Worth, TX
• University of Texas Austin (SEC)- Austin, TX
• Texas A&M University (SEC)- College Station, TX
• Texas A&M- Commerce (Southland)- Commerce, TX
• Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (Southland)- Corpus Christi, TX
• Texas Southern University (SWAC)- Houston, TX
• Texas State University (Sun Belt)- San Marcos, TX
• Texas Tech University (Big 12)- Lubbock, TX
• University of Texas Arlington (WAC)- Arlington, TX
• University of Texas El Paso (CUSA)- El Paso, TX
• University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (WAC)- Edinburg, TX
• University of Texas San Antonio (AAC)- San Antonio, TX

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The Longhorns of UT have won the National Championship two years in a row and continue to improve yearly, while A&M, Houston, Baylor, and TCU are all on the rise, landing top volleyball commits every year. TCU finished in the top 30 last season.

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State of Texas Recruiting Trends

2023’s

State’s #1 Player Committed: Baylor

State Top 10’s Prospects Signed In-State: 4

State Top 10’s Prospects that Signed with “Big 3”: 0

State  Top 10 Prospects that Committed to Traditional Top 25 Programs: 5

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2024’s

State’s #1 Player Committed: Texas

State Top 10’s Prospects Signed In-State: 4

State Top 10’s Prospects that Signed with “Big 3”: 2

State  Top 10 Prospects that Committed to Traditional Top 25 Programs: 8

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2025’s

State’s #1 Player Committed: Texas

State Top 10’s Prospects Signed In-State: 5

State Top 10’s Prospects that Signed with “Big 3”: 3

State  Top 10 Prospects that Committed to Traditional Top 25 Programs: 8

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State of Texas Recruiting Label: National Powerhouse

This is pretty self-explanatory. Over 30 girls a year land at a power 5 school from Texas, while even more land at top mid-majors. It’s one of the states that every school targets each year and has turned into a feeder for top 25 teams, especially SEC and Big 12 schools. 

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TEXAS Class of 2026 Recruiting Prospect Notes

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Henley Anderson, OH, Austin Skyline

Who is #1? That is the question that has been debated this whole year. In our Power 30, we put Anderson. Anderson is arguably the #1 player in the class of 2026. She’s 6’4, an absolute powerhouse, and with that size she’s able to do whatever she wants to do on the floor. She reached the 1000 kill mark in her 710 kill sophomore season at Dripping Springs. She has reached 500 kills in both of her two seasons. Henley is going to be a national star and it could be tough to get to leave her own neighborhood.  She will have as many offers as she wants to entertain.

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Halle Thompson, OH, Houston Skyline

The other half of the 1-2 punch at the top of this list, Thompson can do anything on the floor and she has one of the fastest swings in the country, the 6’1 outside has impressed everyone who has watched her. Thompson also has already eclipsed the 1000 kill mark in two years with Grand Oaks high school and she will be a big time recruit in the running for a Top 2 Program offer.  Halle has what it takes to play on the big stage early and be a media favorite.  

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Jayden Robinson, OH, Houston Skyline

Robinson is actually tied for 2nd with Thompson on our Power 30 and is also on the Houston Skyline 16 Royal frontline with Thompson. She epitomizes the term “high-ceiling” Robinson had a fantastic Triple Crown and has just continually climbed up every ranking, she truly has become a can’t-miss prospect. After only having one kill as a Freshman, she jumped into the star role at Ridge Point with 316 kills this past season. She’s got incredible vision and has the ability to be a star for a top team at the next level. She may get the most attention during June simply because there are many top 10 programs that could be in the running for her and interest will be there.

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Keoni Williams, MB, Dallas Skyline

Williams is ranked #4 on the VBAdrenaline’s Power 30, behind the other 3 rounding out a stacked top of the class. The 6’4 MB, who is the top MB in the class, is the full package both physically and athletically. This is a crazy deep middle blocker class, and she reigns above them all. She averaged 200 kills a year for Boswell high school to go along with over 100 blocks in each of her first two seasons. The battle is on as nearly every Top 10 program will try and land the nation’s most athletic and physical MB. 

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Sarah Hickman, Opp, Houston Juniors

Hickman is a left-handed opposite who is ranked #10 in our Power 30. She is a fantastic player on both sides of the ball and can really confuse a defense as a left-handed hitter. Not to mention that she is 6’5 and can basically do anything you ask her to do on the net. She’s exactly what a lot of college teams look for in a prospect. She had 270 kills and 80 blocks this past year at Stratford. Hickman has long been known to have academics as one key to her decision which should open up offers not all will get.  Along with Williams and Robinson, every Top 10 program feels they have a shot a Hickman who has distanced herself as the #1 OPP in the class.

