Sports
How each athletic program fared in SEC debut year
Texas finalized its involvement in the 2024-25 athletic year when the NCAA track and field championships concluded over the weekend, putting a stamp on the Longhorns’ debut season in the SEC.
Naturally, Texas’ introduction to the conference where “It Just Means More” brought plenty of changes. But the Longhorns sustained their success, securing the Director’s Cup — awarded to the country’s best-performing athletic department across all sports — for the fourth time in five years. And UT undertook its year of change alongside a familiar companion. Oklahoma, Texas’ Red River Rival, also made the move from the Big 12 to the SEC.
So, how did Texas’ performance in the SEC compare to Oklahoma’s in Year One?
Here’s a sport-by-sport look.
Football
Texas’ dominant Red River Rivalry win forecasted the outcome of the debut SEC season for both programs. The Longhorns, who hammered the Sooners 34-3 at the Cotton Bowl, finished 13-3, cracking the SEC title game and advancing to the semifinals of the College Football Playoff. Oklahoma finished 6-7 for the second time in three years under coach Brent Venables, concluding the season with a loss to Navy in the Armed Forces Bowl.
SEC finish: Texas: 2nd, OU: 14th
Baseball
The Longhorns blitzed college baseball’s best league in their debut season, winning the SEC by two games and clinching the title with a series victory over the Sooners in Norman. Oklahoma finished 12th in conference play, but advanced just as far in the postseason as the Longhorns did; both clubs were ousted in their respective regional finals.
Regular-season SEC finish: Texas: 1st, OU: 12th
Softball
Oklahoma won three of the four meetings between the Longhorns and Sooners in 2025, but Texas scored the most important victory. The Horns topped OU, 4-2, at the Women’s College World Series en route to their first national championship in program history. The title snapped a streak of four consecutive national titles won by the Sooners. Oklahoma did claim the SEC regular-season crown, though, and was awarded a share of the tournament title after the title game was canceled due to weather.
Regular-season SEC finish: OU: 1st, Texas: 3rd
Women’s basketball
Vic Schaefer’s Longhorns cracked the Final Four for the first time since 2003, beating the Sooners on their way to claiming a share of the SEC regular-season title alongside South Carolina. Oklahoma acquitted itself well in its introduction to the SEC, too. The Sooners won 27 games and advanced to the Sweet 16.
Regular-season SEC finish: Texas: T-1st, OU: 4th
Men’s basketball
The Sooners and Longhorns each sputtered along in the SEC, finishing with 6-12 conference records and splitting the season series, with the road team claiming both games. But the strength of the SEC meant both teams carved out resumes good enough for the NCAA Tournament. Texas fell to Xavier in the First Four while the Sooners lost their Round of 64 game to UConn.
Regular-season SEC finish: OU: 13th, Texas: 14th
Women’s volleyball
Oklahoma beat Texas for just the fifth time ever and the first time since 2014 on Nov. 3, although the Longhorns rebounded later that month to split the season series. The Longhorns’ bid for a national championship three-peat ended in the Sweet 16, and the Sooners were bounced in the Round of 32.
Regular-season SEC finish: Texas: 2nd, OU: 6th
Beach volleyball
Texas cracked the NCAA Tournament in beach volleyball for the first time, topping Cal in the opening round before falling to TCU in the quarters. The SEC does not sponsor beach volleyball, but Texas won the CCSA tournament on its way to a 28-10 campaign. Oklahoma does not field a beach volleyball team.
Women’s golf
The Longhorn women got the best of the Sooners on the golf course, advancing to the quarterfinals of the SEC and NCAA championships by finishing third and seventh in stroke play at those respective events. Oklahoma, by contrast, failed to make it out of the stroke play pool at either competition, registering a 14th-place finish at the SEC championships and tying for 21st at NCAAs.
