AUBURN, Ala. — In the final regular season home match, Auburn (16-8, 7-6) hosts No. 4 Texas (19-2, 11-2) on Wednesday, Nov. 12 inside Neville Arena.
First serve is set for 6 p.m. CT, doors open at 5 p.m. and admission is free. For those unable to make it to the Plains, the match will be streamed live on SEC Network Plus. Wiley Ballard and Paige Wetzel will have the call.
Wednesday also marks Senior Day for the Auburn Volleyball program. At the conclusion of the match, the Tigers will be honoring Zoe Slaughter, Bel Zimmerman, Alexis Dacosta, Sydney Handel and Liz Markovska
QUICK HITS
The Tigers are piecing together the greatest blocking season in program history. Not only does Auburn's 2.9 blocks per set rank second in the SEC and ninth in the country, the mark would also set the school's single-season record by nearly 0.5 blocks per set.
Middle blockers Kate Mansfield and Grace Havlicek have been directly responsible for the team's efforts at the net in 2025. Mansfield's 1.52 blocks per set ranks second in the conference and No. 6 in the nation. Havlicek, meanwhile, sits seventh in the SET at 1.19.
Mansfield's mark would set the single-season program record if the season ended today. Havlicek would finish fifth all-time.
Behind one of the best passing seasons in Auburn history, setters Shanelle Puetz and Kalei Edson have orchestrated an offense that is hitting .252 entering Wednesday's contest. Should the number hold, the 2025 Tigers would set the single-season program record, passing the 2023 squad that hit .241.
Sophomore outside hitter Lauren Dreves has proven why she's one of the best pin hitters in the SEC this season. Dreves is averaging single-season career highs in kills per set (3.80), hitting percentage (.276), blocks per set (0.69) and points per set (4.28). Her 3.80 kills per set would go down as the second most in a single season in program history.
Senior libero Alexis Dacosta is finalizing her best season across her prolific career. Not only has Dacosta eclipsed 1,000 digs for her career, the Katy, Texas native has notched over 660 digs in just two seasons on the Plains.
SCOUTING TEXAS
Head coach Jerritt Elliott and the Texas Longhorns enter Wednesday as the No. 4 team in the country according to the latest AVCA Coaches Poll. Texas boasts a 19-2 overall record, with an 11-2 mark in SEC play. After suffering its first two losses of the season to Texas A&M and Kentucky, the Longhorns bounced back on Friday with a win over Florida.
Elliott's Longhorn squad has arguably the best offense in all of Division I Volleyball this season. Texas ranks No. 1 in kills per set (15.00), No. 1 in assists per set (14.03) and No. 2 in hitting percentage (.308).
Pitt transfer Torrey Stafford remains one of the most potent arms in the country. Stafford is averaging .334 hitting while bringing in 4.43 kills per set and a monstrous 5.00 points per set.
Meanwhile, freshman Cari Spears has burst onto the scene in Austin. Her 3.50 kills per set sit second on the team. Spears has been awarded SEC Freshman of the Week honors five times this season.
AUBURN-TEXAS SERIES
Auburn and Texas have only met two times in the history of the two programs. Last year's battle on the Plains was the first time the Tigers and Longhorns had met in the 25-point rally scoring era. Texas has won both matchups.