Texas Tech University Athletics
Texas Tech Athletics
Houston Christian
Red Raiders open season hosting Under Armour Challenge
August 24, 2023 | Women's Volleyball
LUBBOCK, Texas – Beginning their season with four games in three days, the Texas Tech Red Raiders are set to host the Under Armour Challenge on Friday, August 25 through Sunday, August 27 at the United Supermarkets Arena.
Tech welcomes Houston Christian, Wichita State, Notre Dame and Abilene Christian for the three-day tournament as the Red Raiders face HCU on Friday at 11 a.m. to open the competition and season, followed by a 7 p.m. match against the Shockers.
Last season, the Red Raiders went 16-13 overall and 5-11 in the Big 12. As a team, Tech tallied 1,429 kills, 1,321 assists, 139 aces, 1,640 digs and 260.5 total blocks. Senior setter Reese Rhodes collected 1,021 of those assists for her first 1k assist season of her career. Senior Maddie O'Brien posted the team-best in aces with 39, while junior libero Maddie Correa recorded a team-leading and career-high 361 digs on the year.
The Red Raiders return nine players from last season, including Caitlin Dugan, Brynn Williams, Maddie Correa, Rhodes and Maddie O'Brien. Tech reloaded with four transfers and seven freshmen as additions to the 2023 roster. The transfers include Destiny Cox (Texas A&M), Elena Leontaridou (Providence), Simone Overbeck (Arizona) and Emily Merrick (Tennessee), while the freshmen include Abby Dickinson (L), Katelyn Cochran (S), Courtney O'Brien (L), Claudia Rossi (L), Reagan Engler (MB/RS), Kate Hansen (MB) and Emily Contreras (L).
SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
Houston Christian is the Red Raiders' first opponent of 2023 as the Huskies are coming off a 2022 season that saw the team go 23-11 overall and 14-4 in the Southland Conference, winning the regular season league title. The Huskies were voted at the top of the SLC in their preseason poll, receiving eight first place votes. Five players were also named to the Preseason All-Conference list in Sara Arroyo (First Team) and Anna Gadway (First Team) and Kaley Feris (Second Team), Grace McLaughlin (Second Team) and Audrey Pearce (Second Team). Gadway is coming off a season being named First Team All-Conference and ranks 14th in program history with 860 career kills. Arroyo, McLaughlin and Pearce were all 2022 Second Team All-Conference selections, while McLaughlin also earned the 2022 SLC Newcomer of the Year award. The Huskies made it to the National Invitational Volleyball Championships (NIVC) tournament last year, dropping a tough first-round match to UTRGV, who the Red Raiders had beaten in five sets in 2022. Texas Tech and Houston Christian have faced one another twice in program history, with the Red Raiders winning both contests. The first victory came in five sets on Sept. 14, 2012 while the next win came in a sweep exactly six years later on Sept. 14, 2018.
Wichita State is the next opponent on the schedule for Texas Tech at the tournament. Last year, the Shockers posted an 18-13 overall record and 13-6 record in the American Athletic Conference, finishing fourth in league play. In 2022, Wichita State had three players earn All-American Athletic Conference accolades in Natalie Foster (First Team), Brylee Kelly (First Team) and Sophia Rohling (Second Team). Kelly was recently named the AAC Preseason Co-Player of the Year with Foster joining Kelly on the AAC Preseason All-Conference Team. Winning seven of their last eight matches of the 2022 season, the Shockers made it to the NIVC Tournament, losing a first-round match to Grand Canyon in four sets. The Red Raiders narrowly edge Wichita State in the series history with a 4-3 record against the Shockers. The two teams last played on Sept. 16, 2016 with Wichita State taking the match in three sets. The Shockers are also currently on a three-match win streak versus Tech, all of those coming with head coach Chris Lamb at the helm. Wichita State most recently played the Oklahoma Sooners in an exhibition on August 17, taking the match in five sets.
Last season, Texas Tech and Notre Dame played one another for the first time in both programs' history, with the Red Raiders coming out on top with a four-set victory at the Irish Invitational. The Fighting Irish put together an overall record of 10-18 with a 5-13 record in the ACC to finish 12th in league play. Notre Dame returns its leader in kills as Lucy Trump collected 252 slams last year, followed by returner, Avery Ross, who tallied 189 kills. Setter Phyona Schrader comes back after recording a team-best 877 assists while libero Hattie Monson is returning after leading the team with 453 digs. The Fighting Irish begin their season with a match against Wichita State at the Under Armour Challenge before taking on the Red Raiders the following night.
The final opponent for Tech at the tournament is familiar foe, Abilene Christian. ACU went 7-19 overall and 4-10 in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) last season. As a team, the Wildcats collected 1,264 kills, 1,181 assists, 132 aces, 1,546 digs and 161.0 total blocks. ACU was led in kills by both Bryley Steinhilber (263) and Ashli Edmiston (255) as they are set to return this year. The Wildcats also had three players with over 200 digs – Edmiston (255), Madeline Guffy (240) and Steinhilber (227). Tech leads Abilene Christian as the Red Raiders boast a 34-2 all-time record over the Wildcats. The last time the two teams met was on August 31, 2021 when Tech picked up a sweep. The Red Raiders are currently on a six-match win streak against ACU.
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE (home team listed first)
Friday, August 25 – Texas Tech vs. Houston Christian at 11 a.m.
Friday, August 25 – Notre Dame vs. Wichita State at 1:30 p.m.
Friday, August 25 – Texas Tech vs. Wichita State at 7 p.m.
Saturday, August 26 – Wichita State vs. Houston Christian at 11:30 a.m.
Saturday, August 26 – Abilene Christian vs. Houston Christian at 3:30 p.m.
Saturday, August 26 – Texas Tech vs. Notre Dame at 7 p.m.
Sunday, August 27 – Texas Tech vs. Abilene Christian at 2 p.m.
TICKETS/FAN INFORMATION
Doors open one hour prior to first serve at the Northwest entrance of the United Supermarkets Arena and will close during the non-Tech matches on Saturday. The clear bag policy is in effect for all Texas Tech Athletics events. Fans can purchase tickets online or at the USA during the Tech matches only. The ticket office at the arena will also open one hour prior to the first serve for Tech matches.
LIVE VIDEO AND STATS
All matches in the tournament, including the non-Texas Tech games, will be streamed on ESPN+. Every match will also have live stats available here.
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