Men’s golf
Texas advanced to the match play bracket at the SEC and NCAA tournaments, falling in the quarterfinals in both events to Auburn and Florida. The Sooners achieved the exact same fate in both events, falling to Florida at the SEC tournament and Oklahoma State in NCAAs. Oklahoma did best Texas in the stroke play portion of both events, though.
Men’s swimming and diving
The Longhorns dominated in the pool in 2024-25, claiming the SEC title and the 16th national title in program history, which is the most in the country. Oklahoma does not sponsor men’s swimming and diving.
SEC finish: Texas: 1st
Women’s swimming and diving
The Longhorns also claimed the SEC title in women’s swimming and diving, while coming in third at the NCAA championships. Oklahoma does not field a women’s swimming and diving program.
SEC finish: Texas: 1st
Women’s tennis
The Longhorns topped the Sooners in a tight, 4-3 affair on Feb. 28, but Oklahoma finished with a better SEC mark and advanced to the semifinals of the conference tournament while Texas bowed out in the quarters. Texas performed better at the NCAA Tournament, though, advancing to the Sweet 16 while Oklahoma fell in the Round of 32.
Regular-season SEC finish: OU: 4th, Texas: 8th
Men’s tennis
Texas claimed the regular-season and tournament conference titles in men’s tennis, topping Oklahoma on the way to a 29-5 record. The Longhorns danced all the way to the Final Four, where they fell to TCU. The Horned Frogs also eliminated the Sooners from the NCAA Tournament in the second round. Oklahoma concluded the campaign with a 17-11 record that included a trip to the SEC quarterfinals.
Regular-season SEC finish: Texas: 1st, OU: 9th
Women’s track and field
The Sooners outperformed the Longhorns in both indoor and outdoor competition at the SEC championships. Oklahoma placed second in the indoor event in March while Texas came in 12th. At the outdoor event in May, the Sooners picked up a sixth-place finish while Texas tied for ninth. At NCAAs, Oklahoma finished fourth in the indoor championships while the Longhorns tied for 35th. Texas recovered at outdoor NCAAs, though, picking up a 10th-place finish to best the Sooners, who came in 14th.
SEC finish: OU: 2nd (indoor), 6th (outdoor), Texas: 12th (indoor), 9th (outdoor)
Men’s track and field
The Texas men finished 14th at the SEC indoor championships in March and recorded a seventh-place finish at the outdoor championships in May. In NCAA competition, the Longhorns tied for 26th place at the indoor event and finished 34th at the outdoor championships last weekend. Oklahoma had a better season overall; the Sooners finished third at the SEC indoors and 10th at the outdoor championships. They added a 12th-place finish at NCAA indoors and finished sixth in the outdoor competition.
SEC finish: OU: 10th (outdoor), 3rd (indoor), Texas 7th (outdoor), 12th (indoor)
Men’s cross country
The Longhorns bested the Sooners on the cross-country course in 2024, claiming a fourth-place finish at the SEC championships while Oklahoma finished ninth. Texas finished third at its NCAA regional, missing out on the NCAA championships by one spot, OU placed 11th in regional competition.
SEC finish: Texas: 4th, OU 9th
Women’s cross country
Texas claimed a fifth-place finish at the SEC cross country championships to top Oklahoma’s 12th-place mark. The Sooners did not qualify for the NCAA championships, where Texas finished 31st.
SEC finish: Texas: 5th, OU: 12th
Women’s gymnastics
The Sooners claimed national title glory in women’s gymnastics, posting a 198.0125 score to beat UCLA, Mizzou and Utah in the NCAA finals. They arrived there off the back of a 33-2 overall record, sharing the regular-season conference title with LSU and finishing second at the SEC championships. Texas does not field a women’s gymnastics team.
Regular-season SEC finish: OU: T-1st
Men’s gymnastics
The SEC does not sponsor a championship in men’s gymnastics, where Oklahoma posted a 24-4 overall record that the Sooners parlayed into a bronze medal at the NCAA championships. Texas does not have a men’s gymnastics team.
