Texas volleyball, ranked No. 2 in the latest American Volleyball Coaches Association poll, continued its grueling nonconference schedule with a matchup against No. 4 Louisville Wednesday in Fort Worth. Just like they did against Stanford Sunday at Moody Center, the Longhorns rallied for a five-set win.
Austin, TX
Replay, highlights: No. 2 Texas volleyball beats No. 4 Louisville in 5 sets
The Texas Longhorns celebrate a score during the match against Stanford at the Moody Canter on Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025 in Austin.
Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-StatesmanTorrey Stafford paced the Longhorns (5-0) with 20 kills and 18 digs while freshman phenom fired a career-high 16 kills. Freshman Abby Vander Wal added 14 kills, including the game-winner in the 23-25, 25-16, 21-25, 25-22, 16-14 victory. Ella Swindle tallied 37 assists.
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Emma Halter (17 digs, eight assists), Rella Binney (10 digs, seven assists) and Ramsey Gary (12 digs, five assists) anchored a ferocious backrow effort that helped the Longhorns overcome 35 attacking errors, the most in at least 15 years for Texas.
Peyton Petersen paced Louisville (4-1) with 18 kills.
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Read below for a replay and highlights from Texas volleyball’s win over Louisville.
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Texas Longhorns outside hitter Cari Spears (23) spikes the ball during the match against Stanford at the Moody Canter on Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025 in Austin.
Three days after rallying from a five-point deficit in the fifth set against Stanford, Texas does it again. The Longhorns fend off a match point and come back from an 11-6 deficit in the fifth set and win it on a kill by freshman Abby Vander Wal.
The Longhorns are on a 6-1 run, and Louisville takes its final timeout. Another five-set thriller for No. 2 Texas. An amazing defensive sequence by Rella Binney and Ramsey Gary a few points ago gave the Longhorns the juice they needed.
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Texas has 33 attacking errors compared to 58 kills, which is the most errors by a Texas squad in at least 15 years. The Longhorns will have to clean things up quick to pull off another rally.
The Longhorns are playing in their second consecutive five-setter after edging Stanford Sunday at Moody Center, but Louisville is the team looking most comfortable in a taut fifth set. Seventeen blocks for Louisville, and the Cardinals are hitting .400 this set compared to .132 for Texas.
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Freshman Cari Spears has a career-high 15 kills for Texas, and you never know where she’ll pop up in attack. Pin, back row, middle, she’s firing from everywhere. Torrey Stafford adds 17 digs and 16 kills, including a set-winning rocket. Match tied at 2-2.
Texas is trying to close strong, but Louisville coach Dan Meske is trying to win a fourth challenge on a tip call. Louisville leads 2-1.
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A set of runs, this. Louisville reeled off a 7-0 spurt to erase a 4-0 Texas lead, but the Longhorns respond with an 8-1 run capped by Ayden Ames winning a joust. Ames has five total blocks for Texas. Louisville leads 2-1.
The Cardinals have set a season-high 14 blocks, and they keep answering every Texas challenge – literally, too, since Louisville has won three coach’s challenges. They’re on a 7-0 run. Louisville leads 2-1.
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A solo block and a block assist from Texas middle Nya Bunton, and the Longhorns jump out to a quick start in a do-or-die set. Timeout, Louisville. Louisville leads 2-1.
A tight replay goes Louisville’s way, and the Cardinals are one set away from handing Texas its first loss. Peyton Petersen of Louisville and Torrey Stafford of Texas are tied for match-high honors with 13 kills, but the Cardinals have committed five fewer attacking errors in a high-error match. Louisville leads 2-1.
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The Cardinals are answering any questions about their mettle after an easy opening schedule, but the Longhorns have just fended off three set points. The two teams are tied at 1-1.
Peyton Petersen slices her 13th kill down the left sideline for Louisville, and the Cardinals are on a 5-0 run. Timeout, Texas coach Jerritt Elliott. The two teams are tied at 1-1.
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An alley-oop dunk on a fast break. A 6-4-3 double play. A back-row attack, like Cari Spears just did for her ninth kill. These are elegant sports things. The two teams are tied at 1-1.
A pair of one-armed stabs by Torrey Stafford keeps a rally alive, and it leads to a rare hitting error by Louisville. High-level volleyball in Cowtown, Panther City, Funky Town, whatever you want to call Fort Worth. The two teams are tied at 1-1.
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Back-to-back blocks from Louisville, and the Cardinals are trying to claim grab their first lead of the third set. The two teams are tied at 1-1.
Louisville closes to within 22-16, but a big block from Ella Swindle and five kills in the set from Torrey Stafford help Texas rebound from dropping its first opening set of the season. We’re even at 1-1.
