SAN ANTONIO – In its final weekend before American Conference play begins, the UTSA Volleyball team is finding its groove, winning a pair of matches Friday in the Roadrunner Classic against UT Arlington and North Florida.
Losing three of their first four matches to open the season, the Roadrunners (6-4) have spent the last two weekends on the road, playing in tournaments hosted by Missouri State and North Dakota/North Dakota State. That time away from San Antonio has helped strengthen the team chemistry with a young UTSA squad.
“I think it’s really, really beneficial, especially with a lot of youth,” UTSA head coach Carol Price-Torok said Friday. “It’s hard to put into words the amount of time we’re together on the road. We’re just immersed with each other, and you learn a lot of nuances when you’re with each other on the road. We got tested the last two weekends and we’re just continuing to learn through that.”
Sophomore outside hitter Ally Tribe, who made an immediate impact with the Roadrunners since joining the program in 2024, believes the bond that exists between her teammates has been a principal reason for their success. UTSA has won four consecutive matches and five of their last six.
“I feel like the chemistry has been amazing, especially with us being on the road the past two weekends,” Tribe said. “We’ve learned to bond with each other a lot. I feel like we all get along really well and you can see it on the court – we’re laughing and we’re having fun.”
Major Gaines
The first time Price-Torok saw Taylor Gaines play volleyball, she was instantly drawn to the player who was “flying through the air.”
Gaines, a Liberty Hill, Texas, native, was playing for Roots Volleyball Club in north Austin when she initially came on Price-Torok’s radar. A lengthy recruiting process paid off as Gaines – a freshman 6-foot outside hitter for the Roadrunners – has played in all 10 matches and is second on the team with 2.86 kills per set. She is second on the team, behind Tribe, with 121.5 points on the year.
“We were working a prospect camp and she had a really great fast-twitch off the ground and I was like, ‘This kid’s intriguing,’” Price-Torok said. “We kind of stayed in touch with her and it was a bit of a longer recruiting process for her to find the right fit.”
It was the environment that Price-Torok has created within her program that ultimately sold Gaines on UTSA.
“It just felt like a family and that was one thing I was really looking for in a school,” Gaines said.
Gaines, who not only was a standout volleyball player but also a 4.0 student and member of the National Honor Society, graduated Liberty Hill High School a semester early and spent this past spring practicing with the Roadrunners.
“She trusted us to train her here last spring,” Price-Torok said. “I think that helped her make huge strides in her confidence and being able to step onto the court as a true freshman this year.”
Gaines, who has already earned American Conference Freshman of the Week honors this season, set the program record for most service aces in a three-set match with seven against North Dakota on Sept. 11. She entered this weekend ranked among The American’s top-20 players in kills per set.
Gaines attributes the comfort level she has with her teammates has fueled her ability to make such an impact.
“Honestly, it’s just my teammates because I feel so comfortable playing with them,” Gaines said. “I feel like I can just go out there and play volleyball and they all have my back, so it allows me to play a lot more comfortably. I feel like even when I make a mistake, they trust me to get me the ball.”
Finding Her Tribe
There was no question coming into the 2025 season that Ally Tribe would play a major role leading the Roadrunners. But the responsibility she has taken on through the team’s first 10 matches has been monumental.
Tribe is taking more than 26 percent of her team’s swings so far this year, which equates to approximately 36 total attacks per match. She has embraced that role, largely due to the trust that exists with her teammates.
“I feel like I can trust them so much and that allows me to take that amount of swings,” Tribe said. “If I get blocked, they have my back and are going to cover me. Even if I do make an error, they’re there to lift me up. I feel like I can trust everybody and everybody trusts me too, so that helps.”
Tribe leads UTSA with 3.82 kills per set and has recorded a squad-best 3.82 points per set, playing in each of the team’s 38 sets. She’s recorded five double-doubles on the season and is third on her squad with 2.76 digs per set.
Next Up
UTSA closes out the Roadrunner Classic by playing host to Prairie View at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Convocation Center.