The bracket is set as all 64 NCAA women’s college volleyball tournament teams were finalized Sunday.
The undefeated Huskers earned the No. 1 overall seed, led by first-year coach Dani Busboom Kelly. Nebraska has lost only seven sets this season as it’s on the hunt to add a sixth national championship title to its résumé.
The Big 12 leads the way with 10 teams in the field, the Big Ten has nine, ACC with seven and the SEC with five. Nebraska, Texas, Kentucky and Pittsburgh gained the four No. 1 seeds in the tournament, but could two of those teams be on upset watch in the postseason?
Our ESPN college volleyball experts (Charlie Creme, Emily Ehman, Madison Fitzpatrick, Charlotte Gibson, Sam Gore, Courtney Lyle, Holly McPeak and Michael Voepel) give their take on five big questions entering the NCAA tournament.
Jump to:
Teams to go far | Sleeper picks
Must-see players | Upset watch
Bold predictions
Which teams should we expect to see in the national semifinals?
Charlotte Gibson: It feels like a no-brainer: Nebraska. With a 30-0 record and 60 straight home wins, I don’t see a world in which the Huskers aren’t in Kansas City. (And dare I say, I don’t see a world in which the Huskers aren’t the champions?) As for the other three, I think Pitt will find itself back in the semifinals — again. And then Texas and Arizona State will fill out the final two slots.
Charlie Creme: Nebraska, Kentucky, Texas and Pittsburgh. Last year, all four No. 1 seeds reached the final four and three out of four made it in 2023. So picking the top seeds to reach Kansas City isn’t a stretch. Two of this year’s No. 1 seeds have already beaten the No. 2 seed in their region. The Panthers took both meetings with SMU, and the Longhorns beat Stanford in five sets on Sept. 7 in Austin, the same place a potential Elite Eight matchup would be.
Emily Ehman: It’s hard not to go all chalk because the top-four teams rightfully earned their place as No. 1 seeds, but the one thing you can absolutely expect is Nebraska to be there after going undefeated at 30-0, having only lost seven sets the entire regular season. I would also add Kentucky based on how dominant it has looked down the stretch riding a 22-match win streak. Texas will likely have to go through Indiana, which runs one of the fastest offenses in the country, then either Wisconsin or Stanford, who I believe are both way better than they were seeded. I wouldn’t be shocked to see either the Badgers or the Cardinal make it through. As for Pitt, which has made the past four national semifinals without advancing further, getting a third win over a gritty and experienced SMU team this season in the regional final might be more difficult than it looks. Don’t be surprised to see the Mustangs in their first ever national semifinal.
Holly McPeak: I expect to see the top-four teams in Kansas City, although I think Stanford and Wisconsin are playing extremely well and have the best shot at pulling an upset in the Texas Regional.
Sam Gore: I expect to see Nebraska and Kentucky in Kansas City. Based on the past four seasons, I would also expect to see Pitt figure out a way to be in the national semifinals for the fifth straight year.
Which team is a sleeper pick to go far?
Ehman: Definitely UNC! It’s unseeded because it has taken a few too many losses this year which hurt the Tar Heels’ RPI, but they’ve been ranked as high as No. 15 this season and have proven they can win. The Tar Heels have already taken down two ranked teams this year — one in the top-10 — and have pushed two other ranked teams to five sets. I have them over UTEP in the first round, and I wouldn’t be shocked to see them get a win over No. 3 seed Wisconsin to push to their first regional appearance since 2016.
Courtney Lyle: I’m really excited to see Texas A&M in this tournament. I think the Aggies have the pieces to make a run. Logan Lednicky is a semifinalist for National Player of the Year. Middle blocker Ifenna Cos-Okpalla is a problem for opponents. Cos-Okpalla’s third in Division I in blocks per set, plus hits over .400 and leads the Aggies in aces. She’s a complete player!
Michael Voepel: A No. 3 seed isn’t generally considered a sleeper pick. But as strong as the top eight overall seeds are in this tournament, Purdue, as a No. 3 seed, qualifies as a sleeper pick. The Boilermakers are likely the best program in the country that have never advanced to an NCAA final four. Could this be the year?
They defeated the No. 2 seed in their region, SMU, in September. And we know that playing in the Big Ten is amazing preparation for the NCAA tournament. Obviously, they likely would have to overcome No. 1 seed Pitt in the regional final, which is tough task. But after coming close before to a final four breakthrough, perhaps fate will smile on the Boilers in 2025. In the past 15 seasons, they have lost in the regional final four times and the reginal semifinals five times.
Creme: I would like to pick Miami. The Hurricanes are slightly under seeded at No. 5 in my estimation and boast the nation’s leader in points per set in Flormarie Heredia Colon. However, Miami is in Nebraska’s bracket and would meet the Cornhuskers in the regional semifinals. That’s a tough draw for the Hurricanes, so I’m going with USC.
The Trojans’ only loss since mid-October is to the Cornhuskers and have wins over higher-seeded teams in Creighton and Wisconsin. USC is coming off the best regular season for the program since 2015 and keep an eye on freshman setter Reese Messer, who is ninth in the country in assists per set.
