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NCAA volleyball Sweet 16: Who’s in, bracket, schedule, how to watch

The NCAA volleyball tournament field has been narrowed to 16 teams.

Fifteen of the top 16 seeds advanced over the first and second rounds and will begin Sweet 16 play on Thursday, Dec. 11 or Friday, Dec. 12.

Cal Poly produced the lone upset, taking down No. 4 seed USC in the Lexington regional. The Mustangs will face Kentucky, the No. 1 seed in the region, on Thursday.

No. 1 overall seed Nebraska advanced by sweeping Kansas State and Long Island University in the first and second round, respectively. The Huskers face Kansas in the round of 16 on Friday. No. 1 seed Pittsburgh will be in action Thursday, and No. 1 seed Texas opens Sweet 16 play on Friday.

The 2025 NCAA women’s volleyball Final Four will be held at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri. It’s the third time since 2010 that the venue has hosted the volleyball national championship.

When is NCAA women’s volleyball Sweet 16?

  • Date: Dec. 11 and 13 or Dec. 12 and 14
  • Time: Four matches each day, beginning at 1 p.m. ET Thursday and noon ET Friday. Match-by-match times below.

How to watch NCAA volleyball tournament

  • Streaming: ESPN+ ∣ Fubo (free trial)

The 2025 NCAA women’s volleyball tournament will air across the ESPN and ABC family of networks. Games can be streamed ESPN+, ESPN’s subscription streaming service, and Fubo, which offers a free trial to potential subscribers.

Watch NCAA volleyball tournament on Fubo

NCAA volleyball Sweet 16 schedule: Times, TV

All times Eastern

Thursday, Dec. 11

  • No. 2 Arizona State vs. No. 3 Creighton, 1 p.m. | ESPN2
  • No. 1 Kentucky vs. Cal Poly, 3:30 p.m. | ESPN2
  • No. 4 Minnesota vs. No. 1 Pittsburgh, 7 p.m. | ESPN2
  • No. 2 SMU vs. No. 3 Purdue, 9:30 p.m. | ESPN2

Friday, Dec. 12

  • No. 1 Texas vs. No. 4 Indiana, 12 p.m. | ESPN
  • No. 3 Wisconsin vs. No. 2 Stanford, 2:30 p.m. | ESPN
  • No. 3 Texas A&M vs. No. 2 Louisville, 7 p.m. | ESPN2
  • No. 1 Nebraska vs. No. 4 Kansas, 9:30 p.m. | ESPN2

NCAA volleyball second-round results

Lexington bracket

  • No. 1 Kentucky 3, No. 8 UCLA 1 (30-28, 25-16, 28-30, 25-17)
  • No. 3 Creighton 3, No. 6 Northern Iowa 1 (25-18, 23-25, 25-22, 25-21)
  • No. 2 Arizona State 3, Utah State 1 (25-15, 25-18, 22-25, 25-15)
  • Cal Poly 3, No. 4 USC 2 (25-19, 25-20, 20-25, 14-25, 15-7)

Austin bracket

  • No. 4 Indiana 3, No. 5 Colorado 0 (25-20, 25-17, 25-23)
  • No. 3 Wisconsin 3, North Carolina 0 (25-14, 25-21, 27-25)
  • No. 1 Texas 1, No. 8 Penn State 0 (25-16, 25-9, 25-19)
  • No. 2 Stanford 3, Arizona 1 (25-16, 25-27, 25-17, 25-20)

Pittsburgh bracket

  • No. 3 Purdue 3, No. 6 Baylor 1 (25-16, 25-19, 23-25, 25-20)
  • No. 1 Pittsburgh 3, Michigan 0 (25-23, 25-23, 25-18)
  • No. 2 SMU 3, Florida 0 (25-11, 25-21, 26-24)
  • No. 4 Minnesota 3, No. 5 Iowa State 0 (25-22, 25-21, 25-14)

Lincoln bracket

  • No. 4 Kansas 3, No. 5 Miami 1 (25-17, 25-22, 22-25, 27-25)
  • No. 2 Louisville 3, Marquette 2 (21-25, 25-11, 23-25, 25-19, 15-12)
  • No. 1 Nebraska 3, Kansas State 0 (25-17, 25-21, 25-16)
  • No. 3 Texas A&M 3, No. 6 TCU 1 (23-25, 25-23, 25-22, 29-27)

NCAA volleyball first-round results

Lexington bracket

  • No. 1 Kentucky 3, Wofford 0 (25-11, 25-19, 25-12)
  • No. 8 UCLA 3, Georgia Tech 2 (24-26, 25-19, 25-23, 25-18, 15-10)
  • Cal Poly 3, No. 5 BYU 2 (25-19, 17-25, 20-25, 25-20, 15-10)
  • No. 4 USC 3, Princeton 0, (25-19, 25-12, 25-13)
  • No. 3 Creighton 3, Northern Colorado 2 (12-25, 25-23,25-23,17-25, 8-15)
  • No. 6 Northern Iowa 3, Utah 2 (15-25, 21-25, 26-24, 25-20, 15-10)
  • Utah State 3, No. 7 Tennessee 2 (25-19, 25-15, 19-25, 25-18, 15-11)
  • No. 2 Arizona State 3, Coppin State 0 (25-11, 25-14, 25-12)

