Baylor
Texas Tech
No. 23 VB Set for Senior Night against Texas Tech
11/19/2025 3:00:00 PM | Volleyball
BU will honor five seniors after the match tomorrow
The Bears (15-9, 10-6 Big 12) will honor Manuela Bibinbe, Gabbi Essix, Anastasiia Nikolnikova, Bri Denney and Brielle Warren as part of a senior day celebration immediately following the match.
Set to play her final match at the Ferrell Center, Bibinbe is thankful for her time in the Green and Gold, and while it may be her final game at home, she and her teammates are taking things as they come with, what they hope, are still many more matches ahead of them.
"It's a little bittersweet," she said. "Baylor has given us everything outside of the court, from the fans to the people that support this program. We don't know what the Lord has ahead of us, and when we talk about the future we say, Lord, you lead, we follow. At the end of the day, we have all these relationships, but he is the one leading the path, so let your will be done."
Thursday marks the penultimate match of the regular season as Baylor looks to secure its fourth win in the last five outings. The Bears enter the matchup fresh off a thrilling 3-1 road victory at Houston, highlighted by a historic 35-33 fourth set, Baylor's highest-scoring frame in more than two decades.
The Bears aim to continue some strong trends at home this season, winning 10 of its 11 matches at Ferrell, while securing all 11 opening sets, entering Thursday night. BU is hoping to start fast and build on its 14-2 mark this season when capturing the first set. Inside the friendly confines, BU is out-hitting its opponent by .076 percentage points, serving up 1.63 aces per set as compared to opponents notching just 0.91.
The Bears have also gotten the best of the Red Raiders in the series' recent history. After Texas Tech won 38 of the first 42 meetings, Baylor has claimed 36 of the last 40, including seven straight. Under head coach Ryan McGuyre, the Bears have been consistently strong against in-state competition, boasting a 69–35 record vs. Texas opponents, including a 38–9 mark against current Big 12 programs from the Lone Star State.
Statistically, Baylor continues to be fueled by its standout freshman class, including Ksenia Rakhmanchik, this week's back-to-back Big 12 Rookie of the Week honoree, and by a front line anchored by a couple of seniors in Essix and Bibinbe, who combine for more than 1.5 blocks per set.
John Morris and Katie Smith will have the call for ESPN+, with stats available through Baylorbears.com/Stats.
Tickets for the match can be purchased at Baylorbears.com. Follow @BaylorVball on X, Instagram and Facebook for additional updates.
