Texas women's college volleyball needed all 5 sets to escape Marquette on Monday night. The No. 2 Longhorns won the Texas vs Marquette clash 3-2 (22-25, 25-19, 25-16, 23-25, 15-8) at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, closing out the 2026 AVCA First Serve event with a hard-fought finish.
Texas Volleyball Survives Marquette at 2026 AVCA First Serve
Marquette grabbed the season-opening showcase match's opening set 25-22 behind transfer Carson Tyler, who finished with 18 kills. Texas responded with back-to-back wins in sets 2 and 3, tightening defensively behind Nya Bunton's 7 blocks.
The Golden Eagles clawed back to force a decider before the Longhorns pulled away 15-8, hitting .529 in the fifth.
Torrey Stafford anchored the Texas attack with 19 kills and 12 digs. Cari Spears contributed 17 kills and 4 aces. Setter Rella Binney rounded out the effort with a career-high 36 assists. On Marquette's side, freshman setter Luanna Markus recorded 35 assists in her collegiate debut.
NCAA Volleyball Preseason Shakeup
The win pulls Texas's NCAA volleyball record even at 1-1 after a season-opening loss to No. 12 Arizona State, while Marquette falls to 0-1.
The matchup capped the final day of the 2026 AVCA First Serve, a four-da event featuring eight of the nation's top-ranked programs. Pittsburgh's 3-0 sweep of Xavier opened the afternoon slate before the Longhorns and Golden Eagles finished the day.
Nebraska Cornhuskers women's volleyball opened fall practice last Thursday with the same four graduating players who watched Texas A&M end their 33-1 season in last year's NCAA Tournament Regional Final.
Setter Bergen Reilly, middle blocker Andi Jackson, outside hitter Harper Murray, and libero Laney Choboy are all back for one final push at the program's first national title since 2017.
"We all know how the last three years have ended, and we need to prove that we can do it," Reilly said at Big Ten volleyball media day on Monday. "It's not how we start the season; it's how we finish."
That urgency has carried into early practices. Jackson said the group is focused on staying loose and strengthening their bond away from the court rather than dwelling on past losses.
And the road to the NCAA volleyball championship starts with an actual road trip.
Cornhuskers Chase Ultimate NCAA Volleyball Championship
John Cook Arena's expansion to 10,000 seats has pushed Nebraska volleyball's home opener to September 10th. That means the Huskers open at a Las Vegas showcase before playing their first Big Ten volleyball match.
Coach Dani Busboom Kelly sees upside as the team's Big Ten schedules have made them comfortable on the road. And Reilly says her teammates are embracing the challenge.
"We've been doing some things to just really make ourselves comfortable in the uncomfortable because we know that there's going to be a lot going on," she said.
"There's a lot of moving parts, a lot of really exciting and emotional games right at the beginning of the year, and not letting that get the best of us."
The Big Ten is launching its inaugural volleyball tournament this November in Fishers, Indiana, the conference announced Thursday.
The Big Ten volleyball tournament marks the first time the conference will determine its champion via a playoff competition, with the top 15 regular-season teams qualifying for the event.
"For the first time in its history, the Big Ten Conference will determine its volleyball champion with a postseason tournament featuring the best volleyball teams in the country," said Commissioner Tony Petitti in a statement. "We look forward to bringing the nation's top talent together for an entire week of exhilarating competition."
The format includes three opening-round matches followed by four second-round contests before the competition progresses through quarterfinals and semifinals. The championship match subsequently takes place on November 25th, with organizers building one off-day into the schedule.
Big Ten volleyball dominates the national landscape, with current programs combining for 22 NCAA DI Championships. They won 12 of the last 20 national titles, while also claiming eight of the nine most-watched college volleyball matches of all time. Six different Big Ten regular-season matches last season drew more than 500,000 viewers across three networks.
The conference has additionally led DI attendance rankings every season since 2007.
"Fishers is a volleyball city, and today's announcement brings us one step closer to delivering an unforgettable experience for fans," said Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness. "This fall, our city will become the epicenter of Big Ten women's volleyball."
Fishers Event Center opened in 2024 and seats 7,500 fans. The venue serves as home for Major League Volleyball's Indy Ignite.
How to Watch Big Ten Volleyball Next NCAA Season
The 2026 volleyball season kicks off with Big Ten Volleyball Media Day on August 3rd in Chicago.
The schedule also includes the first-ever Big Ten/SEC Volleyball Challenge Week, culminating in a doubleheader at Wrigley Field on September 6th.
The NCAA is taking fans out to the (volley)ball game, as the Big Ten and SEC announced plans to close out its inaugural Big Ten/SEC Volleyball Challenge Week inside Chicago's historic MLB stadium, Wrigley Field, this September.
To cap the six-day event, which will feature all 18 Big Ten and 16 SEC schools, the conferences will stage an outdoor doubleheader on Sunday, September 6th.
A trio of national champions will compete on the Chicago Cubs' home diamond, with five-time title-winners Nebraska taking on Missouri before eight-time victors Penn State battles 2020 champ Kentucky.
