No. 13 TCU Faces No. 17 Kansas In Top-25 Volleyball Showdown

FORT WORTH - TCU volleyball has spent much of the 2026 season proving it belongs among the nation's elite. Friday night offers another opportunity to strengthen that argument when the 13th-ranked Horned Frogs welcome No. 17 Kansas to Schollmaier Arena.

The Big 12 showdown features two nationally ranked programs with postseason ambitions, but there's something particularly significant at stake for TCU: the possibility of hosting NCAA Tournament matches for the first time in school history.

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The Horned Frogs (15-4, 6-2 Big 12) checked in at No. 8 in the NCAA selection committee's in-season rankings, putting them firmly in the conversation for a top-16 national seed.

That's a remarkable position for a program that's become increasingly difficult to beat in Fort Worth.

TCU owns a 35-4 home record since the beginning of the 2024 season, including an 8-1 mark this year.

But Kansas (12-5, 5-2) represents a dangerous challenge.

The Jayhawks pushed eighth-ranked Arizona State to five sets Sunday and feature one of the nation's most productive freshmen in Taylor Stanley.

Stanley leads the Big 12 with 5.67 points per set and has recorded double-digit kills in every match this season. Setter Reese Messer leads the conference with 10.50 assists per set.

TCU counters with an outstanding offensive combination of Evan Hendrix and Becca Kelley.

Both players appear on the AVCA Division I Player of the Year Watch List, and they're among just three teammate combinations nationally averaging at least four kills per set apiece.

Hendrix leads the Horned Frogs with 4.19 kills per set, while Kelley contributes 4.08.

Together, they're averaging 8.27 kills per set, the fourth-highest combined total in Division I volleyball.

And TCU's success isn't limited to offense.

Freshman middle blocker Kinsley Young ranks third in the Big 12 with 1.32 blocks per set. Her 87 blocks leave her within striking distance of becoming the latest Horned Frog to reach the "100-block club."

Junior libero Alice Volpe recently collected her 1,000th career dig, becoming only the 13th player in program history to reach that milestone.

There's also a personal storyline involving TCU's Molly McCarthy, who faces her former Kansas teammates after spending four seasons with the Jayhawks.

Kansas has historically controlled this series, holding a 21-6 advantage, although five of TCU's six victories have come at home.

The Horned Frogs will also be looking to rebound from Sunday's three-set loss to Baylor.

Friday's match begins at 7 p.m. CT, with fans encouraged to wear purple as part of TCU's Homecoming festivities.

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For a program chasing a historic postseason opportunity, this isn't just another conference match.

It's another chance to demonstrate that TCU belongs among college volleyball's best.