5 issues to look at in NCAA girls’s volleyball in 2025

Pittsburgh and Nebraska seemed to be on a collision course for the nationwide championship after they headed into the NCAA girls’s volleyball closing 4 final December.

But by the point the weekend ended, Penn State had defeated Louisville for this system’s eighth NCAA title. Katie Schumacher-Cawley turned the primary lady head coach to win the championship for the reason that event started in 1981 and a serious teaching change was about to happen.

As we head into the 2025 season, these 4 faculties are atop the AVCA Division I preseason ballot: The Huskers paved the way with 40 first-place votes, adopted by the Nittany Lions (21), the Panthers and the Cardinals. Past nationwide champions Texas, Stanford, Kentucky and Wisconsin spherical out the highest eight.

Those are the acquainted names we count on to contend for the 2025 championship, which will probably be determined Dec. 18-21 in Kansas City. But now former Louisville coach Dani Busboom Kelly leads Nebraska, changing retired program legend John Cook. Dan Meske, who had been affiliate head coach for the Cardinals, took over at Louisville.

Busboom Kelly is a Nebraska native who beforehand gained NCAA championships as a participant and assistant coach with the Huskers, so it all the time appeared a matter of time earlier than she went again. She constructed the Louisville program right into a nationwide powerhouse, and together with Pittsburgh coach Dan Fisher helped elevate the ACC to elite standing.

But the Panthers and the Cardinals nonetheless search their first NCAA title. Could this be the 12 months for both? Will Nebraska win its sixth championship? Or may Penn State repeat and tie Stanford’s report of 9 NCAA titles?

More than 2,600 matches will probably be proven on ESPN platforms this season, culminating with each NCAA event match. The nationwide semifinals will probably be on ESPN and, for the third season in a row, the ultimate will probably be on ABC. Here’s a primer to prepare for the 2025 season.

How quickly do the powerhouses meet?

Immediately. One of the nice issues about faculty volleyball is the highest packages nearly all the time face off in nonconference play. The AVCA First Serve Showcase at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Nebraska, runs Friday by way of Sunday. It begins with Pittsburgh vs. Nebraska at 7 p.m. ET Friday. Sunday’s matches — Florida vs. Pittsburgh (1 p.m. ET) and Nebraska vs. Stanford (3:30) — air on ESPN.

The inaugural Broadway Block Party will probably be Aug. 31 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. It options Nebraska vs. Kentucky (midday ET, ABC), Tennessee vs. Purdue (3 p.m. ET, ESPN2) and Vanderbilt vs. Illinois (6 p.m. ET, SEC Network). Vanderbilt has introduced volleyball again as a varsity sport after briefly sponsoring it in 1979-80. The sister of WNBA star Kelsey Plum, Lauren Plum, is an assistant coach for the Commodores’ new program.

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Identifying transfers who will make an influence within the SEC

SEC Network’s Missy Whittemore and Leah Edmonds pinpoint the transfers who will doubtless make an influence within the SEC and describe the strengths that make them unstoppable on the courtroom.

What stood out from the switch portal for this season?

Like with each different sport, transfers are a serious a part of volleyball. Outside hitter Torrey Stafford going to Texas from Pitt was one of many largest strikes. The Panthers nonetheless have AVCA nationwide participant of the 12 months Olivia Babcock (5.94 factors per set) again from final season’s 33-2 workforce. But Stafford, who averaged 4.24 factors per set in 2024, is large pick-up for the all the time stacked Longhorns.

Kentucky added firepower with outdoors hitter Eva Hudson, who led the Big Ten in kills per set final season at 4.81. Nebraska, which can also be a magnet for transfers, added reverse hitter Allie Sczech from Baylor.

How completely different will Nebraska be beneath new management?

Realistically, not a lot. Busboom Kelly performed for and coached with Cook for a very long time earlier than she took over the Louisville program, so that is as seamless a transition as Nebraska may have hoped for.

Outside hitter Harper Murray is again for Nebraska; she led the Huskers in factors per set (4.01 final season). Andi Jackson and Rebekah Allick make a formidable center blocker tandem, and Bergen Reilly, the Big Ten setter of the 12 months the final two seasons, returns to quarterback the Huskers.

Admittedly, following somebody as profitable as Cook, head coach for 4 of the Huskers’ NCAA titles and architect of a perennial championship contender, just isn’t simple.

Busboom Kelly has her personal character and training type; she’s not a Cook clone. But by way of the prime quality of the product placed on the ground for a number of the nation’s most ardent volleyball followers, she is aware of the expectations higher than anybody.

Last 12 months, Nebraska went into the nationwide semifinals poised to win its sixth title, and the Huskers took a 2-0 lead on Penn State. But in a nightmarish final match for Cook, the Nittany Lions gained on a reverse sweep, then beat a Louisville workforce that had misplaced star participant Anna DeBeer to an ankle harm in its semifinal. Despite that disappointment, Cook praised Busboom Kelly and Schumacher-Cawley — whose groups met within the closing — for his or her high-profile teaching roles within the sport.

Any probability for a first-time NCAA champion this season?

Four of the packages within the AVCA preseason high 10 — Pittsburgh, Louisville, No. 9 Texas A&M and No. 10 SMU — have by no means gained the NCAA title. The Panthers have been to the nationwide semifinals the final 4 years in a row however haven’t superior to the ultimate. Led by Babcock, they’re nonetheless the perfect wager amongst groups on the lookout for their first nationwide championship.

But regulate No. 16 Florida, too. Mary Wise, who had led the Gators since 1991 and made the NCAA event yearly, retired from teaching and is now a part of ESPN’s broadcasting crew. She guided Florida to the ultimate 4 eight occasions. Ryan Theis has taken over this system and can pursue the purpose of successful an NCAA title.

What’s the largest information off the courtroom?

The Pro Volleyball Federation has rebranded into Major League Volleyball, or MLV, which can present a spot to play for a number of the high faculty gamers after they flip skilled.

The PVF began in 2024 and has performed two seasons. But the favored Omaha Supernovas franchise in Nebraska had conflicts with PVF administration and meant to start out its personal league referred to as MLV. Instead, there was a merger of kinds and PVF turned MLV.

MLV is scheduled to start its 2026 season in January with groups in Atlanta, Columbus, Ohio; Dallas, Grand Rapids, Michigan; Indianapolis, Omaha, Orlando and San Diego. Two extra groups — in Washington D.C. and Sacramento, California — are slated to affix in 2027.

While Cook retired as coach for the Huskers, he’s nonetheless busy with volleyball: He lately was introduced as a co-owner and the overall supervisor of the Supernovas.