Women’s Volleyball Bracketology 2025: Who’s In, Who’s Out, and Bubble Teams

Welcome to Women’s College Volleyball Bracketology’s first installment.

Now that the RPI and KPI rankings have been released and conference play is almost halfway through the season, it’s time to examine what the main components of the bracket might look like when the field of 64 is announced on November 30 (6 p.m. ET, ESPN). The NCAA volleyball committee selects 33 at-large teams from 31 automatic berths. The top four teams in each region host in the first and second rounds, while volleyball seeds the top eight teams in each region. In order to balance it geographically and competitively, the remaining bracket is filled out. Regionals are also held by the top seeds, and the 2025 Final Four will take place on December 18 in Kansas City, Missouri, with the finals on Dec. 21.

Bracket watch

Nebraska has a perfect 16-0 record, 10 wins in the top 50 RPI, and is the clear No. 1 overall seed. Not since September 16 have the Cornhuskers dropped a set. No. 2 overall, Texas is the only other undefeated team in the country.

The top line is completed by Pitt and Louisville of the ACC. The Panthers and Cardinals will play their first of two games at the L&N Federal Credit Union Arena on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET on ESPN. The match between Pitt and Louisville on Sunday (and their rematch on November 26) will be crucial in determining the No. 1 seeds because Kentucky is lurking on the 2-seed line. In addition, Louisville must defeat SMU at home on Friday night before playing the Panthers and Olivia Babcock, who is the favorite to win AVCA Player of the Year again.

Full seedings

No. 1 seeds: Nebraska, Texas, Pitt, Louisville

No. 2 seeds: Kentucky, SMU, Arizona State, Stanford

No. 3 seeds: Indiana, Miami, Purdue, Minnesota

No. 4 seeds: Creighton, Wisconsin, TCU, Texas A&M

No. 5 seeds: BYU, Illinois, Penn State, UCLA

No. 6 seeds: Kansas State, Cincinnati, Marquette, Baylor

No. 7 seeds: Tennessee, Kansas, USC, UTEP

No. 8 seeds: Michigan State, Michigan, Colorado, North Carolina

No. 9 seeds: South Dakota State, Iowa State, Xavier, Florida

No. 10 seeds: West Virginia, Mississippi State, Western Kentucky, San Diego

No. 11 seeds: Tulsa, Iowa, UCF, Dayton

No. 12 seeds: Ball State, Colgate, Towson, Coastal Carolina

No. 13 seeds: Stephen F. Austin, UC Davis, Utah Tech, Fairfield

No. 14 seeds: Wright State, Jacksonville, ETSU, Cornell

No. 15 seeds: San Diego State, Weber State, Little Rock, Coppin State

No. 16 seeds: UMBC, USC Upstate, St. Francis, Prairie View A&M

Bubble watch