Texas volleyball: Henley Anderson, Abby Vander Wal help US win Pan-American Cup

The future of U.S. volleyball has a burnt-orange tinge.

Texas volleyball's Henley Anderson, Genevieve Harris, Taylor Harvey and Abby Vander Wal helped lead the U.S. squad to the 2026 NORCECA Women's under-21 Pan American Cup championship Sunday when Team USA swept Canada 25-18, 25-19, 25-21 in the gold medal match in Columbus, Ohio.

The U.S. completed the tournament with a 5-0 record with wins over Venezuela, Mexico and Canada during pool play before sweeping Mexico in the semifinals and Canada in the championship match. The Americans dropped just one set at the tournament.

The team included two rising Longhorns sophomores in middle blocker Harvey and outside hitter Vander Wal as well as two 2026 recruits in outside hitter Anderson and setter Harris. The 6-foot-3 Anderson, out of Dripping Springs, registered nine points in the gold medal match with four kills, three aces and two blocks. She started four of Team USA's five matches, highlighted by a team-high 17 points in a four-set pool-play victory over Canada on 13 kills and four aces before recording nine points in both the semifinal victory over Mexico as well as the championship match.

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Texas Longhorns outside hitter Abby Vander Wal (6) celebrates a point in the second set against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Gregory Gymnasium in Austin, Sept. 24, 2025. (Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman)

The 5-foot-11 Harris, a North Carolina native who plays setter, directed the U.S. offense in a pool-play victory over Mexico with seven points on four aces, two blocks and a kill. She also saw action in the tournament opener against Venezuela, helping Team USA hit nearly .500 in its straight-set victory.

Harvey turned in one of Team USA's top individual performances during pool play against Mexico, recording 12 points on eight kills and four blocks, before adding six points in the semifinal victory over Mexico. Last season, the 6-3 Harvey earned all-freshman honors from the SEC after recording 78 kills, 46 blocks, 25 digs and four service aces in 21 matches and 54 sets for a Texas team that went 26-4 and reached the regional finals before losing to Wisconsin.

Dripping Springs outside hitter Henley Anderson (22) smiles as she's introduced before Lake Travis and Dripping Springs face off in Dripping Springs, Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025. (Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman)

The 6-foot-3 Vander Wal, another member of the SEC's all-freshman team last season, started three matches and opened the tournament with a team-high 13 points against Venezuela before registering a match-best 14 kills in the Americans' four-set pool-play victory over Canada. Last season, Vander Wal played in all 30 matches and 107 sets and finished her freshman year with 280 kills, 34 blocks, 67 digs and six assists..

Texas also was represented on the U.S. Women's National Team during the Volleyball Nations League preliminary play. Former Longhorns Saige Ka'aha'aina-Torres, Molly McCage, Asjia O'Neal, Logan Eggleston and Chiaka Ogbogu helped the senior U.S. team finish 10-2 in preliminary play, capped by a straight-set victory over world No. 2-ranked Brazil. The win clinched the No. 1 seed for the U.S. at the upcoming Volleyball Nations League finals July 22-26 in Macao, China. The United States will face China in the quarterfinals July 22.

Texas opens the 2026 season Aug. 22 against Arizona State at the AVCA First Serve event in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

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