Sat Dec 13 04:30:00 UTC 2025: News Article:
Top Seeds Advance as NCAA Volleyball Sweet 16 Heats Up
The 2025 NCAA Women’s Volleyball Tournament Sweet 16 continued Friday with intense matchups and surprising upsets, setting the stage for a thrilling Elite Eight.
No. 1 seed Texas swept Indiana, demonstrating their dominance with a strong .374 hitting percentage and 23 total blocks. Standout performances from Torrey Stafford, who had 19 kills on 28 swings with zero errors, and Nya Bunton, who had seven kills on .545 hitting and five blocks, were key to the Longhorns’ victory.
In a stunning reverse sweep, No. 3 Texas A&M overcame a 0-2 deficit to defeat No. 2 Louisville and advance to their first regional final since 2001. After losing the first two sets, the Aggies rallied behind the strong blocking of Ifenna Cos-okpalla and key offensive contributions from Logan Lednicky, Kyndal Stowers, and Emily Hellmuth. The match was not without drama, as Louisville’s coach received a yellow card in the decisive fifth set.
No. 1 overall seed Nebraska, aiming to maintain their undefeated record (32-0), swept No. 4 Kansas to end the night, showing why they are favorites to win the title. The Huskers have only dropped seven sets all year, and are considered to be the best team in the nation. The Huskers hit .357 collectively while registering six blocks against the Jayhawks.
The victories follow Thursday’s action where No. 1 Kentucky and No. 1 Pittsburgh also secured their Elite Eight berths with sweeps over Cal Poly and Minnesota, respectively. No. 3 Wisconsin also advanced after beating No. 2 Stanford 3-1. The NCAA Women’s Volleyball Tournament continues its exciting run towards the championship.
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