The Texas women's volleyball team showed their championship caliber by defeating Wisconsin in the NCAA Volleyball Championships semifinals on Thursday. Despite expectations of rebuilding after last year's championship win, the Longhorns are now eyeing a repeat title.

“Yeah, we don’t have to prove anything to anyone,” Junior outside hitter Madisen Skinner said, via Steve Habel of On3. “We know how good we are. And it doesn’t matter what people say on social media or online – like it’s all just a bunch of crap. We’re gonna play Texas volleyball and compete with one another and have so much fun doing it and just trust one another – and just have so much fun.”

Texas had to face challenges right from the start, including playing away from home in the regionals. Against Wisconsin, known for their strong defense, Texas stood out with impressive performances from their players. Skinner led the team with 18 kills and six service aces, while Asjia O’Neal contributed 11 kills and four blocks. Jenna Wenaas and Molly Phillips each added 10 kills, and Ella Swindle played a crucial role with 46 assists.

“I’m super proud with the way that we performed and so excited for Sunday,” Skinner said.

The Longhorns started strong in the first set and maintained the lead throughout, eventually winning 25-22. Wisconsin came back in the second set, using their height advantage to win 25-20. However, Texas dominated the third set from the beginning, leading to a 25-13 victory. They continued their strong performance in the fourth set, winning it 25-16, with significant contributions from Madisen Skinner and O’Neal.

Texas, with a 27-4 record, will now face top-seeded Nebraska (33-1) in the final on Sunday. This match is an opportunity for Texas to become the first team to win back-to-back championships since Stanford in 2018 and 2019. It's the eighth time Texas will play in the final and the fifth time in nine years.