The Texas Longhorns seem to have managed to stem some of the damage this season. After their run came to an abrupt end, there was a swarm of Longhorns athletes leaving the team. The most prominent among them was star prospect Madisen Skinner. Skinner, who won two NCAA championships with the team, was one of the most incredible athletes in the entire NCAA women’s volleyball realm. Her value as a player can be fathomed from the fact that Skinner achieved the Honda Sports Award as the best player of the year in 2023. 

Unfortunately, the Longhorns suffered a tough 1-3 loss against Creighton in the regional semis. And that was the last time Skinner donned the Longhorns’ jersey. Graduating this year, she will be turning pro from now on. And it was not only Skinner that would be missing from the Longhorns roster. They have suffered some more major setbacks too. Jordyn Byrd and Averi Carlson too decided to enter the transfer portal. 

Incidentally, both the athletes were valuable assets to the team. However, both Byrd and Carlson were seemingly unhappy about the game time they were getting. Thus, they decided to venture off to a new destination where they could enjoy better exposure. All these departures would have surely made the team weaker. Thankfully, the Longhorns have managed to rope in a young talent in Ramsey Gary. Formerly an Indiana player, Gary will be joining the Longhorns in the upcoming season. 

According to an update from X account Lincoln Arneal, the transfer is now official. And with the kind of form Gary is currently in, she is expected to bolster the Longhorns roster further. Over the last couple of seasons, Gary has averaged 4.2 digs per set. Her incredible display led her to be selected for the Big Ten second team twice. Gary also successfully made it to the 2024 U21 Women’s National Team. Surely, all these will definitely make the Longhorns’ fans feel a lot better after back-to-back news of athletes departing.

And there’s more caveat associated with roping in the services of Ramsey Gary. There are still two more years left for her to graduate. Thus, Gary might well become a potential star for the Longhorns in the upcoming years. However, amidst some of the biggest names missing from the roster due to the transfers, there was one particular athlete who decided to stay put with her Texas Longhorns colors.

Ella Swindle will be a Longhorns this year too

Ella Swindle did not get much game time last season. However, that does not seem to have dented his confidence at all. She was probably pushed to the bench due to Averi Carlson’s fine run in the second phase. But now Swindle is hell-bent on restarting afresh. She is on a mission to develop her game further and prove herself worthy of being a starter once again. Taking to her Instagram in the last week of December, Swindle announced, “Longhorn Nation, see you next year.” 

Now, she might have been coming off the bench in the previous season. However, Swindle’s contribution to the team cannot be questioned. Back in 2023, the young athlete played a pivotal role in helping the Longhorns clinch the NCAA title. To sum up her credibility, Ella Swindle became an All-American in her freshman year! Surely, there can be no doubt as to how she would fare as a starter again. Thus, with the Texas Longhorns getting some much-needed boost, it now remains to be seen how well things will turn out for them in the future.