A LOOK BACK
 
2024 gave the Patriots their fourth consecutive appearance in the NCAA South Central Regional Tournament and a third place finish in the Lone Star Conference standings. The Patriots finished 18-9 in the regular season and a stout 14-2 in conference play. They would go on to the semifinal round of the LSC Tournament, and would bow out of the NCAA Tournament in the opening round.
 
Kota Hartman would be named the LSC Newcomer of the Year and was also named to the All-LSC First Team along with teammate Dakota Rogers-Hurtado. Saige Rivera, Makhai Lewis, and Autumn Perry also earned All-LSC honors.
 
THE PRESEASON POLLS
 
In the LSC Preseason Poll, the Patriots were selected third, only behind Angelo State and West Texas A&M in the rankings. Additionally, the Patriots picked up three first place votes in the poll.
 
Senior setter Saige Rivera was selected as the LSC Preseason Setter of the Year, marking the first time in program history that they earned a preseason LSC Player of the Year honor.
 
In the AVCA/TARAFLEX Preseason Poll, the Patriots found themselves in the Receiving Votes category. They join three other teams from the LSC associated with the poll, including #2 Angelo State, #8 West Texas A&M, and (RV) DBU.
 
A DAUNTING SCHEDULE
 
The Patriots will face one of, if not the, hardest schedules across the Division II landscape this fall. They will face off against #5 Ferris State and #7 Central Oklahoma this weekend in the Patriot Classic, and in two weeks will see #8 West Texas A&M and #2 Angleo State as part of the annual LSC Challenge.
 
During conference play, the Patriots will play the same #8 ranked Lady Buffs and #2 Rambelles, each on the road. Their season rounds out with (RV) DBU at home, marking seven total games against teams associated with the AVCA/TARAFLEX Preseason Poll, and six of those coming against top 10 opponents.
 
THE 2025 PATRIOT CLASSIC
 
This year's Patriot Classic will see 12 games played over the course of three days as three teams associated with the AVCA/TARAFLEX Preseason Poll will begin their season's inside the Herrington Patriot Center.
 
On Thursday, UT Dallas begins their Division II journey with a matchup against #7 Central Oklahoma at 5 p.m. Following that matchup, the (RV) Patriots begin their year against #5 Ferris State at 7:30 p.m.
 
Over the next two days, there will be five games each day, with Friday's proceedings beginning at 10 a.m. and Saturday's games beginning at 9 a.m.
 
UT Tyler will face off with #5 Ferris State at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, #7 Central Oklahoma at 4 p.m. on Friday, Ouachita Baptist at 11 a.m. on Saturday, and Mississippi College at 5 p.m. on Saturday.
 
PATRIOTS NEWS AND NOTES
 

• UT Tyler went 18-9 overall in 2024 with a 14-2 record in the LSC. They qualified for their 4^th straight NCAA South Central Regional Tournament and finished 3^rd in the LSC Standings.
• The Patriots are led by head coach Lyndsay Mashe who begins her 10^th season with the program and 20^th year as a head coach. She is 163-71 (.697) with the Patriots and 357-193 (.649) overall.
• Coach Mashe is joined by her husband and Associate Head Coach Kris Mashe, who has been at her side throughout all 20 years of her tenure.
• UT Tyler will return their three highest offensive players in terms of kills from 2024 as Kota Hartman, Autumn Perry, and Jackie Velzis come back. Hartman, the reigning LSC Newcomer of the Year, had 399 kills and hit .216 to average 3.87 kills per set.
• Saige Rivera, the Preseason LSC Setter of the Year, will look to build on a season that saw her total 995 assists for an average of 9.85 per set. She also had a strong year at the service line, picking up 24 aces to post the third most on the team.
• Of the 10 players that played at least 70 sets last season, seven will make their return in one of the strongest returning classes in recent seasons.
• The Patriots last season hit .231 as a team and totaled 13 assists per set. On the defensive side, they picked up 16 digs per set and added a total of 1.7 blocks per set.