By Michael Adams
Austin Sports Journal
Texas A&M has already rewritten the program record book.
Now, the Aggies want the final page.
For the first time in school history, Texas A&M will play for a volleyball national championship, facing Kentucky on Sunday afternoon at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City.
The Aggies (28-4) arrive with unmistakable momentum after slaying three giants in succession – a dramatic reverse sweep of Louisville in the Sweet 16 followed by a semifinal win over powerhouse Nebraska, then Pittsburgh on Thursday.
They are not content with simply being part of the moment.
“We’ve already made history with this team, which is amazing,” said setter Maddie Waak. “But we’re not going to be content with that. I think we all want to push.”
That mindset has defined Texas A&M’s postseason run. Down 0-2 against Louisville, the Aggies refused to blink. Against Nebraska, the top overall seed and a perennial Final Four presence, they matched physicality, composure and belief.
Now comes another test – one final another opportunity to make history.
Built for this moment
Head coach Jamie Morrison said he envisioned this type of run long before the Aggies took the floor in Kansas City.
“I had a vision of us being here,” Morrison said. “This group of human beings did just that. I’m proud of the accomplishment. I’m not surprised by it because of the people that we have.”
That belief has carried Texas A&M through the most pressure-packed matches of the season. According to Morrison, the opportunity to play “one more time” together with nine seniors set to close their careers has sharpened the Aggies’ focus rather than dulled it.
“We get to go out there, enjoy ourselves, have fun, we get to be together, we get to be a team one last time,” Morrison said. “That’s an awesome thing.”
Lessons from October still linger
Sunday’s matchup is not unfamiliar territory.
Kentucky and Texas A&M met on Oct. 8 at Reed Arena, a four-set match that left the Aggies feeling there was more left on the table.
“It feels like a really long time ago,” outside hitter Emily Hellmuth said. “I do remember leaving feeling like there was a lot of unfinished business there. We’ve changed so much as a team since then. We’ve grown so much.”
The Wildcats won that October meeting despite a balanced Texas A&M attack and a raucous home crowd, but the Aggies point to how far they’ve evolved since then tactically as they prepare to try to bring home a national championship to College Station.
“We’ve learned from every loss we’ve had this season,” Hellmuth said. “We’ve only gotten better for it.”
Grit, belief and ‘why not us?’
That growth has been fueled by a simple mantra that surfaced during the Louisville comeback and never left from Ava Underwood and Logan Lednicky’s boyfriends.
“It was during the Louisville game, we were down 0-2,” Ava Underwood said. “They were in the concorse just started saying, ‘Why not us?’ We can do this.”
Since then, the Aggies have embodied that belief, pairing relentless defense with physical blocking and poise in critical moments. They enter Sunday confident but grounded as a team that knows exactly who it is.
“We talk a lot about being true to who we are,” Hellmuth said. “Not cockiness, but confidence. We know the work we’ve put in. We trust ourselves.”
One more giant to slay
Kentucky (30-2) presents another elite challenge, led by dynamic attackers and a veteran core built for championship moments. Morrison expects both teams to trade blows.
“They’re going to get theirs, and we’re going to get ours,” Morrison said. “It’s going to be about executing.”
Texas A&M has responded every time an opponent has made a run this postseason. The Aggies believe that resilience sharpened by the reverse sweep of Louisville and the semifinal victory over Nebraska is exactly what’s required one final time.
“We want to win for each other,” Underwood said. “That’s where you find a lot of success.”
Game information
Texas A&M (28-4) vs. Kentucky (30-2)
When: 2:30 p.m., Sunday
Where: T-Mobile Center, Kansas City, Missouri
TV: ABC
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