For the third consecutive year, Pitt volleyball has earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. As the No. 4 overall seed, the Panthers (26-4) will host the opening rounds at the Petersen Events Center beginning Friday night, with their sights set firmly on the one prize that has consistently eluded them — a national championship.
The tournament begins Friday, Dec. 5, and continues until the national championship game on Sunday, Dec. 21, at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City. For a program that has reached four consecutive Final Fours only to fall short in the semifinals each time, this tournament represents both an opportunity and a challenge for the Pitt Panthers to finally break through.
Seeding
Undefeated Nebraska (30-0, 20-0 Big 10) earned the No. 1 overall seed, with Kentucky (25-2, 15-0 SEC) claiming the No. 2 seed after winning the SEC Tournament title and Texas (22-3, 13-2 SEC) taking the No. 3 spot as SEC Tournament runner-up. Pitt earned the fourth seed as an ACC co-champion alongside Stanford, finishing 26-4 overall and 18-2 in conference play.
This marks Pitt’s tenth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance and its fourth time earning a No. 1 seed, with the Panthers entering on a remarkable streak of four straight National Semifinals and five successive Elite Eight appearances. The top seeding means home court advantage through the regional finals — provided the Panthers can win.
Pitt’s regional bracket
The Panthers open Friday at 6:30 p.m. against UMBC (13-11, 7-3 AEC). A victory would set up a Saturday showdown against the winner of No. 8 Xavier (26-4, 14-2 Big East) versus Michigan (21-10, 11-9 Big 10) with a berth in the Regional Semifinal on the line.
The more challenging potential opponents lurk in the other half of Pitt’s region. No. 2 seed SMU opens against Central Arkansas, while other notable teams include No. 3 Purdue, No. 4 Minnesota, No. 5 Iowa State, No. 6 Baylor and No. 7 Rice.
SMU represents the most dangerous team in Pitt’s quadrant. The Mustangs finished 25-5 and ended Pitt’s undefeated season in 2024, making any potential regional final meeting a high-stakes match. If the seeds hold, a Pitt-SMU regional final would be a battle of ACC powers.
The road ahead
If the Panthers advance through their region, they would face one of the other top four seeds in the national semifinals. Potential matchups against championship dynasties like Nebraska, Texas, Louisville and Kentucky would be interesting.
Nebraska has won five national championships — 1995, 2000, 2006, 2015 and 2017 — and appeared in all but one NCAA tournament. Notably, head coach Dani Busboom Kelly previously coached Louisville, meaning she knows exactly what it takes to reach the Final Four and how to handle the pressure of championship volleyball. Pitt has never beaten Nebraska in 15 all-time meetings, and the Huskers might be the only thing standing between Pitt and a national title.
Texas has won four national championships, including back-to-back titles in 2022 and 2023. Despite two losses to Kentucky this season, Texas remains capable of making another championship run.
The Panthers have built an elite program, but they haven’t broken through the Final Four ceiling just yet. This season, they have the talent, experience and depth to finally get it done. Pitt is entering the tournament as one of the favorites. Now, the team needs to prove its worth on the court. It’s time for the Panthers to finish what they’ve started.
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