Austin bracket

  • No. 1 Texas 3, Florida A&M 0 (25-11, 25- 8, 25-14)
  • No. 8 Penn State 3, South Florida 1 (25-23, 12-25, 25-21, 25-19)
  • No. 5 Colorado 3, American 0 (25-16, 25-19, 25-16)
  • No. 4 Indiana 3, Toledo 0 (25-18, 25-15, 25-17)
  • No. 3 Wisconsin 3, Eastern Illinois 0 (25-11, 25-6, 25-19)
  • North Carolina 3, No. 6 UTEP 1 (24-26, 25-11, 25-18, 25-21)
  • Arizona 3, No. 7 South Dakota State 1 (25-21, 22-25, 25-15, 25-15)
  • No. 2 Stanford 3, Utah Valley 1 (21-25, 25-21, 25-13, 25-14)

Pittsburgh bracket

  • No. 1 Pitt 3, UMBC 0 (25-10, 25-17, 25-13)
  • Michigan 3, No. 8 Xavier 0 (25-19, 25-15, 25-23)
  • No. 5 Iowa State 3, St. Thomas-Minnesota 2 (21-25, 25-13, 25-16, 21-25, 15-8)
  • No. 4 Minnesota 3, Fairfield 0 (25-12, 25-7, 25-13)
  • No. 3 Purdue 3, Wright State 0 (25-13, 25-21, 25-19)
  • No. 6 Baylor 3, Arkansas State 2 (23-25, 25-20, 30-28, 23-25, 15-10)
  • Florida 3, No. 7 Rice 0 (27-25, 25-23, 25-19)
  • No. 2 SMU 3, Central Arkansas 0 (25-13, 25-13, 25-13)

Lincoln bracket

  • No. 1 Nebraska 3, Long Island 0 (25-11, 25-15, 25-17)
  • Kansas State 3, San Diego 2 (21-25, 25-17, 26-28, 25-22, 15-12)
  • No. 5 Miami 3, Tulsa 1 (25-22, 13-25, 25-22, 25-20)
  • No. 4 Kansas 3, High Point 0 (25-20, 25-15, 25-18)
  • No. 3 Texas A&M 3, Campbell 0 (25-20, 25-10, 25-13)
  • No. 6 TCU 3, Stephen F. Austin 0 (25-8, 26-24, 25-20)
  • Marquette 3, Western Kentucky 0 (25-22, 25-21, 25-16)
  • No. 2 Louisville 3, Loyola (Illinois) 0 (25-17, 25-9, 25-12)

NCAA volleyball tournament rounds

  • Regionals: Dec. 11 and 13 or Dec. 12 and 14
  • Semifinals: Thursday, Dec. 18, 6:30 and 8:30 p.m. ET
  • National championship: Sunday, Dec. 21, 3:30 p.m. ET

NCAA volleyball tournament automatic qualifiers

Here’s a look at the 31 teams that earned automatic berths to the 2025 NCAA volleyball tournament by virtue of winning their conferences:

  • ACC: Stanford
  • American: Tulsa
  • American East: UMBC
  • Atlantic Sun: Central Arkansas
  • Atlantic 10: Loyola (Illinois)
  • Big East: Creighton
  • Big Sky: Northern Colorado
  • Big South: High Point
  • Big Ten: Nebraska
  • Big 12: Arizona State
  • Big West: Cal Poly
  • CAA: Campbell
  • Conference USA: Western Kentucky
  • Horizon: Wright State
  • Ivy: Princeton
  • MAAC: Fairfield
  • MAC: Toledo
  • MEAC: Coppin State
  • Missouri Valley: Northern Iowa
  • Mountain West: Utah State
  • NEC: Long Island
  • Ohio Valley: Eastern Illinois
  • Patriot: American
  • SEC: Kentucky
  • SoCon: Wofford
  • Southland: Stephen F. Austin
  • SWAC: Florida A&M
  • Summit: St. Thomas
  • Sun Belt: Arkansas State
  • WAC: Utah Valley
  • WCC: San Diego

When is the NCAA volleyball Final Four in 2025?

  • Dates: Thursday, Dec. 18 and Sunday, Dec. 21

The two semifinal matches in the Final Four of the 2025 NCAA volleyball tournament will take place on Thursday, Dec. 18 and will be broadcast on ESPN. The national championship game is Sunday, Dec. 21 on ABC.

NCAA volleyball tournament champions

Penn State is the reigning NCAA volleyball champion, having defeated Louisville in four sets last year in the national title game. It was the Nittany Lions’ eighth volleyball championship since 1999.

Here’s a look at the past 10 NCAA volleyball champions:

  • 2024: Penn State
  • 2023: Texas
  • 2022: Texas
  • 2021: Wisconsin
  • 2020: Kentucky
  • 2019: Stanford
  • 2018: Stanford
  • 2017: Nebraska
  • 2016: Stanford
  • 2015: Nebraska

For the full list of champions, click here.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

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