Less than two years after Texas ended USC’s 2024 season at the Gregory Gymnasium, women’s volleyball will return to Austin with an early opportunity to measure itself against one of the nation’s most established programs.

No. 15 USC (1-1) will face No. 9 Texas (2-2) on Wednesday as part of the inaugural Big Ten/SEC Volleyball Challenge. The matchup will also serve as the Longhorns’ home opener after beginning their season with four neutral-site matches.

The contest is part of a difficult opening stretch for both programs. USC’s first week included matches against No. 7 Arizona State (2-1) and No. 10 Creighton (2-1) before its trip to Austin.

During the State Farm Women’s Volleyball Showcase over the weekend, the Trojans took home a win against Arizona State in three sets, with redshirt junior outside hitter London Wijay leading all scorers with 14 kills on .343 hitting and five blocks, a career-high  for the returner.

Although USC showed a strong performance against Arizona State, it fell short to Creighton in four sets the following day. Wijay and sophomore opposite hitter Abigail Mullen both put up impressive numbers despite the loss, each recording 13 kills against the Bluejays.

Texas, on the other hand, entered the season ranked No. 2 in the AVCA preseason poll, with its early matchups including Arizona State, Marquette University (1-2), No. 18 TCU (1-1) and No. 1 Nebraska (2-0).

Despite its high ranking, Texas has already shown weakness. The Longhorns opened their season with a four-set loss to Arizona State, followed by another loss on Sunday against the top team in the country, Nebraska, in straight sets. The Longhorns’ gameplay was overshadowed by the Cornhuskers’ strong offense, recording 21 total errors and a shallow hitting percentage of .152 compared to Nebraska’s .293.

Returning players ready to power Trojan offense

USC has headed into the season looking to capitalize on its best campaign in several years. The Trojans went 25-7 in 2025, their highest win total since 2017, and finished tied for third in the Big Ten with a 15-5 conference record.

USC will lean on redshirt junior middle blocker Leah Ford and junior middle blocker Mia Tvrdy defensively. Ford and Tvrdy were the Trojans’ leaders in blocks per set last season and have continued the same success in 2026. During the Arizona State game, Tvrdy delivered the kill that sealed the game, while Ford totaled five blocks and three kills to allow for the dominant win. 

Texas stars present major challenge

Texas finished last season ranked in the top four nationally in assists, kills and hitting percentage per set. The Longhorns averaged 14.75 kills per set and hit .315 in 2025; so far this season, they’re averaging 12 kills per set and hitting .166, a sharp decline in performance from last season. This inconsistency creates an unpredictable challenge for USC’s blockers and back-row defenders.

Senior outside hitter Torrey Stafford and sophomore outside hitter Cari Spears headline the Texas attack, as both were named to the AVCA Player of the Year Preseason Watch List and the Preseason All-SEC Team.

Stafford led the Longhorns with 516 kills and 580.5 points in 2025, earning herself AVCA First-Team All-America honors, while Spears recorded 358 kills on .295 hitting during her freshman season, enough to be honored as an AVCA Third-Team All-American and Southwest Region Freshman of the Year.

The pair demonstrated their potential in Texas’ victory over Marquette earlier in the season. Stafford led both teams with 19 kills and hit .341, while Spears added 17 kills on a .371 hitting percentage. The Longhorns also logged 10 service aces and, in the decisive fifth set, hit .529.

However, Arizona State held Texas to a .065 hitting percentage in its season-opening loss, showing a weakness that the Trojans could exploit. USC’s ability to pressure the Longhorns from the service line as well as prevent Stafford and Spears from finding an offensive rhythm could determine whether the Trojans can challenge Texas on its home court.

Trojans look to reverse their curse

USC last visited Gregory Gymnasium in December 2024, when Texas eliminated the Trojans in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The Longhorns swept USC 26-24, 25-20, 25-22 behind a decisive offensive advantage. Texas achieved 51 kills and hit .316, compared to USC’s 36 kills and .160 hitting percentage.

The rosters have changed significantly since that matchup, but Gregory Gymnasium remains a difficult environment for visiting programs. Texas entered the 2026 season with a 55-match home sellout streak dating back to 2022, a span in which the Longhorns have gone 47-8 on their home court.

For a USC program that has failed to advance beyond the NCAA Tournament’s second round in eight consecutive seasons, Wednesday’s match will provide an early indication of how closely the Trojans can compete with the country’s leading programs.

USC will go on the road to play Texas on Wednesday at 6 p.m. at Gregory Gymnasium.