While volleyball will make its Wrigley Field debut in the challenge, it's far from the iconic stadium's first foray into women's sports, with the MLB venue previously hosting a record-breaking NWSL match between the Chicago Stars and Bay FC in 2024 before welcoming Ohio State and Wisconsin women's hockey to the Big Ten's Frozen Confines in early 2025.
"Bringing the SEC and Big Ten together for a championship-caliber volleyball showcase, culminating at an iconic venue like Wrigley Field, reflects the extraordinary momentum of the sport," said SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey in the event's Monday announcement.
How to attend, watch Big Ten/SEC Volleyball at Wrigley Field
Tickets to the September 6th doubleheader will go on sale at 11 AM ET on Thursday, April 9th, on the Chicago Cubs' website.
For fans tuning in from home, Nebraska will face Missouri at 7 PM ET before Kentucky takes on Penn State at 9 PM ET.
Both volleyball games will air live on FOX.
Professional volleyball is back in action this week, with both League One Volleyball (LOVB) and Major League Volleyball (MLV) kicking off their 2026 seasons as the sport's pro landscape continues to grow.
Featuring an Olympian-heavy player pool, LOVB is returning with its six inaugural teams as reigning champion Austin looks to run the title back this season before the second-year league adds three new clubs in 2027.
Meanwhile, following a blockbuster merger with the two-season-old Pro Volleyball Federation (PVF), MLV will start serving with eight teams as 2025 PVF champs Orlando Valkyries embarks on their own title defense, all while the new conglomerate eyes more future expansion.
As NCAA volleyball continues to dominate the fall calendar, multiple pro leagues — each armed with top talent and broadcast deals — are forming in response to demand from both players and fans.
How to watch the 2026 season starts of LOVB and MLV
LOVB hits the 2026 court first with a rematch of the league's 2025 championship, with defending title-winners Austin facing runners-up Nebraska at 6 PM ET on Wednesday, airing on USA Network.
Then on Thursday, MLV enters the fray as the Atlanta Vibe hosts the Columbus Fury at 7 PM ET before the San Diego Mojo visits the Omaha Supernovas at 8 PM ET. Both MLV matches will stream live on YouTube.
No. 3-seed Texas A&M made history on Sunday, taking down the No. 1-seed Kentucky Wildcats 3-0 in the 2025 NCAA volleyball championship final to lift the Aggies' first-ever national volleyball trophy.
Down by as many as six points in the first frame, the Aggies had to save a Kentucky set point early before surging to a 26-24 opening win — with Texas A&M then finding their groove, never relinquishing the lead as they took the second set by a dominant 25-15 scoreline before easily closing out the sweep 25-20 in the third.
"I just said, 'It's going to take one or two points, start to get firing, they're going to be there,'" said third-year Texas A&M sideline leader and 2025 AVCA Coach of the Year Jamie Morrison.
Senior opposite Logan Lednicky and sophomore outside hitter Kyndal Stowers again led the Aggies' attack with 11 and 10 kills, respectively, while senior middle blocker Ifenna Cos-Okpalla shut down the Wildcats at the net with four blocks — before her eighth kill of the night clinched the championship for A&M.
Following a whirlwind tournament that saw Texas A&M end the seasons of one No. 2 seed (Louisville) before ousting three straight No. 1 seeds (Nebraska, Pitt, and Kentucky), Sunday's unlikely victory saw the Aggies' claim just the second-ever NCAA volleyball title for the SEC — and shed their underdog status for good.
"It's a testament to the work we put in in the practice gym and just generally in all of our careers," Lednicky said afterwards. "It's been a long time coming for us, a lot of work put into this moment."
The 2025 NCAA volleyball championship game is officially on lock, as No. 3-seed Texas A&M and No. 1-seed Kentucky survived Thursday's semifinals to punch their tickets to Sunday's season finale.
After snapping overall top-seed Nebraska's undefeated season in last weekend's Elite Eight round, The Aggies kept their history-making hot streak alive, blowing past No. 1 Pitt as the first team to sweep the Panthers all year.
Leading the charge for A&M were sophomore outside hitter Kyndal Stowers and senior opposite Logan Lednicky, who registered 16 and 14 kills, respectively, on the Final Four court in Kansas City.
As for the last No. 1 seed standing, Kentucky survived No. 3 Wisconsin in a five-set thriller on Thursday, following the example of senior outside hitter Eva Hudson, whose 29 kills trailed only the semifinals-leading 32 posted by Badger senior outside hitter — and fellow AVCA Player of the Year finalist — Mimi Colyer.
With Kentucky hoping to add to their 2020 Division I title — the only NCAA volleyball championship in SEC history — the conference already owns the 2025 trophy, as Thursday set up the sport's first-ever all-SEC national final.
Though the 2025 SEC champion Wildcats seemingly have the edge over the conference's runners-up — Kentucky took down Texas A&M 3-1 in October — A&M's current momentum is undeniable, with the Aggies riding into Sunday's clash having ousted two No. 1 seeds and one No. 2 seed en route to a program-first national final.
