The University of Texas Permian Basin volleyball team is set to open its 2025 season on Friday, September 5, with a mix of excitement, anticipation and plenty of new talent.  

Head Coach CJ Allard said, "I was just mentioning to the team at practice about last January when there were only seven faces in the gym, and three of those faces were brand new. After that, this week felt like it may never come, so the team is excited. We of course as a staff are excited to see how the 11 newcomers and the 16 players in total look. By this time next week, we will have a heck of an answer." 

The Falcons have a big start to the season as three of their four matches will be regional matches that could carry heavy postseason implications. 

Coach Allard spoke on how important these first couple of matches are, saying "They are crucial. At this level of college volleyball, wins against regional teams become even more important when November and December roll around. Building chemistry and finding our rhythm on the court is important early, but as we learned last year, when the season ends, you don't want to look back wishing you had one match back. We are certainly not going to allow that to happen this year." 

The Falcons ended last season on a strong note – winning their final four matches and earning their first regional ranking since 2019 – but it was not enough as they barely missed qualifying for the Lone Star Conference Tournament.  

But this year, the Falcons have added a lot of new talent that are working to make sure last season's ending does not repeat itself. One of the most notable new additions is freshman Kyndall Torres, a local product from Midland Legacy who has impressed Coach Allard throughout preseason camp. 

Coach Allard spoke on Torres, saying that "Kendall is an amazing worker, a phenomenal person, h she plays well beyond her years even though she hasn't competed in a college volleyball match yet. When you watch her in practice, you would never know she's brand new. My favorite thing about this program is we do not care if you have been here one day or four years. Everybody is expected to step up, expected to lead, and expected to contribute on and off the court. We have had a great start to the season from that perspective." 

In less than 24 hours the Falcons will return to the court, and as for what fans can expect from the Falcons, Coach Allard kept it simple: effort, energy, and fight. 

"We are going to fight like no other," said Coach Allard. "The controllables will always be controlled. Effort, output, energy and communication. We have got to ensure that we are giving ourselves the highest probability on every point to see success and controlling the controllables is a big one on that." 

UTPB's opening opponent, Adams State, is also a team in transition after heavy roster turnover, making scouting tricky. Southern Nazarene follows, with Colorado Mesa and Arkansas-Monticello rounding out the opening weekend. 

Despite the unknowns, Coach Allard is eager to see his team finally take the court. 

"I am excited to extend this four-match winning streak and make it five, Friday morning at 9 a.m., so it will be early," concluded Coach Allard. "Get your coffee out, turn on FloCollege, and you will be able to check us out for sure." 

The Falcons open their season on Friday, September 5, at 9 a.m. against Adams State University in match one of the Kathleen Brasfield Invitational and will be looking to turn their hard work into early success and set the tone for a promising year.