Aggies face Campbell in front of 12th Man to open NCAA Tournament

Put your dancing shoes on. It’s time for the Big Dance.

All season long, Texas A&M volleyball has been preparing to make a deep postseason run. Now, the time has finally arrived.

It all begins on Friday in Reed Arena, where the Aggies will face Campbell in the first round of the NCAA Volleyball Tournament. First serve is unofficially scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CT.

Officially, A&M vs. Campbell will begin 30 minutes after the conclusion of the TCU-SFA match, which begins at 4 p.m. CT.

A&M enters with a 23-4 record and as a No. 3 seed. While the Aggies are hosting in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2019, it’s the program’s third-straight tournament appearance under Jamie Morrison.

For the senior-heavy group, bringing postseason volleyball to Reed Arena and playing in front of the 12th Man one last time means everything.

“It’s just a testament to how much hard work we’ve put in,” Logan Lednicky said. “That was a big goal for us going into this season, wanting to go far into the tournament, but also hosting the first two rounds. Getting to play in front of the 12th Man is a very special thing.”

All-Americans Ifenna Cos-Okpalla and Lednicky have led the Aggies all year long and will continue to be key factors heading into the tournament.

Cos-Okpalla is a wall at the net, sitting third in the nation in blocks per set, while Lednicky is an AVCA Player of the Year semifinalist.

Sophomore outside hitter Kyndal Stowers has made an immediate impact since transferring from Baylor. Most recently, she led A&M with 18 kills against Texas at the SEC Tournament.

Maddie Waak is the driver of the Aggie offense. She leads the nation in assists per set at 11.51. Waak’s ability to move the ball around efficiently and create opportunities for her hitters has been the key to A&M’s balanced offense all season long.

Will Huffman, TexAgs

Jamie Morrison took Texas A&M to the Sweet 16 in 2024. The Aggies have been to the Elight Eight just twice and not since 2001. A&M has never reached the Final Four.

If they are to achieve their goal of a deep postseason run, minimizing errors behind the service line will be key. A&M’s 24 service errors in their two SEC Tournament matches are points that they cannot afford to give away in the Big Dance.

After going 6-22 last year, the Fighting Camels had a major comeback in 2025. This season, Campbell is 23-6 overall and went 13-6 in conference play, earning an automatic bid after winning the CAA Tournament.

While Campbell holds a winning record, they have lost to every power conference opponent that they played, all of which did not make it into the tournament. The Camels’ success this season is undeniable, but A&M holds the clear edge in experience and talent level.

On Tuesday, Morrison announced that he and the athletic department are splitting the cost of tickets so that students can have free admission into this weekend’s games.

“They’ve given us so much this year,” said Morrison. “I’m happy to give some back.”

His message to the 12th Man is simple: “Show up and be loud.”

Last year, A&M made it to the Sweet 16. Now, they’re looking to push even further and show the nation what they are capable of.

It’s time to dance.