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Texas is firing on all cylinders right now. Torrey Stafford is up to a match-high nine kills, Devin Kahahawai keeps playing solid minutes off the bench, and the Longhorn block is starting to slow Louisville go-to attacker Peyton Petersen, who has just two of her nine kills 9 kills this set. Louisville leads 1-0.
Louisville has used its last timeout of the set as the Longhorns stay hot. Cari Spears and Torrey Stafford are leading the onslaught with seven and six kills, respectively. Spears also has three blocks, and Nya Bunton has four blocks for the Longhorns.
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Set two: Texas 8, Louisville 3
Texas doesn’t want another slow start. Freshman OH Cari Spears is up to seven kills, including a thunderous shot off Louisville’s Hannah Kenny, and classmate Abby Vander Wal is making a big impact defensively at the net. Louisville leads 1-0.
The Cardinals clamp down defensively in the last few points and win the set on a tip by Nayelis Cabello. Texas was out of position in the scramble, and Louisville makes them pay.
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Texas falls behind 22-20, but Torrey Stafford caps a 3-0 spurt with her fifth kill down the line and Louisville takes a timeout.
Set one: Texas 19, Louisville 18
Jerritt Elliott has been rotating in Rella Binney at the service line and Devin Kahahawai at the net late in sets, and it again pays off. Binney serves two quick points and Texas takes the lead on a Abby Vander Wal.
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Set one: Texas 15, Louisville 14
Louisville is playing frenetic defense and extending every rally, but Texas OH Torrey Stafford is heating up with three kills and an ace.
Texas has worked its way back into the match after a brutal start behind freshman Cari Spears, who has two kills and a block. Texas setter Ella Swindle wins a joust at the net, and we’re tied pending a Louisville challenge.
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This is Louisville’s first meeting with a ranked team this season, but the Cardinals seem unphased in their first meeting with Texas since getting swept by the Longhorns in the 2022 national championship team. Timeout, Texas. Coach Jerritt Elliott wants to take a breath.
Texas will start setter Ella Swindle, outside hitter Cari Spears, outside hitter Torrey Stafford, libero Emma Halter, middle blocker Ayden Ames, middle blocker Nya Bunton and defensive specialist Ramsey Gary. Louisville will start Kamden Schrand, Chloe Chicoine, Nayelis Cabello, Hanna Sherman, Cara Cresse and Kalyssa Blackshear.
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Since No. 7 Pittsburgh swept No. 3 Kentucky in the first game of the Shriners Children’s Showdown at the Net in Fort Worth, the start time between Texas and Louisville has been moved up to 7:53 p.m. CT.
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Where: Dickies Arena, Fort Worth
NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas (KXAN) — Between carpool, homework, and after-school activities for her two teenage daughters, Suzanne La Follette fits in chemo.
As she and her partner move through daily life, they’ve had to navigate cancer treatments and a legal system surrounding workers’ compensation.
“To have this on top of it has been really overwhelming,” La Follette said.
The Austin Fire Department lieutenant of nearly two decades said she was diagnosed with terminal uterine cancer last May. She explained in November 2025, the City of Austin denied her workers’ compensation claim, classifying her cancer as a “disease of life” rather than an illness tied to her work as a firefighter.
“I have no regrets (about) becoming a firefighter,” La Follette said. “But I do think this job absolutely caused the cancer.”
Her case highlights concerns by firefighter associations across the state and the need to strengthen Texas’ presumptive cancer laws, particularly to ensure women firefighters are covered.
Focus on cancers impacting women
La Follette, 46, appealed the city’s decision.
In April, a ruling affirmed that her cancer is occupational, making her eligible for workers’ compensation benefits. A city spokesperson said it’s not appealing the judge’s decision.
“All workers’ compensation claims are unique and evaluated on a case-by-case basis. This process ensured that Lt. La Follette’s case was reviewed and considered by a neutral third party,” said the statement to KXAN investigators. “We are thankful for the clarity provided by the Texas Division of Workers’ Compensation and appreciate Lt. La Follette’s years of service to this community.”
Under Texas law, certain cancers are presumed to be job-related for firefighters, but cancers specifically impacting women, including uterine cancer, are not listed.
It’s why state lawmakers want to study the issue and have directed the Department of State Health Services and the Texas Commission on Fire Protection to compare cancer rates of women firefighters across the state to other women, focusing on ovarian, cervical, uterine and breast cancers. A report due to the Texas legislature by September must include the results of the study and any recommendations.
DSHS said the agency is using Texas Cancer Registry data to compare all cancers, and those specific to women, among women who are firefighters and those who are not. The Texas Commission on Fire Protection explained the agency has shared data with the state health department on more than 40,000 firefighters in Texas to correlate the data, which does not include occupations. The data will allow DSHS to identify women employed as firefighters.
