A Decade in the Dance: Baylor Volleyball makes 10th straight NCAA tournament

For the 10th year in a row, Baylor Volleyball is in the NCAA Tournament. Head coach Ryan McGuyre has led the best decade in program history, with a high program standard that this year’s squad, with significant contributions from numerous freshmen, has extended.

The Bears enter the postseason on a high note, having closed out the regular season with a top-20 win at TCU. Their 17-9 record and No. 21 overall ranking were buoyed by a strong close to the season that saw the Bears win four of their final five matches. That earned them a spot in the tournament as a No. 6 seed. They’ll begin their postseason journey in West Lafayette, Ind., taking on Arkansas State this Thursday afternoon at 3:30 p.m (ESPN+).

Newcomers played a key role in this year’s success. Freshman Ksenia Rakhmanchik finished the year among the Big 12’s top 10 in kills per game, while fellow freshman Morgan Madison (a recent Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week honoree) set the Baylor freshman record for digs.

Strengthened by a challenging schedule — 10 Big 12 teams reached the tournament, the most for any conference nationwide, and the Bears faced three top-25 non-conference opponents — the Bears now look to make noise in the tournament. A win over Arkansas State Thursday night would pit the Bears against the winner of No. 3 seed Purdue and Wright State on Friday.

Sic ’em, Baylor Volleyball!