The 2025 NCAA volleyball tournament intensifies as the Final Four begins with two matches in at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City on Thursday and the national championship on Sunday.
All four No. 1 seeds (Kentucky, Pitt, Texas and Nebraska) swept their opponents in the Sweet 16. In the Elite Eight, it was a different story. Kentucky swept No. 3 Creighton, and Pitt topped No. 3 Purdue, earning a trip to its fifth consecutive Final Four. Texas A&M stunned undefeated Nebraska, and Wisconsin upset Texas to punch their tickets.
The best high-level volleyball of the year is days away. Here’s a preview of the Final Four, including matchups, lineups and X-factors to keep an eye on.
(Number before team name represents its tournament seed)
No. 1 Pitt vs. No. 3 Texas A&M
Thursday, Dec. 18: 6:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Pittsburgh Panthers starting lineup
Head coach: Dan Fisher
3 Emery Dupes | L/DS 5-6 – Redshirt Senior
5 Olivia Babcock | RS 6-4 – Junior
8 Blaire Bayless | OH 6-2 – Junior
10 Marina Pezelj | OH 6-1 – Freshman
13 Mallorie Meyer | L/DS 5-7 – Sophomore
17 Brook Mosher | S 6-0 – Redshirt Senior
20 Abbey Emch | MB 6-4 – Freshman
21 Bre Kelley | MB 6-4 – Redshirt Senior
X-factor: Brooke Mosher, setter
Mosher’s development throughout the season and into the NCAA tournament has been on full display. The Illinois transfer is an outstanding setter with a vicious serve that showed up when the Panthers needed it most. With a fifth consecutive trip to the Final Four on the line, Mosher rattled off back-to-back service aces against Purdue to send Pitt to Kansas City. She finished her superb Elite Eight match with four kills on .500 hitting, an incredible 47 assists, three service aces, seven digs and four blocks. Don’t sleep on Mosher.
Texas A&M Aggies starting lineup
Head coach: Jamie Morrison
37 Kyndal Stowers | OH 5-11 – Sophomore
1 Ifenna Cos-Okpalla | MB 6-2 – Senior
2 Addi Applegate | L/DS 5-5 – Freshman
9 Logan Lednicky | OPP 6-3 – Senior
12 Ava Underwood | L/DS 5-7 – Senior
16 Maddie Waak | S 5-10 – Senior
X-factor: Emily Hellmuth, outside hitter
Coming off the bench, outside hitter Emily Hellmuth helps the Aggies keep a balanced attack on offense, and when she gets going, she’s hard to stop. She’s third on the team in total kills and her powerful swing is her secret weapon. Hellmuth’s ability to shine in big moments is what has helped the Aggies make the Final Four. She was critical to the Aggies’ success against No. 1 Nebraska during the Elite Eight, providing 13 kills, two aces and four blocks. Her best tournament outing came against Campbell. She finished with 10 kills on 15 swings and a .667 hitting percentage.
No. 1 Kentucky vs. No. 3 Wisconsin
Thursday, Dec. 18: Time TBD (ESPN)
Kentucky Wildcats starting lineup
Head coach: Craig Skinner
6 Kassie O’Brien | S 6-1 – Freshman
7 Eva Hudson | OH 6-1 – Senior
10 Kennedy Washington | MB 6-0 – Sophomore
11 Molly Berezowitz | DS 5-5 – Junior
12 Molly Tuozzo | L 5-7 – Junior
15 Lizzie Carr | MB 6-6 – Redshirt Junior
17 Brooklyn DeLeye | OH 6-2 – Junior
X factor: Lizzie Carr, middle blocker
Outside hitter duo Brooklyn DeLeye and Eva Hudson rightfully garner a lot of attention. Still, for Kentucky to make a push for a national championship, one of the keys may be middle blocker Lizzie Carr. The redshirt junior is a glue player who quietly gets the job done. She’s had multiple efficient performances during the NCAA tournament. Her best day came during a magnificent outing against Cal Poly in the Sweet 16, where she finished with 11 kills on 15 swings (with a .667 hitting percentage) and six crucial blocks.
Wisconsin Badgers starting lineup
Head coach: Kelly Sheffield
1 Una Vajagic | OH 6-0 – Redshirt Sophomore
7 Kristen Simon | L 5-8 – Freshman
15 Mimi Colyer | OH 6-3 – Senior
17 Alicia Andrew | MB 6-3 – Redshirt Senior
24 Charlie Fuerbringer | S 5-11 – Sophomore
32 Grace Egan | RS 6-1 – Redshirt Sophomore
52 Carter Booth | MB 6-7 – Senior
X-factor: Una Vajagic, outside hitter
Mimi Colyer and Carter Booth garner a lot of attention, but it’s Una Vajagic who is the unsung hero for the Badgers. She quietly works in the background and has had double-digit kills in each of her last three NCAA tournament matches, including 13 kills on .444 hitting and 11 digs against Stanford. The Badgers’ outside hitter also helps the team’s passing game, which they’ll need in the Final Four.