Ella Swindle to leave Texas volleyball; Jerritt Elliot emotional about setter’s departure

Ella Swindle could have up to 10 more games in a Texas volleyball uniform, but Friday’s sweep of Ole Miss served as a farewell of sorts for the star-crossed setter, who won’t play for the Longhorns in her fifth and final collegiate season in 2027.

After an emotional postgame senior night celebration that included rounds of hugs and even more tears, Swindle confirmed to reporters after the match that she plans to leave Texas (14-8, 10-4 SEC) following this year, which continues Sunday against LSU in the regular-season finale.

“I’m definitely not done with volleyball,” she said. “I’m kind of figuring things out. I think I’ll know for sure in the next week or so. But I’m just praying about it a lot, and I know there’s a really great plan in store. I’ve just been where my feet are and focusing on the moment that I’m in, but I’m definitely getting excited for what’s next.”

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Swindle’s departure comes as no surprise, especially after fellow 2023 recruiting class members Torrey Stafford, Nya Bunton and Ramsey Gary announced their decision earlier this week to return to Texas for the 2027 season. Swindle and defensive specialist Anja Kujundžić were not a part of that announcement even though both four-year players still have one remaining year of eligibility. Both partook in Friday’s senior night celebration.

Setter in and out of rotation since freshman season

By now, most Longhorn fans understand Swindle’s saga. She helped lead Texas to a second consecutive national championship while earning freshman All-American honors in 2023, when she started all 32 matches and playing in all 114 sets. During her lone season as the full-time setter, Swindle amassed 1,088 assists, 227 digs and 92 blocks.

But that season proved a high mark for Swindle at Texas. She served as the second setter to Averi Carlson as a sophomore before regaining the starting job last season. This year, she fell behind starter Rella Binney and freshman Genevieve Harris in the rotation and has only appeared in 10 matches. Prior to an emotional homecoming in the Longhorns’ win Nov. 6 in Swindle’s hometown of Columbia, Mo., Swindle had gone more than a month without seeing the court.

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Texas coach Jerritt Elliott has treaded lightly over the past few seasons when discussing his decisions at the setter position. But the coach has relied on advanced metrics throughout his 26 seasons leading the Longhorns, and the numbers showed that the offense clicked at a higher rate when setters other than Swindle directed the attack.

That meant Swindle often had to stand and watch from the bench, not an easy role for a player whose competitive fire burns bright. But Swindle said she leans heavily on her faith, and that helped her accept her role. That means she cheers with each kill, claps for every dig, high-fives every player leaving the court and offers some veteran wisdom whenever needed.

“I feel like I get asked this question a lot: ‘How do you do it?’ whenever you’re in a situation that you’re not really a huge fan of,” she said. “I would give anything to be out on that court, but I also know that if I were the one out on that court, I would want someone else being a great teammate to me.

“And my faith is a huge reason for all of my actions. So, I believe that there’s a lot of purpose in this, even though I’m not necessarily the biggest fan of my role. If I’m in this role, I’m doing it to the best of my ability.”2

Jerritt Elliott: Coaching decisions can be ‘cruel’

Elliott, himself a former player during his collegiate days, appreciates that attitude more than anyone. He and his wife, Andrea, have formed a tight bond with Swindle and her family. That won’t loosen when Swindle leaves Texas, he said.

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“Coaching is a cruel world because I’ve got to make decisions and it affects everybody,” he said after Friday’s match while fighting back tears. “I know how much Ella’s doing, and I just have so much respect for her as a human being. For what she’s been through, she could have walked away. But she stayed with it. She’s an incredible human being. You can see how emotional I am, but I love a kid, and I know how hard it is.

“But it’s also fun. I get to see (former players) a lot. I revisit and go see people and go to their weddings. And there’s still so many fun times to go. And that’s really what makes this job enjoyable. The coaching side’s pretty cruel at times, but to be able to see the relationships with people grow is super special. We’ll be around both (Swindle and Kujundžić) for the rest of our lives. And that’s the cool part about coaching is that they now join us alumni, and I can’t wait for them to be around and see what they do.”

Swindle says she remains focused on this year, which continues with the regular-season finale Sunday against LSU. But on Friday, she finally took a moment to look back on the roller-coaster of a ride she’s had during her time at Texas.

“Just everything in the past four years and what this program has meant to me,” she said. “Right now is one of the first times in the past years that I’ve stopped to reflect on everything that’s happened and the ways that I’ve grown. This place has meant the world to me. I’ve always said that I would die for this program, and I think everyone knows how loyal I’ve been. It’s been Texas or nothing for me.”

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This article originally published at Ella Swindle to leave Texas volleyball; Jerritt Elliot emotional about setter’s departure.

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