“There have been many studies which show a link to increased risk of cancer amongst male firefighters for a broad range of cancers; however, until now, there were not enough female firefighters in the state to do a meaningful study into the increased risk these women face to female-specific cancers, such as ovarian and breast cancers,” said State Rep. Jared Patterson, R-Frisco, one of the authors of the legislation which became law last legislative session.
Patterson said the new law does not change existing code or policy, but the state will study whether certain cancers should be added to preemptive measures, as other specific cancers have been.
‘Left by the wayside’
Firefighter associations are advocating for statewide changes to cancer protections for firefighters.
“They could get it through the exposure to carcinogens on the fire ground, benzene, diesel exhaust in the fire station, if they don’t have that taken care of,” explained John Riddle, president of the Texas State Association of Fire Fighters.
The association has almost 21,000 members and points to gaps in research, which has historically focused on men.
“They’ve (women) been kind of left by the wayside quite frankly over the years,” said Riddle. “And we need to fix that.”
Though the number of studies into cancer rates impacting female firefighters are limited, one out of Florida is similar to what Texas is hoping to learn.
A study published in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine in 2020 examined cancer risk in over 100,000 Florida firefighters over three decades.
The study found women firefighters had a 154% increased risk of brain cancer, a 142% increased risk of thyroid cancer and a 68% greater risk of melanoma compared to women who were not firefighters. The authors of the study explained more research is needed to focus on a larger number of women firefighters diagnosed with cancer.
It’s what another national study currently underway hopes to do.
The Fire Fighter Cancer Cohort Study, funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, is focusing on women firefighters and evaluating factors associated with the increased risk for cancer, reproductive health outcomes and stress in the fire service. As of early May, more than 1,400 women firefighters have enrolled in the study from across the country, over 170 from Texas.
“I’ve really been optimistic that we can make some change,” La Follette said, hearing about the ongoing studies. “The more research we gather, the more we realize… that cancer is an occupational hazard of firefighting.”
AUSTIN, Texas — A man walking his dog with his son was fatally shot by a neighbor Friday evening in Northwest Austin, police said.
Billy Carlisle, 41, was shot at the intersection of Gardenridge Hollow and Wallace Drive at approximately 6:06 p.m. May 8. Austin-Travis County EMS attempted lifesaving measures, but Carlisle was pronounced dead at 6:45 p.m.
Hunter Buchmeyer, 36, was taken into custody in connection with the shooting.
According to APD, Carlisle was walking his dog with his son when he and Buchmeyer, also walking his dog, got into a verbal altercation. The two neighbors had “prior history,” APD said.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE | APD investigating deadly shooting in NW Austin; suspect in custody
The dispute escalated to the point that Buchmeyer called 911 to report the altercation before shooting Carlisle. According to police, Buchmeyer yelled at someone to “get back” before the call disconnected.
Buchmeyer remained at the scene and attempted CPR on Carlisle before officers arrived.
No charges have been filed. APD said the investigation remains open.
The case is being investigated as Austin’s 23rd homicide of 2026.
Anyone with information is asked to contact APD at 512-974-TIPS or submit an anonymous tip through Capital Area Crime Stoppers at austincrimestoppers.org or 512-472-8477. A reward of up to $1,000 may be available for information leading to an arrest.
There was a significant reduction in the number of antisemitic incidents in Rhode Island in 2025, according to a national Jewish advocacy group.
According to the Anti-Defamation League’s latest Audit of Antisemitic Incidents, there were 26 antisemitic incidents in the state last year. That’s down from the 52 incidents counted by the group in 2024.
Samantha Joseph, New England regional director of the Anti-Defamation League, says a big reason for the reduction is a steep decline in antisemitism on college campuses.
“It shows that campus administrators are taking their responsibilities very seriously to provide a safe environment for all of their students,” said Joseph.
Brown University had over $500 million in federal funding frozen by the Trump administration last year following investigations into alleged antisemitism on campus. The funding was restored after Brown reached a settlement with the administration.
The reduction in antisemitic incidents in Rhode Island reflects a wider trend in New England as a whole. According to the ADL’s report, there were 400 antisemitic incidents in the region in 2025, compared to 638 the previous year.
While she’s pleased about the overall drop in antisemitic incidents in Rhode Island, Joseph says a number of concerning trends continue to persist. In particular, the state is still seeing more anti-Jewish incidents than it did prior to the October 7 attacks on Israel that launched the Gaza War in 2023.
Joseph is also concerned about the violent nature of local incidents of antisemitism.
“Even though overall incidents are down, assaults are up and assaults with a deadly weapon are up significantly,” said Joseph. “Our communities remain concerned for their safety, and our work is far from done.”
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