By Cannon Fritz | Reporter
It is evident that there is a shift when No. 21 Baylor volleyball plays on the road and at home. Since the start of last season, the Bears are 14-2 competing in front of the home crowd but fall to 6-11 in away matches.
Baylor (8-4) is coming off a two-loss road trip this past weekend. The Bears dropped the match against then-No. 22 BYU in five sets despite setting a Big 12 record with a .393 hitting percentage. They turned around and lost in four sets to Utah to suffer back-to-back defeats for the first time in 2026.
Despite struggles on the road have persisted for Baylor, head coach Ryan McGuyre believes his squad has grown from its away performances last year.
“I’ve loved how we’ve traveled,” McGuyre said. “I felt like on the road we’ve competed better than what we did last year. You get the results this past weekend, but I didn’t feel like it was nerves or anything like that. It was just some execution things.”
The Bears see this discrepancy as a nod to the Baylor faithful rather than a knock to how they play away.
While Baylor strives to become more comfortable in hostile environments, McGuyre trusts that the Ferrell Center creates challenges opposing teams have trouble facing.
“Being home is great because we know one way to play,” McGuyre said. “We’re going to bring that same energy here. I think the Baylor crowd gets to have an effect on the opponents that come to Waco and make them uncomfortable.”
Sophomore libero Morgan Madison recalls Baylor’s five-set loss to then-No. 18 Kansas last year that showcased just how impactful the Baylor crowd can be.
“One of my favorite games last year was Kansas at home,” Madison said. “We lost it, but I’ll go back and watch the fourth set just to see the crowd’s reaction when we won that. It was so fun. Everyone was on their feet.”
Even in a loss, Madison remembers the atmosphere more than the final score. The crowd’s investment in every point creates an environment that fuels the team throughout a match.
“That definitely gives you a little bit of push that you really want to win this,” Madison said. “Whenever they’re in it too, it just makes it so much more fun.”
The energy generated by Baylor fans often becomes a momentum-shifting factor during long rallies and crucial stretches of a match. For a team built on athleticism and emotion, the crowd’s presence amplifies what the Bears already bring to the court.
“This team’s so fun to watch, so athletic,” McGuyre said. “We want to keep multiplying the joy, and so that does get multiplied at home, and we have the great fan support of the team here.”
Baylor’s supporters also bring out a desire for the team to put on a show each match. Freshman middle blocker Lacy Tinnell echoed those sentiments, emphasizing the confidence and support the team feels from the fans.
“The fans come to see some great volleyball, and they tend to see Baylor volleyball, so let’s give it to them,” Tinnell said. “I think it’s just always exciting to know that they’ve got your back no matter what and that they’re here to see you do great and they want you to succeed.”
That unwavering support has become a defining characteristic of Baylor’s home-court advantage. While road matches test the Bears’ resilience and focus, matches in Waco provide a familiar environment where momentum builds quickly, and confidence grows with every cheer.
Baylor returns home to face UCF at 7 p.m. Friday at the Ferrell Center.
