The 2025 college volleyball season is nearly here, aiming to build off a stellar year for the sport that saw its audience grow. The 2024 title game between Penn State and Louisville drew more than 1.3 million viewers, making it the second-most watched championship game on-record for Division I women’s volleyball.
A pair of teams that competed in last season’s Final Four will face off on Friday, when No. 1 Nebraska hosts No. 3 Pitt. Two other hopeful contenders, No. 16 Florida and No. 6 Stanford, will also clash in the AVCA First Serve. Both games will be televised by FOX.
Much has changed in the sport since last December because of the transfer portal and coaching shifts. Dani Busboom Kelly left Louisville to lead her alma mater, Nebraska, into its next era. SMU and Wisconsin were both big transfer portal winners, while the most consequential mover was probably two-time All-American Torrey Stafford going to Texas from Pitt.
Ahead of the season beginning, here’s the 10 squads that look like contenders heading into the fall.
Welcome to SB Nation’s NCAA volleyball power rankings:
Just missed: Arizona State, Oregon, UCLA, Florida, Texas A&M
The Bluejays will figure out early whether they’ll sink or swim this season, as they open their schedule with three ranked teams: Penn State, Texas and Kansas. Creighton became a constant in the postseason under former longtime coach Kirsten Bernthal Booth, and it is now aiming to make its 14th consecutive NCAA Tournament this season under first-year coach Brian Rosen. Creighton returns three starters from last season’s team that went to the Elite Eight and also added a few key transfers in Cal setter Annalea Maeder and Wisconsin libero Saige Damrow.
The Wildcats made the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament last season before their season was ended by Pitt. Kentucky will be a team that aims to rack up kills again as they bring back SEC Player of the Year Brooklyn DeLeye and pairing her with Purdue transfer Eva Hudson, who led the Big Ten with 4.81 kills per set. Middle blocker Lizzie Carr also comes to Kentucky from Purdue, and libero Molly Berezowitz joins the Wildcats from Marquette.
The Mustangs’ debut season in the ACC was a strong one as they went 25-8 and notched impressive victories over the likes of Nebraska, Baylor, Georgia Tech and Pitt. Guided by coach Sam Erger — an SMU alumna who agreed to a contract extension in December — the Mustangs advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. In the offseason, SMU reloaded, bringing in Favor Anyanwu and Jadyn Livings from USC, Colorado State opposite hitter Malaya Jones, Auburn outside hitter Madison Scheer, Texas setter Averi Carlson, and Jordyn Schilling — who was the Big South Libero of the Year at High Point. On paper, the Mustangs seem to have one of the most talented rosters in the nation.
The Badgers advanced to at least the Elite Eight for the seventh consecutive season in 2024 and spent the offseason building a roster that seems capable of another deep postseason run. Coach Kelly Sheffield brought in three key transfers in Miami opposite hitter Grace Lopez, Oregon outside hitter Mimi Colyer and Ohio State outside hitter Grace Egan. Strong returners are still with the Badgers too, a group that’s headlined by one of the best middle blockers in the country in 6-foot-7 Carter Booth. Surrounded by talented players, there’s an opportunity for sophomore setter Charlie Fuerbringer to emerge too.
Torrey Stafford was arguably the best player available in the transfer portal. A talented and proven outside hitter from Pitt, she led all Power 4 outside hitters with a .358 hitting percentage and she’ll be a massive boost to the Texas offense. A lot of folks also have high expectations for incoming 6-foot-3 freshman Abby Vander Wal, who piled up accolades in high school and was touted by many as the best high school recruit in her class. In addition to those impressive additions, returners Ramsey Gary, Anja Kujundzic and Emma Halter return to anchor the defense. Winners of five national titles, Texas lost in the Sweet 16 last season.
Like Vander Wal at Texas, Logan Parks is a freshman with a lot of hype for Stanford as she was the Gatorade Player of the Year in Kansas and an Under Armour All-American. A longtime power in the sport, an NCAA Division I volleyball tournament has never been played without Stanford in it. However, the Cardinal hasn’t made a Final Four since 2019. Fans should be able to tell pretty early whether Stanford has the potential to break that drought, as the Cardinal will face Florida, Nebraska, Texas, Missouri and UCLA in non-conference play.
Is this the year that Dan Fisher’s Panthers finally break through and capture a national title? Pitt has reached the Final Four in four consecutive seasons but hasn’t been able to reach the championship game. While Torrey Stafford is gone, several other talented Panthers are still here, including reigning National Player of the Year Olivia Babcock and one of the best middle blockers in the country in Bre Kelly. Libero Mallorie Meyer is back too after a strong freshman campaign and Emery Dupes arrives via the transfer portal from Florida State.
With Dani Busboom Kelly back at Nebraska, Dan Meske takes the reins of the Cardinals now after they played in the national title game for the second time in three seasons. Several talented players return for Louisville, including ACC Freshman of the Year Nayelis Cabello, who has quickly established herself as one of the best setters in the country. AVCA All-American middle blocker Cara Cresse is also back. Bolstering Louisville’s lineup is Purdue transfer Chloe Chicoine, a do-it-all second team All-Big Ten selection who was a big reason why the Boilermakers made the Sweet 16 last season.
En route to winning the national title last season — their eighth — the Nittany Lions ranked second nationally in both kills and assists per set. Penn State returns a host of talented players who are eager to defend that championship, including arguably the best setter in the nation and the National Freshman of the Year, Izzy Starck. All-Big Ten players Gillian Grimes and Caroline Jurevicius also return. Incoming for Penn State via the transfer portal are Ohio State’s Emmi Sellman and two-time All-American Kennedy Martin. Under the direction of Katie Schumacher-Cawley, Penn State has the potential to repeat as national champs.
The five-time national champs are expected by many to capture a sixth this season in what will be Dani Busboom Kelly’s first year at the helm of the program following the retirement of John Cook. No players transferred out of the program and Nebraska returns a roster that features three All-Americans and the No. 2 recruiting class of 2025. Headlining the returners is Bergen Reilly, the reigning two-time Big Ten Setter of the Year. Among the seven rookies is 6-foot-5 Virginia Adriano, who played professionally in Italy. One pickup Nebraska did make in the portal was getting outside hitter Allie Sczech from Baylor. The Huskers’ roster is among the most talented in the country, more than capable of capturing a championship.
