Volleyball Concludes Historic Run in NAIA Opening Round

SANTA CLARITA, Calif. – The Texas A&M University–Texarkana women's volleyball team made history on Saturday evening, taking the court for the program's first-ever appearance in the NAIA National Championship Opening Round. The Eagles traveled west to Santa Clarita to face the No. 11–ranked Mustangs of The Master's University inside The MacArthur Center, battling through four competitive sets before ultimately falling 3–1 (11–25, 18–25, 25–22, 16–25).

The moment was years in the making, and TAMUT rose to the occasion with grit and determination on the national stage. After the Mustangs took the opening two sets, the Eagles responded with poise in the third—delivering their strongest frame of the match. Behind a renewed offensive rhythm and timely defensive stops, TAMUT surged to a 25–22 victory, marking the program's first-ever set won at the NAIA National Championships.

Junior outside hitter Kaitlyn Cabral paced the Eagles with 11 kills, while Paulina Dobreva added 10 kills and one service ace to fuel the attack. Middle blocker Macyen Doskocil and freshman Kelby Coutee each contributed four kills, with Coutee also totaling five block assists to help slow the Mustang offense.

Setters Zoe Martinez and Ashley Rhame combined for 29 assists, anchoring TAMUT's ball control throughout the night. Defensively, libero Lauren Herz tallied 11 digs, with Cabral and Dobreva adding 13 and 10 digs respectively as the Eagles worked to steady the back row against one of the nation's top offenses.

Despite the final score, the Eagles fought relentlessly from start to finish, showcasing exactly what propelled them to their historic postseason run—heart, resilience, and a belief that they belonged on the national stage.

Texas A&M–Texarkana closes the 2025 season at 25–7 overall, capturing a Red River regular-season title, a RRAC Tournament championship, and the program's first-ever berth in the NAIA National Championships.

A milestone season for a rising program—one that sets the foundation for even greater heights ahead.