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Joy Udoye, OH, Austin Skyline

Udoye has become an under-the-radar prospect for sites in the state. We had her as #13 on our Power 30 list. Udoye has been high on the radar of colleges and she is continually improving. She’s also been a star at Cedar Park with over 400 kills in each of her first two seasons. Finishing with 405 in only 95 sets last season. Another who has talked about academics being important, Joy is on the short list of many Top 15 programs and is an up and coming talent in the class. 

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Danielle Whitmire, S/Opp, TAV

Whitmire is considered by many to be the top Setter in the state and we agree with that having her ranked as the #19 prospects on our Power 30. Whitmire can help teams at Opp or Setting at the next level, and she can do both very well. She’s a leader for the TAV team. She can do anything on the floor with over 380 kills, 350 digs, and 450 assists last season for Walnut Grove.  She is another Top 15 program prospect, especially with her position flexibility.

Madison Victoriano, S, Dallas Skyline Juniors

Victoriano is the captain for one of the best club teams in the country, which makes her extremely valuable. Even at 5’9, she can do all you ask of her including blocks. Victoriano has over 500 kills in two years at Centennial High School. That goes along with over 900 assists. She doesn’t let her height stop her from being elite in the front court and her leadership ability puts her in the conversation for high-level setting target in the class.  What offers she receives will simply fall on how coaching staffs’ view her height.  She has performed very well at NTDP and our thoughts are that she will get plenty of attention from all conferences.  She has talked about interest in attending a school on the East coast so we will see what opportunities that presents come June.. 

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Blair Thiebaud, S, Houston Skyline

The third of the the three major setters in the class and #29 on our Power 30. Like Victoriano, she’s a leader of one of the top club teams in the country and can handle playing with superstars. She herself has been a star for College Station High School. Thiebaud had had over 1100 assists in each of her first two years, she knows how to set up teammates and her experience is going to be an asset in college. We have talked long about Blair being as solid of a technical setter as their is in the 2026s.  She is also one of the taller athletes at her position group.  She is another that will get multiple Top 20 offers nationwide. 

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Riley Malloy, OH, Austin Skyline

Malloy is an incredible player and has a chance to move up the rankings in my opinion. She’s very similar to Anderson in the fact that she can be dangerous from every position on the floor. The 6’5 outside had back-to-back 350+ kill seasons at Austin High School. She’s been a beast and has been a solid #2 option to Anderson at Austin Skyline. With that height and playing at the level she has there are going to be multiple power 5 offers for Malloy, near home and far away. 

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Kinsley Young, MB, TAV

Young is the #2 ranked Middle in the class and has the ability to completely take over a game, she is that dangerous. She’s a fantastic blocker and at 6’4 can jump with the best of them. Young finished with 120+ blocks in her Sophomore season along with 370 kills. She is a beast at the net and can run one of the smoothest slides in the class.  She plays with energy and enthusiasm.  Her phone will fill up with multiple texts from big time programs right away June 15th. 

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Julianna Hernandez, L/DS, TAV

Let’s stick with TAV 16 Black for a second and discuss the only Libero on this list, Julianna Hernandez. Hernandez has a chance at being a top Libero in the country this year. She is the perfect Libero in terms of her fundamentals. Her passing and digging forms are textbook and she can basically get to any ball. She had over 600 digs last season for Memorial high school and her consistency has allowed the TAV stars to shine. It’s always hard to predict where Liberos will land, but this feels like an in-state power program fit to us. 

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LeVariya Pinder, OH, Skyline Juniors

Pinder is part of the incredibly stacked Dallas Skyline 16 Royal team, but she has incredible potential and excitement due to how hard she hits the baseball. She is a power hitter, and can obliterate a ball that comes to her. She’s very exciting and that arm strength will draw major attention. Pinder finished with 450+ kills in her sophomore season at Northwest High School. Another thing that can work in her favor is she can also play Middle and Opp at an extremely high level, so that versatility is huge for a top recruit. LeVariya is a kid that can make recruiting classes.  Goes unnoticed in club and then two years from now is getting early playing time and being a difference maker at at Top 30 program. 

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Paisley Pavliska, OH, South Texas Volleyball

Pavliska is the first small club name on here, with her being listed as one of the top OH in the state, it helps that despite playing for a small club, she has absolutely crushed it at the high school level. Pavliska has over 1100 kills in two seasons for Floresville High School. She was named to the 4A All-State team in Texas two years in a row and won District MVP. It’s hard to make a prediction for her considering her club hasn’t had a top ranked recruit, but she should still go D1 considering her immense success in high school. 

