Madisen Skinner’s superstar play and Jerritt Elliott’s lineup change ignites Texas volleyball late season surge

Elliott’s club kept the ship from capsizing. Texas offset stunning five-set home losses to Texas A&M, Missouri and Oklahoma with four straight SEC road victories. Skinner was dominant. In those four wins, she hit an eye-popping .440 with 6.4 kills per set, both well above her career averages.

These weren’t just four nail-biters, either. These were four tail-kicking road sweeps of Mississippi State, Auburn, Alabama and a revenge win at Oklahoma.

For her part at OU, Skinner was named the SEC co-offensive player of the week on Monday. She had 21 kills on 29 attacks (.690), one ace, one block and two digs. In the first match against OU at Gregory Gym, Skinner hit .122 as the Sooners won their first game in the series in a decade.

Elliott knew he had to try something to shake Skinner out of her funk. “I think there’s some things that we need to get her going, for sure,” Elliott said after the OU loss.

It appears the key was going away from the 6-2 offensive lineup and going back to the 5-1. In that lineup, Elliott is opting for Averi Carlson as the lone setter instead of a rotation with Ella Swindle. For Elliott, this is business, it’s not personal.

Carlson, the Baylor transfer, averaged 39 assists the last four matches while Swindle, who led Texas to last season’s national title, has not played.

Now, Texas is back in good position to host first- and second-round NCAA tournament games at Gregory Gym. The Horns are likely going on the road for a regional tournament.

For Elliott, getting his team back on track took higher priority. The Horns are back on a winning track. At the right time, too.