Last Updated 4:52 PM, November 01, 2025

Texas vs. Kentucky volleyball: Preview, how to watch, TV channel

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Mic'd up at Texas women's volleyball practice with Emma Halter
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PINNED 4:57 pm, November 1, 2025

🍿 How to watch Texas vs. Kentucky

No. 2 Texas will welcome No. 3 Kentucky to the Gregory Gymnasium on Sunday, Nov. 2 for the highly anticipated top-3 matchup between conference foes. 

How to watch

  • Sunday, Nov. 2 in Austin, Texas:
    • No. 2 Texas vs. No. 3 Kentucky | 1 p.m. ET | ESPN | Live Stats
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🎰 What's a stake

The Kentucky and Texas showdown is primed to be one for the ages, as the two top teams in the SEC will face off at 1 p.m. ET. 

Check out some storylines to follow for these conference foes before first serve: 

  • Kentucky is now in sole possession of first place in the SEC after the Texas loss on Friday. With the win, the Wildcats would hang on to first place for the first time this season.
  • Texas seeks to knock off Kentucky, as the only team left undefeated in conference play. With the win, Texas, Kentucky and Texas A&M would share possession of the top spot in the SEC. 
  • Fun fact: The two longest tenured coaches in the SEC will meet on Sunday, as Kentucky's Craig Skinner and Texas' Jerritt Elliot faceoff. Elliot leads the conference with 25 years at the helm of the Longhorn program and Skinner is not far behind with 21 seasons leading the Wildcats. 
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📈 Impact players to watch

The Longhorns and Cats boast some of the best players in the country on both sides of the ball, just what you'd expect from two of the top teams in the nation. 

Ahead of the 1 p.m. ET contest on Sunday, Nov. 2 between No. 2 Texas and No. 3 Kentucky, check out which players to watch out for. 

No. 2 Texas

Torrey Stafford 

It's no secret that Torrey Stafford is one of the best players in the country. The Pitt transfer has notched nine double-doubles in 19 matches as a Longhorn, garnering two SEC player of the week and three offensive player of the week honors thus far into the season. 

Ella Swindle

The powerhouse that is the Texas offense is orchestrated by Ella Swindle. The 6-3 junior setter is not only the mastermind behind the Longhorns .310 hitting, but she's versatile. Swindle's effective on both sides of the ball, boasting five double-doubles on the season to rank second on the team. 

No. 3 Kentucky 

Brooklyn DeLeye

The 2024 SEC player of the year hasn't missed a step in her junior year campaign as Brooklyn DeLeye leads the Cats in kills with 316 on the season so far with a .289 clip. Her matchup against Taylor Harvey up front will be fun to watch. 

Molly Tuozzo 

There's a reason that Kentucky is first in the SEC in digs, and that's largely due to libero Molly Tuozzo. Her effectiveness in the backcourt has propelled the Cats in their toughest matchups, averaging 4.01 digs per set. 

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🔢 How the numbers stack up

Both teams have had impressive showings in SEC conference play and in the 2025 season as a whole. No. 2 Texas (18-1, 10-1 SEC) suffered its first loss of the season on Friday, Oct. 31 while No. 3 Kentucky (17-2, 10-0 SEC) remains perfect in conference play. 

KEEP UP: Tracking the undefeated women's volleyball teams

The Longhorns boast one of the most powerful offenses in country, leading the nation in kills per set (14.96) and assists per set (13.93) while ranking second in the NCAA and first in the SEC in hitting percentage (.311). 

Kentucky's offense is nothing to sniff at, however. Housing one of the nation's most premier outside duo in Eva Hudson and Brooklyn DeLeye. But the Wildcats' defense is what makes the difference, leading the SEC in digs per set (14.90). 

See how the rest of the numbers stack up below: 

TEams K PCT Opponent Pct. A SA/E Dig BS BA
Texas 1032 .310 .190 961 89/148 973 21 227
Kentucky 987 .284 .160 924 82/148 998 30 281

Keep up with live stats here for the 1 p.m. ET first serve

5:05 pm, November 1, 2025

📜 History of the UK and Texas rivalry

Volleyball eyes will be on Texas on Sunday, Nov. 2 as the Longhorns and Wildcats will face off for their 20th meeting. Though this is only the second year in which both programs have share a conference, they share quite the history.

The SEC foes last clashed in the 2024 season, when Texas swept the Cats in Lexington, extending the Longhorns' all-time advantage to 15-4 over Kentucky. 

It's been four years since Kentucky earned a victory between the two, but it was one to remember. Kentucky clinched their , dominating Texas 3-1 in the contest, as COVID pushed the 2020 women's volleyball season to the spring. 

That 2021 title win for the Wildcats has been the only blemish on the Longhorns' record against Kentucky since 1994, winning five out of the last six meetings. 

A member on that Kentucky national championship team is a name you might remember: Madisen Skinner. Skinner then became as Texas legend who played a pivotal part in the Longhorns' back-to-back national titles in 2022 and 2023.

Madisen Skinner played for Texas

Texas was a favorite to win the SEC in 2024 in their first year in the conference, coming off two straight national championships and stacked in talent. But Kentucky earned its eighth straight conference title as the Longhorns suffered three straight losses in the midst of SEC play. 

This year, it's another battle at the top. Texas and Kentucky are not only the top two teams in the SEC, but they are two of the top three teams in the nation. 

However, the Longhorns have to regroup, as they fell in their first loss of the season to rival Texas A&M on Friday, Oct. 31 in a five-setter in Aggieland.

Will the Wildcats be able to escape Texas and keep their ninth straight conference title hopes high? Or will Texas even the playing field and extend its all time advantage? 

Stay tuned for the 1 p.m. first serve on Sunday, Nov. 2. 

4:49 pm, November 1, 2025

📶 Week 9 Power Rankings

NCAA's Michella Chester ranked her top 10 teams for Week 9 of women's college volleyball. Texas has held the No. 2 spot in each of the rankings this year while Kentucky sits right behind them at No. 4. 

  1. Nebraska
  2. Texas
  3. Pitt 
  4. Kentucky
  5. SMU
  6. Arizona State
  7. Louisville 
  8. Stanford
  9. Purdue
  10. Texas A&M

🏆 Check out AVCA's top 25 rankings here