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Arianna Muoneke, OH, TAV Houston

Muoneke is one of TAV’s top weapons with her ability to completely outreach defenders. She’s been able to use her physicality to be a beast for TAV Houston. On the high school side, she has produced over 480 kills each of the past two years for Cy-Fair. The 6’0 Outside has a chance of making a great first impression at the next level. Where she lands is interesting, her sister, reigning SEC Freshman of the Year Bianna Muoneke, just transferred to Georgia from Texas A&M, so that could be an option. Whether she wants to team up with her sibling or not, the dynamic OH is going to be a priority for many Top 30 programs.

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Hannah Lee, MB, Madfrog

Lee’s asset is her offensive abilities, she’s not as physical of a middle as others on this list, but she makes up for that by being an incredible offensive weapon for Madfrog. She had 320 kills for Wakeland last season, while also still making it to the 100 block mark. So she can still get up and block when she needs to. She’s a tantalizing MB prospect in a heavy MB class. I assume she will land at a D1 school.

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Skylar Jackson, OH, Madfrog

Jackson’s signature ability is her ball control, she can really get the ball to go anywhere on her spikes, and is a main reason why she has jumped up the rankings of outsides in the state. She’s a phenomenal player who had over 300 kills for Lovejoy last season. Jackson is a top pin hitter, and will be great at the next level. I am assuming a smaller D1 school would probably be where she ended up considering the trends of previous years.

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DaMya Mann, S, Alamo

Our first Alamo name on the list is someone I am quite high on. She was one of only five sophomores to make the Texas 6A All-State team joining the stacked group of Henley Anderson, Halle Thompson, Kinsley Young, and Ashlyn Seay (Who will be talked about later). She was a beast last year at the Setter/OH position and seems to be a player who will fly up the rankings if she keeps playing like that. She had 311 kills, 360 digs, and 660 assists at 5’9. She is hard to trend when it comes to prediction, but she should be a nice pickup for a D1 school.

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Zora Bello, S, Houston Juniors

Bello is a girl who is a little unknown, but she is gaining a lot of national attention from scouts. She’s athletic, can attack and set, and puts up big blocks. She can help a team with multiple positions. She had 225 kills and 50 blocks for Cypress Ranch this past year. She will be watched by many ACC and SEC schools. I predict she will land at an SEC school this summer.

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‍Sydney Lund, S, Austin Skyline

Lund has the leader on a team of weapons and stars.  Because of that she goes slightly unnoticed on the national scene.  Her squad runs a 6-2 so she splits setting duties, but coaches have seen plenty of Lund as she has led her team in the open division and many eyes have come to see her and her teammates. 

A quiet leader, Sydney is consistent with her ball placement and reads defenses well.  She finished with 713 assists and 354 digs last season for Dripping Springs. Lund has attended camps at major schools, and I expect her to land at a Power 5 school and could be a great fit in-state.

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Lacy Tinnell, MB, Houston Skyline

Tinnell has been on the radar for a while and is definitely up there with the top Middles in the class. She has become a force from the serve line as well as just dominant on both sides of the net. She finished with 300+ kills and 75+ assists this past season for College Park. Another great player on a team of stars Lacy will have interest from major conferences come June. 

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Ashlyn Seay, OH, Dallas Skyline

I mentioned Seay earlier as one of the only five sophomores to make the Texas 6A All-State Team. Seay continues to come more into the spotlight on the stacked 16 Royal team. She has become an incredible defender as well as her amazing offensive skills. She nearly had 500 kills last year for Byron Nelson High School. Seay is flying up rankings and I would expect her to be considered a top outside in a couple years. She could easily end up at a massive Power 5 school.

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Nadi’Ya Shelby, OH, Houston Skyline

Shelby is the final girl on the list, as she also had an incredible high school season and is climbing rankings pretty quickly. She was named to the Texas 5A All-State team this past year after making it to 466 kills and 395 serve receptions. She’s another girl who has incredible power on her spike and unlike most power hitters is very good at limiting errors. This is another “high-ceiling” prospect and has an SEC feel to her future. 

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State of the State

Texas is the gold standard for high-end talent and class depth.  Year after year, they produce dozens of girls who go high D1 and make impacts. This year is no different, in fact, it might be the deepest class yet that also has unheard amounts of starpower at the top. Texas is not going anywhere in the volleyball landscape and it helps to have college teams succeeding as well.   The state will also affect the national recruiting scene as the top athletes will in all likelihood cause a domino effect for the rest of the class (nationally).  For that reason special attention will be paid to the favorites and commitments of Anderson, Thompson, Hickman and Williams.  Where they verbal will reshuffle the target list of the entire Top 25.  Right now the college and recruiting world revolve around Texas.

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