Rowing
The introduction of Texas and Oklahoma prompted the SEC to sponsor a rowing championship for the first time. The Longhorns claimed the inaugural title, while the Sooners finished fourth out of four teams. The Longhorns finished third at the NCAA championships, and Oklahoma did not qualify.
SEC finish: Texas: 1st, OU: 4th
Soccer
Texas’ soccer team became the first program on campus to win an SEC championship, beating South Carolina to claim the SEC tournament title. The Longhorns claimed a 1-0 victory over Oklahoma, which missed the NCAA Tournament while the Longhorns were ousted in the second round by Michigan State.
Regular-season SEC finish: Texas: 3rd, OU: 14th
Wrestling
Oklahoma competed in the Big 12 in wrestling in 2024-25 because the SEC does not sponsor a wrestling championship. The Sooners picked up an 8-4 overall record and a 4-4 conference mark. They finished seventh at the Big 12 Championships and 38th at NCAAs. Texas does not have a wrestling team.
Reach Texas Insider David Eckert via email at david.eckert@hearst.com.
Sports
Head Volleyball Coach in Wise, VA for University of Virginia’s College at Wise
Details
Posted: 30-Dec-25
Location: Wise, Virginia
Type: Full-time
Salary: $50,000 – $55,000
Categories:
Coaching
Coaching – Volleyball
Sector:
Professional Sports
Internal Number: R0079167
The University of Virginia’s College at Wise located in the beautiful mountains of southwestern Virginia is seeking applicants for a Head Volleyball Coach.
Head Coaches oversee all aspects of a sports program and assume primary responsibility for all activities of a team. They are responsible for the same duties as Assistant Coaches, however, they operate with additional authority, independence, or level of complexity. Head Coaches ensure the sports program strategy and objectives are in alignment with the mission and goals of the Department of Athletics and University. They adhere to the rules and regulations outlined by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the South Atlantic Conference (SAC).
Construct a strategic recruiting plan that targets student athletes who are academically eligible and athletically competitive.
Hire, train, and supervise a small or large staff team.
Define team and player goals and implement plans to achieve them.
Monitor expenses, analyze cost projections and trends, identify resource allocation, and maintain a balanced and accurate budget.
Maintain detailed and current knowledge on all NCAA Division II, South Atlantic Conference (SAC), and College/University rules and regulations related to the sports program, ensuring all those associated with the program remain compliant.
In addition to the above job responsibilities, other duties may be assigned.
UVA Wise is an equal opportunity employer committed to excellence, affordable access, and unwavering support of a collaborative and diverse community. Women, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.
Employee fulfills duties as a “responsible employee” under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. A Responsible employee includes any employee: who has the authority to take action to redress sexual violence; who has been given the duty of reporting incidents of sexual violence or any other misconduct by students to the Title IX Coordinator or other appropriate school designee; or whom a student could reasonably believe has this authority or duty.
UVA Wise is committed to helping the campus community provide for their own safety and security. The Annual Security and Fire Safety Report containing information on campus security and personal safety, including alerts, fire safety, crime prevention tips, and crime statistics is available at www.uvawise.edu/ASR. A copy is available upon request by calling 276-328-0190 or 276-376-3451.
About University of Virginia’s College at Wise
The only division of the University of Virginia located outside of Charlottesville, UVA Wise has a beautiful campus that is nestled in the Appalachian Mountains of Southwest Virginia. Here, students learn from faculty who are encouraged to engage in scholarship and service that complements their teaching, and our environment is ideal for the task. In addition to Appalachian arts and culture, on-campus wetlands and impressive geography, and a region full of opportunities for study and outdoor adventure, there are many opportunities to build partnerships with organizations, agencies, and businesses in the area and beyond. Professional staff and a dedicated senior leadership team are driven by the vital mission of ensuring access and affordability to this robust, quality hig…her education. The College’s student population is largely first-generation, often rural students, for whom we offer access and affordability along with challenging academic work in the liberal arts tradition. The result is well-rounded graduates who earn fulfilling work at leading organizations and pursue graduate study at prestigious universities.
