
No. 19 Baylor VB Looks to “White Out” No. 17 BYU
10/22/2025 3:31:00 PM | Volleyball
Thursday begins a pivotal three-match stretch for BU
WACO, Texas – No. 19 Baylor volleyball returns to the Ferrell Center on Thursday night for a top-25 showdown with No. 17 BYU at 7 p.m. CT in a "Whiteout" match.
Fans are encouraged to wear white as the Bears (11-6, 6-3 Big 12) look to build upon their home success and even the all-time series against the Cougars, who lead 2-1. The match also begins a stretch of three-straight against foes who are ranked or receiving votes in this week's AVCA Top 25.
Freshman Morgan Madison looks forward to having such a pivotal match in front of the home crowd at the Ferrell Center.
"Yeah, it's definitely a huge benefit," she said. "Just the growth of the sport and how many more people are coming to the matches is inspiring. TCU was a huge crowd, so we definitely love having it at home and just having everyone here to support us. Every time we get a point, we hear all of the cheers. It will be a lot of fun tomorrow, so I'm really excited."
Thursday marks the first-ever meeting between the two programs in Waco, and the fourth straight in which both teams have been ranked or receiving votes nationally.
The Bears enter the matchup riding momentum from a 3-1 victory over Cincinnati, improving to 7-1 at home this season and 2-0 in their current homestand. Baylor put together an elite defensive performance in its last time out, recording 18 blocks, its most in a match since 2022, and holding the Bearcats to a .090 hitting percentage, the lowest by a Big 12 opponent this season. The Bears will need another strong defensive effort against BYU, which leads the conference in kills per set (14.32) and hitting percentage (.282).
Senior middle blocker Manuela Bibinbe continues to lead Baylor's attack, entering the week with 496 career kills, just four shy of eclipsing the 500 mark. Freshman outside hitter Ksenia Rakhmanchik has emerged as a force on the outside for BU, ranking fifth in program history among freshmen with 159 this season. In the backcourt, freshman libero Morgan Madison continues her record-setting pace, leading the Bears with 238 digs (3.61 per set), already surpassing the previous Baylor freshman record last Friday.
Baylor's 7-1 home record includes a win over then-No. 9 TCU earlier this season, and the Bears will look to add another top-25 victory to their résumé Thursday night.
The match will be streamed live on ESPN+, as John Morris and Katie Smith call the action. Live stats are available all season through BaylorBears.com/stats.
Single-game tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at Baylorbears.com. Follow @BaylorVball on X, Instagram and Facebook for additional updates.
Fans are encouraged to wear white as the Bears (11-6, 6-3 Big 12) look to build upon their home success and even the all-time series against the Cougars, who lead 2-1. The match also begins a stretch of three-straight against foes who are ranked or receiving votes in this week's AVCA Top 25.
Freshman Morgan Madison looks forward to having such a pivotal match in front of the home crowd at the Ferrell Center.
"Yeah, it's definitely a huge benefit," she said. "Just the growth of the sport and how many more people are coming to the matches is inspiring. TCU was a huge crowd, so we definitely love having it at home and just having everyone here to support us. Every time we get a point, we hear all of the cheers. It will be a lot of fun tomorrow, so I'm really excited."
Thursday marks the first-ever meeting between the two programs in Waco, and the fourth straight in which both teams have been ranked or receiving votes nationally.
The Bears enter the matchup riding momentum from a 3-1 victory over Cincinnati, improving to 7-1 at home this season and 2-0 in their current homestand. Baylor put together an elite defensive performance in its last time out, recording 18 blocks, its most in a match since 2022, and holding the Bearcats to a .090 hitting percentage, the lowest by a Big 12 opponent this season. The Bears will need another strong defensive effort against BYU, which leads the conference in kills per set (14.32) and hitting percentage (.282).
Senior middle blocker Manuela Bibinbe continues to lead Baylor's attack, entering the week with 496 career kills, just four shy of eclipsing the 500 mark. Freshman outside hitter Ksenia Rakhmanchik has emerged as a force on the outside for BU, ranking fifth in program history among freshmen with 159 this season. In the backcourt, freshman libero Morgan Madison continues her record-setting pace, leading the Bears with 238 digs (3.61 per set), already surpassing the previous Baylor freshman record last Friday.
Baylor's 7-1 home record includes a win over then-No. 9 TCU earlier this season, and the Bears will look to add another top-25 victory to their résumé Thursday night.
The match will be streamed live on ESPN+, as John Morris and Katie Smith call the action. Live stats are available all season through BaylorBears.com/stats.
Single-game tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at Baylorbears.com. Follow @BaylorVball on X, Instagram and Facebook for additional updates.
—Baylorbears.com—
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