Honestly, if you weren't in Louisville this past December, you missed the moment college volleyball officially stopped being a "niche" sport and started acting like the juggernaut it is. The NCAA volleyball tournament 2024 wasn't just another bracket to fill out. It was a statement. For years, the conversation around this sport was dominated by a few legendary names and a lot of "it’s growing" platitudes. In 2024, the growth phase ended. The arrival happened.
We saw a record-shattering 21,860 fans cram into the KFC Yum! Center for the final. That isn't just a big number for volleyball; that’s a big number for any sporting event in America. But beyond the attendance, the 2024 tournament gave us a narrative shift we’ve been waiting decades for. For the first time in the history of the Division I women’s game, a female head coach stood on the podium as a national champion. Actually, the math was settled before the first serve of the final even happened, because both Katie Schumacher-Cawley of Penn State and Dani Busboom Kelly of Louisville had already punched their tickets.
The Blue Blood Returns to the Throne
Penn State winning it all feels familiar, right? They have eight titles now. But this wasn't the Russ Rose era. This was something different. When Jess Mruzik decided to transfer from Michigan to Penn State, she didn't just move across the Big Ten; she changed the trajectory of a program that was looking for its post-legend identity.
In the final against Louisville, Mruzik was basically a cheat code. She put up 29 kills. Think about that for a second. In a four-set match ($25-23$, $32-34$, $25-20$, $25-17$), she was responsible for nearly a third of the team's points. The second set was a marathon that went to $34-32$. It was the kind of high-level, defensive-grind volleyball that makes you want to put a hole through your TV screen from the tension.
Penn State’s path wasn't a cakewalk. They had to reverse-sweep Nebraska in the semifinals. Nebraska—the team that usually sucks the oxygen out of every room they enter. The Nittany Lions were down 2-0 and trailing 22-16 in the fourth set. Most teams fold there. They don't. They clawed back, won that set, and then steamrolled the fifth. That comeback is probably the single most important 30 minutes of volleyball played in 2024.
The Myth of the "Easy" Bracket
One thing people get wrong about the NCAA volleyball tournament 2024 is the idea that the top seeds had a protected path. While it’s true that for the first time since 2008, all four top seeds (Pitt, Nebraska, Penn State, and Louisville) made the Final Four, the journey there was absolute carnage.
- Ole Miss pulled off a massive first-round shocker by taking down No. 7 seed Florida State. It was the program's first-ever NCAA tournament win.
- Loyola Chicago didn't just beat No. 5 seed BYU; they swept them.
- Texas, the defending back-to-back champs, got bounced in the Regional Finals by Creighton.
The Longhorns' exit was a "where were you" moment. Texas had become the boogeyman of the tournament, but Creighton—led by Kendra Wait—played a brand of disciplined, fast-tempo volleyball that finally exploited the gaps in the Texas armor. It proved that the talent gap between the "Power Four" and the rest of the elite programs has narrowed to a razor-thin margin.
The Babcock Factor and the Pitt Heartbreak
If you want to talk about individual dominance, you have to talk about Olivia Babcock at Pitt. She was the AVCA National Player of the Year for a reason. Watching her hit is like watching a major league pitcher throw 102 mph—it just looks different. Pitt was the No. 1 overall seed and looked invincible until they hit the Louisville wall in the semifinals.
The ACC rivalry between Pitt and Louisville is probably the best thing going in the sport right now. They know each other's tendencies. They know the tells. Louisville managed to neutralize Babcock just enough to escape with a win in front of their home-city crowd. It was a bitter end for a Pitt team that has made four straight Final Fours but still hasn't touched the trophy.
Why 2024 Was Different
We have to look at the numbers because they tell a story of a shifting media landscape. The NCAA volleyball tournament 2024 saw a 41% jump in viewership compared to the previous year. Over 1.3 billion minutes of volleyball were consumed.
Why? Because the style of play is evolving. We’re seeing more "6-2" systems (where two setters are used to keep three hitters in the front row at all times) and a massive increase in service pressure. In the 2024 tournament, the average serve speed in the Sweet 16 was significantly higher than it was just five years ago. It’s a more athletic, violent, and faster game.
What You Should Do Next
If you’re a fan or even a casual observer who got sucked in by the 2024 madness, the "offseason" is actually where the real moves happen. Here is how to stay ahead of the curve for the 2025 cycle:
✨ Don't miss: Green Bay Packers versus Dallas Cowboys: What Most People Get Wrong
Track the Transfer Portal
The 2024 title was won in the portal. Jess Mruzik (Penn State) and several key contributors for Louisville were transfers. The portal usually peaks in late winter and early spring. Watch for where the top blockers land; they are the most undervalued assets in the game.
Follow the Pro Leagues
Many of the stars from the NCAA volleyball tournament 2024 are heading to the PVF (Pro Volleyball Federation) or League One Volleyball (LOVB). Watching these players at the pro level gives you a much better understanding of their ceiling and helps you scout the next generation of college stars who grew up idolizing them.
Analyze the 2025 Recruiting Classes
Nebraska and Stanford already have massive classes lined up. If you want to know who the next Olivia Babcock is, look at the Under Armour All-America rosters. The high school talent coming into the game right now is starting at a much higher technical baseline than previous generations.
The 2024 tournament was a bridge. It bridged the gap between a college sport and a national obsession. Whether you’re a die-hard Nittany Lion or just someone who likes a good underdog story, the reality is that the bar has been raised. Every serve, every dig, and every 29-kill performance from here on out will be measured against what happened in Louisville in December 2024.