Friday, October 2
Waco, Texas
7 p.m.
Baylor
vs
UCF
No. 21 VB Opens Conference Home Schedule Friday Against UCF
10/1/2026 3:37:00 PM | Volleyball
BU is 5-3 in Big 12 home openers under Ryan McGuyre
WACO, Texas – Baylor volleyball returns to the Ferrell Center this weekend to open its Big 12 home schedule, beginning with UCF Friday night at 7 p.m. CT before hosting No. 24 Colorado Sunday in a nationally televised matchup on ESPN.
Baylor will look to continue its dominance against UCF, having won all seven meetings between the programs, including each of the last 12 sets. The Bears will also be looking to continue their recent success against Colorado, having won nine of the last 12 meetings after the Buffaloes won 21 of the first 23 matches in the series. Baylor has won five straight home matches against Colorado in Big 12 Conference play.
Seeing firsthand the advantage a raucous home atmosphere brings, head coach Ryan McGuyre looks forward to having one of the Bears' own this weekend.
"I think being at home does help you sustain those long runs and energy, where the crowd is able to help you overcome the other team's runs, where you're able to snap out of that really quick and go get it and then recover. This team's so fun to watch, they're so athletic. We want to keep multiplying the joy, and that does get multiplied at home when we have the great fan support that we get here."
The Bears enter the weekend at 8-4 overall and 0-2 in Big 12 play after opening conference action with a pair of road matches in Utah. Baylor battled back from a two-set deficit at No. 22 BYU last Friday before falling in five sets, while Utah clipped the Bears in a 3-1 decision in Salt Lake City on Sunday.
Baylor setter Isabela Haggard has excelled in directing the Bears' offense, leading the league in assists per set in each of the last three weeks, including a 10.89 mark this past week. Haggard's week was highlighted by a career-high 57 assists in Baylor's five-set battle at No. 22 BYU, helping the Bears post a Big 12-record .393 hitting percentage.
Ksenia Rakhmanchik has continued to lead the way offensively for the Bears, entering the weekend atop the Big 12 and among the nation's top 10 in attacks per set (12.00), kills per set (4.78) and points per set (5.17). She has recorded double-digit kills in 21-straight matches dating back to last season and has led Baylor in kills, attacks and points in 11 of the team's 12 matches this season.
Libero Morgan Madison enters the weekend averaging 3.86 digs per set, ranking sixth in the Big 12.
Friday's game will be available on ESPN+, while Sunday's match is BU's second nationally-televised contest of the season on ESPN. Stats are available throughout the season at BaylorBears.com/Stats.
Single-match tickets for the 2026 season are on sale now. You can find them at BaylorBears.com/tickets or by calling the Baylor Athletics Ticket Office at 254-710-1000.
To stay up to date with Baylor Volleyball all year long, follow the program on Instagram, Facebook, X and TikTok: @BaylorVBall. Want to support the team? You can do so by giving to the One Way Club.
Baylor will look to continue its dominance against UCF, having won all seven meetings between the programs, including each of the last 12 sets. The Bears will also be looking to continue their recent success against Colorado, having won nine of the last 12 meetings after the Buffaloes won 21 of the first 23 matches in the series. Baylor has won five straight home matches against Colorado in Big 12 Conference play.
Seeing firsthand the advantage a raucous home atmosphere brings, head coach Ryan McGuyre looks forward to having one of the Bears' own this weekend.
"I think being at home does help you sustain those long runs and energy, where the crowd is able to help you overcome the other team's runs, where you're able to snap out of that really quick and go get it and then recover. This team's so fun to watch, they're so athletic. We want to keep multiplying the joy, and that does get multiplied at home when we have the great fan support that we get here."
The Bears enter the weekend at 8-4 overall and 0-2 in Big 12 play after opening conference action with a pair of road matches in Utah. Baylor battled back from a two-set deficit at No. 22 BYU last Friday before falling in five sets, while Utah clipped the Bears in a 3-1 decision in Salt Lake City on Sunday.
Baylor setter Isabela Haggard has excelled in directing the Bears' offense, leading the league in assists per set in each of the last three weeks, including a 10.89 mark this past week. Haggard's week was highlighted by a career-high 57 assists in Baylor's five-set battle at No. 22 BYU, helping the Bears post a Big 12-record .393 hitting percentage.
Ksenia Rakhmanchik has continued to lead the way offensively for the Bears, entering the weekend atop the Big 12 and among the nation's top 10 in attacks per set (12.00), kills per set (4.78) and points per set (5.17). She has recorded double-digit kills in 21-straight matches dating back to last season and has led Baylor in kills, attacks and points in 11 of the team's 12 matches this season.
Libero Morgan Madison enters the weekend averaging 3.86 digs per set, ranking sixth in the Big 12.
Friday's game will be available on ESPN+, while Sunday's match is BU's second nationally-televised contest of the season on ESPN. Stats are available throughout the season at BaylorBears.com/Stats.
Single-match tickets for the 2026 season are on sale now. You can find them at BaylorBears.com/tickets or by calling the Baylor Athletics Ticket Office at 254-710-1000.
To stay up to date with Baylor Volleyball all year long, follow the program on Instagram, Facebook, X and TikTok: @BaylorVBall. Want to support the team? You can do so by giving to the One Way Club.
—Baylorbears.com—
Players Mentioned
Thursday, October 01
Monday, September 28
Friday, September 25
Saturday, September 19