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https://ncaamarket.ncaa.org/jobs/21938258/head-volleyball-coach
Sports
SPORTS: Astoria’s volleyball team is seeing double
Two named to the 2025 all-state volleyball team
By PAUL MATLI
The Astorian
Two is better than one for Astoria’s volleyball team.
After qualifying for the 2025 state tournament, the Fishermen concluded their season with two of their underclassmen being named to the all-state team. Junior defensive specialist Hadley Painter and super sophomore Kyah Gohr were named to the 2025 all-state volleyball team.
The defensive specialist Painter was named to the second team, while Gohr was the only player in the state to be named all-state at two different positions.
Player of the Year: Lauren Rohman, Marist Catholic
Coach of the Year: Shari Pimental, Marist Catholic
First Team
Lauren Rohman, junior setter, Marist Catholic
Caroline Knutson, sophomore hitter, Marshfield
Jazlynn Morris-Holmes, sophomore hitter, The Dalles
Kimmy Spurlock, junior hitter, Marist Catholic
Kyah Gohr, sophomore hitter, Astoria
Irene Rocha-Ibarra, senior setter, Cascade
Finley Evans, junior DS/Libero, Pendleton
Kegan De Lee, senior DS/Libero, Marist Catholic
Second Team
Adriana Lyons-Rivera, junior hitter, Marist Catholic
Avery Brown, senior hitter, Pendleton
Emma Kirschenmann, senior hitter, Cascade
Nora Stanley, junior hitter, Philomath
Caitlin Cooley, junior setter, Pendleton
Caitlynn Gatton, senior setter, The Dalles
Edie May, junior DS/Libero, The Dalles
Hadley Painter, junior DS/Libero, Astoria
Third Team
Cleo Corbin, senior hitter, The Dalles
Hailey Abundiz, senior hitter, Cascade
Mackenzie Fitzgerald-Thornton, senior hitter, Marshfield
Makayla Schroeder, sophomore hitter, Henley
Hailey Paulson, junior setter, Henley
Kyah Gohr, sophomore setter, Astoria
Madison Smallwood, senior DS/Libero, Newport
Payton Lee, junior DS/Libero, Estacada
Honorable Mention
Abby DuBose, junior hitter, Henley
Jocelynn Joseph, junior hitter, Cottage Grove
Kahlia Cage, senior hitter, Henley
Shaylee May, senior hitter, Philomath
Abigail Bean, junior setter, Estacada
Kendall Smith, senior setter, St. Helens
Jenna Melsness, junior DS/Libero, Henley
Maddie Seavert, senior DS/Libero, La Grande
Sports
Philippine Star – A DREAM SIX YEARS IN THE MAKING 🥇…
Professional volleyball player Bernadeth Pons reflected on her journey of dreaming and achieving a gold medal win at the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games on Monday.
“This was just a dream six years ago. 2019 when we won our first SEA Games medal (Bronze), ‘yun din yung first time na nalaman ko na ‘pag nag-champion pala kayo ire-raise ang flag niyo and you’ll sing your National Anthem from the top of the podium. :relaxed: At that very moment, I told myself that ‘Someday, Philippine Flag naman yung nandiyan,'” she wrote in her post.
Pons, together with Sisi Rondina, Dij Rodriguez, and Sunny Villapando, won the country’s first-ever gold medal in women’s beach volleyball during the 2025 SEA Games.
“Finally, that ‘someday’ has turned into reality. We are now SEA GAMES GOLD MEDALISTS,” Pons happily stated. (Instagram/Bernadeth Pons)
Sports
Aced it! ESPN scored most-watched 2025 NCAA Women’s College Volleyball season on record

- NCAA Women’s Volleyball Tournament up 13% year over year
- First and Second Round engagement on ESPN+ up 33% YoY
- Record regular season viewership – up 36% from 2024
The 2025 Women’s College Volleyball season on ESPN networks was one for the books, as both the NCAA Tournament and the regular season delivered records and grew viewership from last season.