"We are considered the underdog in a lot of these moments just [because] we haven't been here before. But we know we have all the right pieces," said Lednicky. "So why not us?"
How to watch the 2025 NCAA volleyball championship
No. 3 Texas A&M will battle No. 1 Kentucky for the 2025 NCAA volleyball championship at 3:30 PM ET on Sunday, airing live on ABC.
The 2025 NCAA volleyball season is down to four top teams, as the Division I national championship tournament's Final Four takes the court in Kansas City on Thursday night.
No. 1 seeds Pitt and Kentucky survived a series of high-profile tournament upsets to punch their tickets to Thursday's semifinals, where No. 3 seeds Texas A&M and Wisconsin will join the Panthers and Wildcats.
"The Final Four is just so special, it is so incredible," Wisconsin head coach Kelly Sheffield said ahead of Thursday's action. "You want as many of your players that are committed, that decide to come here, you want them to experience that."
Two teams will look to make history this weekend, with Pitt and Texas A&M both in pursuit of a program-first national championship.
While the Aggies are in uncharted territory, booking their first-ever semifinals berth last weekend, the Panthers are hunting a breakthrough, hoping to claim a first-ever championship final appearance in their fifth consecutive trip to the Final Four.
As for Kentucky and Wisconsin, the Wildcats and Badgers will be looking to add a second trophy to their cases after booking their first program titles in 2020 and 2021, respectively.
How to watch the 2025 NCAA volleyball Final Four
The 2025 NCAA volleyball semifinals begin at 6:30 PM ET on Thursday, when No. 3 Texas A&M takes on No. 1 Pitt before No. 3 Wisconsin faces No. 1 Kentucky at 9 PM ET.
Both Final Four clashes will air live on ESPN.
Overall No. 1-seed Nebraska's perfect season is officially over, after No. 3-seed Texas A&M volleyball ousted the Huskers in a five-set Elite Eight thriller on Sunday, booking the Aggies a program-first trip to the Final Four.
Undaunted by Nebraska's 33-0 record, the Aggies jumped out to a 2-0 lead before the Huskers stormed back to force a fifth-set tiebreaker — which A&M won 15-13, stunning a home crowd that hasn't seen a Cornhusker loss in Lincoln in more than three years.
"A lot of us are seniors, and we've been doing this for a really long time," said Aggie senior opposite Logan Lednicky. "And I think all the newbies came in ready to work, ready to grind."
Though Nebraska boasts five national titles — good for third on the all-time NCAA volleyball championship list — the Huskers haven't won an NCAA volleyball tournament since 2017, falling three times in the final and once in the semifinals in recent years.
With fellow No. 3-seed Wisconsin's Sunday Elite Eight upset win over four-time champ No. 1 Texas, the 2025 Final Four will now feature two squads — A&M and No. 1-seed Pitt — hunting a first-ever title.
Meanwhile, No. 1-seed Kentucky and the Badgers will be aiming for a second national trophy after earning their debut Division I championships in 2020 and 2021, respectively.
How to watch the 2025 NCAA volleyball Final Four
Texas A&M will kick off the 2025 Final Four against Pitt at 6:30 PM ET on Thursday, before Kentucky takes on Wisconsin at 9 PM ET.
Both semifinals will air live on ESPN.
With half of the Elite Eight now set, a few Big Ten underdogs still have a shot at disrupting the No. 1 seed stronghold at the 2025 NCAA volleyball tournament this weekend.
The No. 3-seed Purdue Boilermakers are through to the quarterfinals after defeating No. 2-seed SMU 3-1 on Thursday, while the No. 4-seed Indiana Hoosiers, No. 3 seed-Wisconsin Badgers, and the still-undefeated overall No. 1 seed Nebraska Cornhuskers all face stiff Sweet Sixteen competition on Friday afternoon.
Coming off a strong regular season, the Big Ten could still field half of the quarterfinal round — though that would require the first No. 1-seed upset of the 2025 national tournament in the form of an Indiana victory over top-seeded Texas.
Bolstered by their defensive leader, senior middle blocker Madi Sell, the Hoosiers booked just their second-ever Sweet Sixteen trip with last week's win over No. 5 Colorado, with Indiana now hoping their lucky run continues against the 2022 and 2023 champion Longhorns.
Meanwhile, the No. 1 Huskers will look to keep rolling against No. 4-seed Kansas while the No. 3 Badgers aim to snag another Big Ten spot in the Elite Eight by ousting No. 2-seed Stanford on Friday.
How to watch the 2025 NCAA volleyball tournament this weekend
The NCAA volleyball tournament's Sweet Sixteen action will wrap with four games on Friday, starting with No. 1 Texas vs. No. 4 Indiana at 12 PM ET.
The Elite Eight will then meet at the net on Saturday and Sunday to determine the last-standing teams heading to next week's Final Four in Kansas City.
All of this weekend's NCAA tournament games will air live across ESPN platforms.