Jamie Morrison and the Fightin’ Texas Aggie volleyball team open the 2026 season on Friday with a neutral-site showdown vs. No. 7 Louisville in the AVCA First Serve. We’re looking ahead to the upcoming campaign with our 2026 Texas A&M Volleyball Preview Series.
It’s always nice to be able to play in your home state.
The reality for a lot of college athletes in the current climate is that many don't get that opportunity often.
For the first four years of her career, Natalie Ring only had to be an hour away from home at Marquette, where the outside hitter dominated as a senior, earning AVCA Third Team All-American honors.
After hitting the portal after 2025, the graduate student elected to cross the country for her final year of collegiate play, joining the defending national champions in Aggieland.
Coming to an unfamiliar environment like the Lone Star State brought Ring 1,118 miles from home, but No. 8 Texas A&M will make the trip to her native Dairy State for the 2026 AVCA First Serve.
“We’re all really excited, and I’m particularly grateful to be playing in this event,” Ring said. “A&M played in this event last year, but I wasn't a part of it. So I’m really excited to be a part of it this year.”
A&M was successful in its one game last year in the First Serve, taking down then-No. 11 Minnesota in Sioux Falls, S.D., 3-1.
This trip will be different, though.
With expectations higher than ever after a national championship, Ring is excited about both the on- and off-the-court events happening in Milwaukee.
“I’m really excited to show this team what Wisconsin and Milwaukee are like,” Ring said. “I’ve spent so much time there, so I’m excited for sure.”
With a chance to be home to kick off the season, showing her teammates what Wisconsin is all about isn't the only positive.
Ring's family benefits from the First Serve event, not having to travel all the way to Texas just to watch her play.
“Definitely a decent amount,” Ring said about family members coming. “I think my aunts and uncles are going to come. My grandma’s coming. My parents will be there. Basically everyone.”
The Ring family will be treated to some marquee matchups, as A&M will take on both No. 7 Louisville and No. 11 SMU on Friday and Sunday, respectively.
The Aggies are committed to staying within themselves, even with big names across the net.
“We’re going into every game, preseason and conference, the same way,” Ring said. “Just treating every opponent with the respect they deserve. It’s going to be really exciting, but we’re really focused on what we can do, especially going into the first weekend.”
A&M gets to open up with a team they knocked out of the 2025 NCAA Tournament. The Cardinals returned 11 players from their 2025 roster, so the Aggies will face a very similar lineup to the one they saw in December.
The season opener against Louisville has a slightly different meaning to Ring, as her former team was knocked out of the postseason by the Cards.
Ring had a career game in the loss to Louisville, bringing in an astonishing 29 kills in the five-set match.
“It’s kind of a mixed bag of the way people have interacted with Louisville,” Ring said. “But it was a super fun team to play, and it’s going to be a high-level match. I’m excited to see what we can do against other top opponents like that.”
SMU is also a familiar opponent for Ring and the Aggies, having seen the Mustangs during two spring exhibition matches.
“Having those two games we played in the spring, having a little bit of familiarity with a team like that will be super helpful,” Ring said. “But it’s kind of a crapshoot; you never know what teams got better at over the spring.”
Ring's homecoming will kick off Friday, Aug. 21 at 5 p.m. against Louisville in the Fiserv Forum.