The 2025 Women’s NCAA Volleyball Tournament was the most-consumed ever, with more than 1.3 billion minutes watched across ESPN platforms. The entirety of the NCAA Women’s Volleyball Tournament finished up 13% year over year, averaging 666,000 viewers across the 15 matches and featured the most-watched Regionals on record. The ’25 volleyball tournament also featured a record-high four matches that averaged at least one million viewers.
The National Championship match between Texas A&M and Kentucky saw 1.4 million viewers tune in, making it the second most-watched title bout on record and third most-watched college volleyball match ever. The champ game peaked with 1.7 million viewers as the Aggies defeated the Wildcats in straight sets.
The Championship tournament experienced massive growth among adults 25-34, with viewership spiking 83% year over year and among people 2-17, which jumped 40% from 2024. During this year’s championship run, women comprised 45% of the audience, increasing their share from the prior year.
National Semifinals
The NCAA Women’s Volleyball National Semifinals averaged 1.1 million viewers across both matches. Each match hit one million viewers for a third consecutive year.
The second semifinal between Wisconsin and Kentucky led the way with 1.1 million viewers, peaking with 1.2 million. That marks the second most-watched semifinal on record. The Texas A&M-Pittsburgh semifinal averaged 1.0 million viewers and also peaked with 1.2 million, ranking as the fifth most-watched semifinal on record.
Regional Round
The NCAA Women’s Volleyball Regional round averaged a tremendous 530,000 viewers, up 32% year over year for its highest average ever. The round also featured four of the six most-watched Regional matches ever. The Regionals saw huge demo growth among P25-34 (+147%), P2-17 (+89%) and women (+39%).
The top match of the Regional round was the thrilling five-setter between Texas A&M and Nebraska, which averaged 1.2 million viewers — with a 1.6 million viewer peak, making this the most-watched NCAA Regional ever.
Other top matches included:
- Kansas vs. Nebraska on ESPN2 (Regional Semifinal | 718,000 viewers)
- Texas A&M vs. Louisville on ESPN2 (Regional Semifinal | 674,000 viewers)
- Wisconsin vs. Texas on ESPN (Regional Final | 663,000 viewers)
- Purdue vs. Pittsburgh on ESPN2 (Regional Final | 468,000 viewers)
The Regional Finals saw its best performance on record, averaging 753,000 viewers (+27%) across the two days. The Regional Semifinals boasted 29% growth from 2024, averaging 402,000 viewers on ESPN/ESPN2 – also registering the best average for this round on record.
First & Second Round
ESPN+ engagement increased 33% over 2024 during the First and Second Rounds of the NCAA Tournament. The Fifth Set whip-around coverage averaged 183,000 viewers across its ESPN2 telecasts, up 60% year over year.
Regular Season
ABC/ESPN/ESPN2 combined to air a record 33 women’s college volleyball matches during the 2025 season – more than any previous year as the sport’s popularity continues to skyrocket. This resulted in
ESPN’s most-watched women’s college volleyball regular season ever, averaging 190,000 viewers and finishing up 36% year over year, including gains among P18-34 (+59%) and women (+41%).
This season, ESPN aired three of its five most-watched telecasts ever, including its largest regular season audience for Nebraska-Kentucky (1.2M viewers | Aug. 31 on ABC). The AVCA First Serve also delivered ESPN’s top two regular season matches on Aug. 24. Stanford-Nebraska drew 596,000 viewers, while Florida-Pitt scored 525,000 viewers.
Sports
Volleyball Adds Three from High School Ranks to 2026 Roster
DALLAS (SMU) – Head Coach Sam Erger and the SMU Volleyball program have announced three addition, Levariya Pinder, Elle Vandeweghe and Victoria Shupe, who will join the Mustangs in 2026. The class is ranked No. 15 nationally by VBAdrenaline.com.
