Baylor volleyball has high hopes for the near future after its freshman trio helped lead the team back to the postseason for the 10th consecutive time despite road struggles.

No. 22 Baylor volleyball was selected to its 10th straight NCAA Tournament appearance, all under head coach Ryan McGuyre. The Bears are set to take on Arkansas State as the No. 6 seed in the lower-left quadrant of the bracket.

In a tearful final match at the Ferrell Center for a group of five seniors, it was a freshman trio that showcased the future for No. 23 Baylor volleyball.

Freshman outside hitter Ksenia Rakhmanchik added to her historic freshman campaign Sunday, setting the Baylor record for most service aces in a three-set match in No. 23 Baylor volleyball’s second sweep of the weekend.

Baylor volleyball was looking to take the next step as a program. The Bears reached the NCAA tournament for the first time — 18 years after joining the NCAA. That season set the trajectory for the program’s recent success.

No. 18 Baylor volleyball continued to struggle in October, falling to 3-5 in its last eight matches after a 3-1 loss to No. 23 Colorado. The Bears also dropped their fourth straight road match.

Despite being 8-1 in front of the Ferrell Center crowd, No. 18 Baylor volleyball drops its third straight road match and last nine sets away with the loss to Iowa State. The Bears were swept by No. 8 Arizona State and Arizona in their two previous matches outside of Waco.

Nine years after Title IX was enacted, the NCAA welcomed women’s sports, including volleyball. While facilities and resources were scarce at Baylor, the Bears’ drive to play collegiate volleyball remained strong. That first team in the NCAA paved the way for the national powerhouse.

With the intensity rising throughout the five-set match, it was No. 19 Baylor volleyball’s defense that helped them outlast No. 17 BYU, who led the Big 12 in hitting percentage.

No. 20 Baylor volleyball looked to turn things around after slipping on a three-match losing streak. The Bears defeated Kansas State 3-1 to avoid suffering their first four-game skid in 10 years.

Baylor volleyball assistant coach Joshua Walker helped graduate middle blocker Gabrielle Essix rediscover her love for the game in 2023. That impact brought her to Baylor and demonstrates how much he emphasizes connections with his players.

No. 16 Baylor volleyball was down but not out against No. 8 Arizona State, rallying in all three sets but could not complete them, getting swept for the second time.

Shelby Livingstone Anema initially saw herself focusing on sports ministry once her volleyball playing days ended — but through the persistence of those around her, Anema has found her calling to ministry through coaching collegiate volleyball.

The freshmen trio of outside hitters Ksenia Rakhmanchik and Bailey Warren, along with libero Morgan Madison, have shone early in their collegiate careers. Baylor volleyball can be a serious national championship contender within the next three years if it develops and builds around them.

Down to their final point, No. 15 Baylor volleyball stormed back from down six to force a fifth set. They rallied again but could not secure the win, falling to No. 18 Kansas, 3-2.

With slow starts to the first and second sets, No. 15 Baylor volleyball swept Houston despite committing 10 more errors than the Cougars.

In the last two weeks, freshman outside hitter Bailey Warren has proven to be one of the top attackers and freshman leaders for No. 15 Baylor volleyball, recording double-digit kills in three of the past five matches.

After losing their first three ranked matches, the Bears secured their statement win with a victory over rival No. 9 TCU at the Ferrell Center.

After being dominated by No. 2 Texas on Friday, No. 20 Baylor volleyball’s defense bounced back Wednesday, holding Texas Tech to a .176 hitting percentage in a 3-1 win.

After learning from two ranked losses, No. 21 Baylor volleyball will look to get ahead of No. 2 Texas early in Friday’s match and compete with a lead to earn its first ranked win.

Freshman outside hitters Ksenia Rakhmanchik and Bailey Warren stepped up for No. 21 Baylor, accounting for over 60% of the Bears’ total attacks as they swept UCF in the conference opener.

Trailing in the fourth set 15-10 while down 2-1 to No. 11 Florida, No. 20 Baylor volleyball mounted a comeback to force a fifth set. The Bears failed to complete the rally, losing 3-2 to the Gators for their second ranked loss in 2025.

True freshman Morgan Madison leads the Bears with 92 digs (3.83 per set) through six games.

With little continuity among No. 20 Baylor volleyball’s middle blockers, junior Victoria Davis has become the anchor for a group that added two veteran transfers and a freshman.

Following a season-ending injury at Florida, graduate middle blocker Gabrielle Essix came to Baylor in a spiritual encounter. Now, she uses that moment to drive her as a leader for No. 20 Baylor volleyball.

In their first of eight ranked matchups, the No. 20-ranked Bears stuck with No. 10 SMU through five back-and forth sets, falling 24-26, 28-26, 25-22, 21-25, 13-15 for their first defeat of the 2025 season.

After a four-set loss to TCU on Sunday, No. 18 Baylor volleyball is set to close out a three-game run against ranked opponents Thursday night at 8 p.m. at No. 23 BYU.

Every year, Baylor volleyball head coach Ryan McGuyre chooses a word to define the season. Some years he thinks of it months before the season, in others, it reveals itself closer to the start of play. In his 10th year leading the Bears, he’s chosen TRUST as the name of the game: Triumphant, Refuel, Unity, Steadfast and True grit.

The Bears, who earned an at-large bid on Sunday, will play No. 7 seed James Madison on Thursday.

When she’s not on the court, sophomore opposite hitter Allie Sczech is training for media row.