Big 12 Announces Volleyball Conference Schedule

HOUSTON – The University of Houston Volleyball program will look to maintain its winning ways in its second season in the Big 12 Conference during its 18-match league slate released by the conference on Thursday.

The Cougars will play nine matches at home and nine on the road, facing off against every Big 12 team, including the four newcomers to the conference in Arizona, Arizona State, Utah and Colorado, and will battle four league rivals twice (TCU, Baylor, Iowa State, Texas Tech). Houston will encounter four teams ranked in the final 2023 AVCA Poll (#16 Arizona State, #17 Kansas, #18 BYU, #23 Baylor) as well as six teams that reached the NCAA Tournament last season (Arizona State, Baylor, BYU, Iowa State, Kansas, TCU).

Despite the departures of Texas and Oklahoma from the league, the conference remains a difficult volleyball destination, featuring three teams in the top 25 of the final RPI release of 2023, seven teams in the top 50 and five ranked teams.

Houston kicks off the conference schedule on the road for the second straight year, heading to the Sunflower State to battle Kansas State (Sept. 25) and Kansas (Sept. 27). The Cougars play their home conference opener as the start of a three-match homestand the following week on Oct. 2 against TCU. After facing-off against West Virginia (Oct. 4) and Iowa State (Oct. 9), Houston is back on the road in its first league trip to Arizona, playing the Sun Devils on Oct. 16 and the Wildcats on Oct. 18.

Head Coach David Rehr's squad returns home on Oct. 23 for a match against Baylor before traveling to the Theme Park Capital of the World for an Oct. 25 meeting at UCF. Houston returns to Fertitta Center for a clash with Cincinnati on Nov. 1 then travels to Ames, Iowa, for a rematch against Iowa State on Nov. 6.

The Cougars arrive back in H-Town for a three-match stretch against Texas Tech (Nov. 9), Utah (Nov. 14) and BYU (Nov. 16) then hit the road for a trio of contests against TCU (Nov. 20), Baylor (Nov. 23) and Texas Tech (Nov. 27). Houston closes out the league calendar on Nov. 30 as Colorado visits Fertitta Center.

Dates for each contest remain subject to change due to linear television selections throughout the season.

Houston is coming off its second consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament after finishing fourth in its inaugural season in the Big 12 in 2023. The Cougars posted a 19-10 overall record last season, including an 11-7 mark in Big 12 play, as it reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament before falling in five sets to #2 Stanford.

The team returns its two-time All-American and three-time conference Libero of the Year in graduate Kate Georgiades and three starters from last year's team. Of the eight players who participated in all 29 matches, four remain on the squad, including senior Kellen Morin, who broke Houston's single-season hitting percentage record in 2023, as well as Georgiades, graduate Annie Cooke and senior Katie Corelli.

Despite six graduating seniors, Rehr has bolstered the roster with five transfer signees (junior setter Paige Bernstein, senior outside hitter Julianna Dalton, graduate outside hitter Angela Grieve, redshirt senior setter Rebecca Rocassin and junior outside hitter Avery Shimaitis) as well as three incoming freshmen (outside hitter Lily Barron, libero/defensive specialist Coley Shiflet and middle blocker Addisyn Pohl).

Houston's non-conference schedule, as well as broadcast and ticketing information, will be available soon.

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– UHCougars.com –

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Paige Bernstein

Annie Cooke

Katie Corelli

Kate Georgiades

Angela Grieve

Kellen Morin

Avery Shimaitis

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