AUSTIN, Texas – Texas State volleyball will partake in the first round of the 2023 NCAA Tournament on Thursday, Nov. 30 at 4 p.m. (CT). The Bobcats will take on SMU.
 
The game will be played at Texas' Gregory Gymnasium in Austin and will be streamed on ESPN+.
 
ABOUT THE FIRST AND SECOND ROUND:
The Bobcats match with SMU will be the first-round of the 2023 NCAA Tournament. The winner of this match will advance to the second round and face the winner of the match between Texas and Texas A&M, still in Austin. The second-round match will be Dec. 1 at 7 p.m.
 
Whoever the winner of the second-round match is will advance to the NCAA Tournament Regional. The hosts of the regionals are to be determined and will be announced Dec. 4. 
 
To view the full bracket, click here. Full information about streaming and stats can be found on txst.com.

ABOUT THE BOBCATS:
Texas State is coming into the NCAA tournament with a lot of new faces on its roster, but a winning record and proven success behind it. The Bobcats finished 1^st in the West Division of the Sun Belt Conference this season with an 11-1 record in Divisional play. They also finished second overall in the conference with a 12-4 record in conference play.
 
Texas State has started one redshirt freshman and three sophomores for a majority of its season. Redshirt freshman Samantha Wunsch has spearheaded the offense for the Bobcats as she was named All-Sun Belt Conference First-Team this season. Her, paired with two-time AVCA All-American KJ Johnson and sophomore Maggie Walsh, has helped the Bobcats to their 20-win season. Johnson is averaging 3.70 kills a set while Wunsch has tallied 3.10 a set for herself.
 
Sophomores Bailey Hanner and Jade Defraeye have also been pivotal pieces in the Bobcats campaign this season. Defraeye and Hanner both average over a block per set and are part of the Bobcats' nationally-ranked defense. The Bobcats, thanks in part to Defraeye and Hanner, are ranked fifth in the nation in both total team blocks (312.0) and blocks per set (2.84) headed into the NCAA tournament.
 
The Bobcats are rounded out by All-Sun Belt Conference Second-Team members Ryann Torres and Alyssa Ortega. Torres is a senior for the Bobcats who is averaging just shy of 10 assists per set and has been a consistent presence to the Bobcat attack this season. Ortega finished out the season as the Bobcats libero where she was good for 4.04 digs per set and .37 aces per set.
 
BOBCATS IN THE POSTSEASON:
This will be the Bobcats first appearance in the NCAA tournament since the 2020 season that was played in the spring of 2021. The Bobcats have an 2-12 record all time in the NCAA. 

When the Bobcats were in the tournament in 2021 they had a first-round win against Utah Valley in four sets to advance to the second round where they lost to Nebraska. 
 
The Bobcats other win in the NCAA tournament came in Austin in the 2018 regional when they faced Rice and won in four sets. 
 
The Bobcats have 12 prior appearances in the NCAA tournament including the following years: 1986, 1991, 1998, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2018, 2019, 2021 (2020 fall season played in spring of 2021).
 
HISTORY WITH SMU:
The last time the Bobcats faced SMU was in the 2017 season where the Bobcats fell 3-2. The Bobcats have a 4-5 record versus SMU all-time, the last time the Bobcats won was three meetings ago in the 2013 season in four sets inside Strahan Arena.
 
These two sides have never met in the postseason.