Who are the must-watch players?
McPeak: There are so many fantastic players who are must watches! Olivia Babcock, Flormarie Heredia Colon, Harper Murray, Andi Jackson, Torrey Stafford are a few of my favorites.
Ehman: Anytime Pitt’s Babcock takes the floor, it’s must-see TV! She can touch 10’9, and her consistent ability to take over a match is jaw dropping. She’s the reigning National Player of the Year and is absolutely a frontrunner to repeat this season. Make sure you don’t miss when she goes back to serve as well! It’s almost as impressive as when she’s taking swings up front.
Gibson: If you’re not familiar with Harper Murray’s game, I suggest watching this year’s tournament because Murray is that girl. Watching Murray, it feels like she never leaves the court and that’s because she oftentimes doesn’t. Murray’s footwork, alone, can catapult her into the GOAT category. But when she’s not attacking from every corner of the court, she’s also showing off her elite defensive range. It’s not over until it’s over, but I think Player of the Year is in Murray’s very near future.
Gore: Though every match at this level has at least one must-watch player, the one that stands out to me is still Babcock. With matches of 41 and 45 kills, plus a dynamic jump serve hit with such explosiveness, I always like to tune in to watch her perform.
Voepel: Arizona State middle blocker Colby Neal. The Sun Devils are eighth in Division I and fourth among Power 4 programs in blocks per set at 2.89. Neal, a 6-foot-4 senior, is sixth in Division I and second among Power 4 players at 1.54 blocks per set and is fifth among Power 4 players in solo blocks with 20. Neal played three seasons at Oregon before transferring to Arizona State for her final year.
Lyle: I have to pick a duo for this one: Brooklyn DeLeye and Eva Hudson are the ultimate combo on the left side for the Kentucky Wildcats. They combine for 9.2 K/S — more than any other duo in the nation. Hudson is this year’s SEC Player and Newcomer of the Year. DeLeye was the 2024 SEC Player of the Year. It’s a true 1-2 punch that is almost impossible to stop.
Fitzpatrick: Babcock — over five kills a set, two 40+ kill matches, set a Pitt record in kills this season and playing the best defensively in her career. Reigning American Volleyball Coaches Association Player of the Year and could go back-to-back.
Which team could be on upset watch?
Creme: Stanford. The Cardinal did tie for the ACC championship and played well down the stretch, but they also only had three top-25 RPI wins all year. No team among the No. 1, 2 or 3 seeds had fewer.
Lyle: It has been really interesting to watch Texas this season. I’ve seen the Longhorns look like a well-oiled machine, one that can win another championship. But I’ve also seen them do a 180 and look like a different team. Can the Longhorns be consistence in their performance? They can’t afford an off night.
Voepel: I am picking Kentucky to make the final four, but the SEC champion Wildcats potentially could face a couple of big obstacles on the way: No. 4 seed USC in the regional semifinals and No. 2 seed Arizona State, the Big 12 champion, in the regional final.
Gibson: If your team isn’t Nebraska, I think you are on upset watch. But I’m paying close attention to the right side of the bracket, particularly the lower right quadrant. It might be the Southern Californian in me, but I think the SoCal teams might give Kentucky something to worry about.
Fitzpatrick: Texas! Texas has a complete team, very sound at times. Other times, we have seen it slip (versus Texas A&M and Kentucky through a reverse sweep and sweep). Because of this, I think the Longhorns have the potential to win or be upset.
Give us one bold tournament prediction
Voepel: OK, if we want to be really bold, let’s say only 30-0 Nebraska survives among the No. 1 seeds to make it to the final four. Pitt has four losses this season, Texas three and Kentucky two. So there is some vulnerability for everyone else, but probably not the Huskers.
Gibson: My boldness probably revealed itself in my final four predictions. But when I think of the Sun Devils, I think of just how dangerous they could be in this tournament. Arizona State won back-to-back Big 12 titles in its first two years in the conference, and I think this team is going to bring the Arizona heat to Kansas City.
McPeak: My bold tournament prediction is that we will see more upsets early in the tournament, but towards the regional rinals, there will be less. I think our top 5-8 teams have separated themselves this year.
Fitzpatrick: All four No. 1 seeds will make the national semis for the second year in a row!
Lyle: Last year, all four No. 1 seeds made the national semifinals. I don’t think that will be the case this year. The parity and competition is even better this year, which could lead to more upsets. This tournament could get WILD and I’m here for it.
Ehman: I don’t think Nebraska will drop a set until the national championship match. The field is truly Nebraska then everyone else right now. The undefeated Huskers have looked like they’ve been in postseason form since September and have not looked back. They’ve only lost seven total sets this season and haven’t dropped a single set in their past seven matches against ranked opponents. Hanging a National Championship banner has been the No. 1 focus of this group all season, and I think relying on the most efficient offense and defense in the country (by far) should get them there without much pushback.
Creme: This will be the best-attended women’s final four ever. Columbus in 2021 holds the mark with 35,286 for the three matches. Kansas City, with the popularity of the sport continuing to soar, will eclipse that number.
Gore: Our national champion will be a team from east of the Mississippi River. Bold doesn’t have to be likely!