Pinder will stay close to home, hailing from Haslet, Texas, while Vandeweghe will make the move to Dallas from Manhattan Beach, California. Both signed on Nov. 12, the 2026 National Signing day. Shupe officially became a Mustang in late December, hailing from Spring, Texas.
Levariya Pinder, 5-10, Pin Hitter, Haslet, Texas (Northwestern High School/Dallas Skyline)
• Is ranked 37th nationally by PrepDig.com and 12th in the state of Texas in her class
• Was a BI District Champion in 2022 & 2025, as well as an Area Champion 2025
• Has collected 1826 kills, 1284 digs and 136 aces with a .300 hitting percentage in her high school career
• Set Northwestern High School Volleyball records in kills per set and kill in a season
• Was named a Team Captain for Northwestern High School
• Named a District 4-6A First Team All-District, Academic All-District and AVCA All-Region her junior season
• Most Improved Player, District Offensive Player of the Year, First Team All-District and Team MVP her sophomore season
• 5-5A Second Team All-District and Academic All-District her freshman season
• Played for Dallas Skyline Juniors in Club
Elle Vandeweghe, 6-5, Middle Blocker, Manhattan Beach, Calif. (Marymount High School/SC Rockstar Volleyball Club)
• Ranked 29th in the state of California in her class
• Named 2025 AVCA Girls High School All-Region
• Invited to compete at the Under Armor Next All-American Camp
• Selected to the USAVB National Team Development Program and participated in the USVB National Team Training Series
• Team Captain on a top-10 nationally ranked Marymount High School squad
• Helped Marymount win two out-of-state highly competitive tournaments in Hawaiian Island Labor Day Classic and Durango Fall Classic in her senior season
• Helped high school advance to the championship match of the Platinum Division at the Nike Tournament of Champions Southwest
• Played for SC Rockstar Volleyball in club, one top club teams in the state
Victoria Shupe, 5-7, DS/Libero, Spring, Texas (Fort Bend Christian Homeschool Athletics/Houston Skyline)
• Four years Varsity player at FBCHA, played club for Houston Skyline
• Compiled 1,422 digs, 330 assists and 210 aces in four season at FBCHA
• Named to the AVCA Phenom Watchlist in 2022 & 2023 – list compiled by AVCA that recognizes outstanding underclassmen for volleyball
• Won 6 Girls Junior National Championships
• 4x 2024 FBCHA Defensive Player of the Year (2020, 2021, 2022, 2024)
• 2025 FBCHA Team Captain
• 2025 Houston Open Tournament MVP
• Presented the Houston Skyline 14 Royal Skyline Award for the 2022-23 season
Sports
Matheny Set for Under Armour All-American Game
Long known for its nationally-recognized football event, Under Armour has spent the last decade developing the premier volleyball event in the country. It showcases the top 28 prep athletes before most head off to begin their college careers. Following the game, Matheny – and outside hitter Sara Snowbarger – will enroll at IU for the spring semester.
Since Under Armour created the event, Matheny is the third IU signee to receive the prestigious honor of being an All-American. Former setter Emily Fitzner was selected in 2019 while former libero Ramsey Gary captained her team in 2023. Matheny will play for Team Roses as one of two setters on the roster.
Per the Prep Volleyball rankings, Matheny ends her high school career as the No. 21 player in the country. As it stands, she would be the second-highest ranked recruit in program history. She provided nearly 2,000 assists in her prep career and contributed over 500 digs. Her and Snowbarger helped deliver Mintonette Volleyball Club the 16 Open AAU National Championship in 2024.
Matheny, Snowbarger and defensive specialist Ellie Hepler make up one of the premier recruiting classes in the country. All three are natives of the Midwest and will join an IU roster next season that is coming off an appearance in the NCAA regional semifinals for the first time since 2010.
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