Sports
Five things to watch in NCAA women’s volleyball this season
Pittsburgh and Nebraska looked to be on a collision course for the national championship when they headed into the NCAA women’s volleyball final four last December.
But by the time the weekend ended, Penn State had defeated Louisville for the program’s eighth NCAA title. Katie Schumacher-Cawley became the first woman head coach to win the championship since the tournament began in 1981 and a major coaching change was about to take place.
As we head into the 2025 season, those four schools are atop the AVCA Division I preseason poll: The Huskers lead the way with 40 first-place votes, followed by the Nittany Lions (21), the Panthers and the Cardinals. Past national champions Texas, Stanford, Kentucky and Wisconsin round out the top eight.
Those are the familiar names we expect to contend for the 2025 championship, which will be decided Dec. 18-21 in Kansas City. But now former Louisville coach Dani Busboom Kelly leads Nebraska, replacing retired program legend John Cook. Dan Meske, who had been associate head coach for the Cardinals, took over at Louisville.
Busboom Kelly is a Nebraska native who previously won NCAA championships as a player and assistant coach with the Huskers, so it always seemed a matter of time before she went back. She built the Louisville program into a national powerhouse, and along with Pittsburgh coach Dan Fisher helped elevate the ACC to elite status.
But the Panthers and the Cardinals still seek their first NCAA title. Could this be the year for either? Will Nebraska win its sixth championship? Or might Penn State repeat and tie Stanford’s record of nine NCAA titles?
More than 2,600 matches will be shown on ESPN platforms this season, culminating with every NCAA tournament match. The national semifinals will be on ESPN and, for the third season in a row, the final will be on ABC. Here’s a primer to get ready for the 2025 season.
How soon do the powerhouses meet?
Immediately. One of the great things about college volleyball is the top programs almost always face off in nonconference play. The AVCA First Serve Showcase at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Nebraska, runs Friday through Sunday. It starts with Pittsburgh vs. Nebraska at 7 p.m. ET Friday. Sunday’s matches — Florida vs. Pittsburgh (1 p.m. ET) and Nebraska vs. Stanford (3:30) — air on ESPN.
The inaugural Broadway Block Party will be Aug. 31 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. It features Nebraska vs. Kentucky (noon ET, ABC), Tennessee vs. Purdue (3 p.m. ET, ESPN2) and Vanderbilt vs. Illinois (6 p.m. ET, SEC Network). Vanderbilt has brought volleyball back as a varsity sport after briefly sponsoring it in 1979-80. The sister of WNBA star Kelsey Plum, Lauren Plum, is an assistant coach for the Commodores’ new program.
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Identifying transfers who will make an impact in the SEC
SEC Network’s Missy Whittemore and Leah Edmonds pinpoint the transfers who will likely make an impact in the SEC and describe the strengths that make them unstoppable on the court.
What stood out from the transfer portal for this season?
Like with every other sport, transfers are a major part of volleyball. Outside hitter Torrey Stafford going to Texas from Pitt was one of the biggest moves. The Panthers still have AVCA national player of the year Olivia Babcock (5.94 points per set) back from last season’s 33-2 team. But Stafford, who averaged 4.24 points per set in 2024, is big pick-up for the always stacked Longhorns.
Kentucky added firepower with outside hitter Eva Hudson, who led the Big Ten in kills per set last season at 4.81. Nebraska, which is also a magnet for transfers, added opposite hitter Allie Sczech from Baylor.
How different will Nebraska be under new leadership?
Realistically, not much. Busboom Kelly played for and coached with Cook for a long time before she took over the Louisville program, so this is as seamless a transition as Nebraska could have hoped for.
Outside hitter Harper Murray is back for Nebraska; she led the Huskers in points per set (4.01 last season). Andi Jackson and Rebekah Allick make a formidable middle blocker tandem, and Bergen Reilly, the Big Ten setter of the year the last two seasons, returns to quarterback the Huskers.
Admittedly, following someone as successful as Cook, head coach for four of the Huskers’ NCAA titles and architect of a perennial championship contender, is not easy.
Busboom Kelly has her own personality and coaching style; she’s not a Cook clone. But in terms of the high quality of the product put on the floor for some of the nation’s most ardent volleyball fans, she knows the expectations better than anyone.
Last year, Nebraska went into the national semifinals poised to win its sixth title, and the Huskers took a 2-0 lead on Penn State. But in a nightmarish last match for Cook, the Nittany Lions won on a reverse sweep, then beat a Louisville team that had lost star player Anna DeBeer to an ankle injury in its semifinal. Despite that disappointment, Cook praised Busboom Kelly and Schumacher-Cawley — whose teams met in the final — for their high-profile coaching roles in the sport.
Any chance for a first-time NCAA champion this season?
Four of the programs in the AVCA preseason top 10 — Pittsburgh, Louisville, No. 9 Texas A&M and No. 10 SMU — have never won the NCAA title. The Panthers have been to the national semifinals the last four years in a row but have not advanced to the final. Led by Babcock, they are still the best bet among teams looking for their first national championship.
But keep an eye on No. 16 Florida, too. Mary Wise, who had led the Gators since 1991 and made the NCAA tournament every year, retired from coaching and is now part of ESPN’s broadcasting crew. She guided Florida to the final four eight times. Ryan Theis has taken over the program and will pursue the goal of winning an NCAA title.
What’s the biggest news off the court?
The Pro Volleyball Federation has rebranded into Major League Volleyball, or MLV, which will provide a place to play for some of the top college players when they turn professional.
The PVF started in 2024 and has played two seasons. But the popular Omaha Supernovas franchise in Nebraska had conflicts with PVF management and intended to start its own league called MLV. Instead, there was a merger of sorts and PVF became MLV.
MLV is scheduled to begin its 2026 season in January with teams in Atlanta, Columbus, Ohio; Dallas, Grand Rapids, Michigan; Indianapolis, Omaha, Orlando and San Diego. Two more teams — in Washington D.C. and Sacramento, California — are slated to join in 2027.
While Cook retired as coach for the Huskers, he is still busy with volleyball: He recently was announced as a co-owner and the general manager of the Supernovas.
Sri Lanka’s government took control of the island’s cricket board on Wednesday and appointed a nine-member interim administration to carry out “structural reforms”.
Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) is the country’s wealthiest sporting body, but it has been plagued by allegations of corruption and mismanagement.
World governing body, the International Cricket Council (ICC), suspended Sri Lanka for two months in 2023-2024, citing political interference in the running of the national board.
“All administrative functions of Sri Lanka Cricket will be temporarily brought under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, effective today,” the ministry said.
Shortly afterwards, the ministry appointed former investment banker and opposition politician Eran Wickramaratne to lead the board.
Among the other members appointed by the government are former skipper Kumar Sangakkara and former Test players Sidath Wettimuny and Roshan Mahanama.
The ministry said the interim committee will “address the current issues in cricket and implement structural reforms”.
Four-time SLC president Shammi Silva resigned on Tuesday, along with his entire committee, after the government intervened.
AFP has contacted the ICC for comment.
Sri Lanka made an early exit from the T20 World Cup, which it co-hosted with India in February-March.
Half-centuries from Usman Khan and Maaz Sadaqat, combined with disciplined bowling, powered Hyderabad Kingsmen to an eight-wicket victory over Multan Sultans in Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11’s Eliminator 1 on Wednesday.
Kingsmen’s victory in the high-stakes fixture drew curtains on Sultans’ campaign and meant that the new entrants will go on and face three-time champions Islamabad United in the Eliminator 2 at the same venue on Friday in a bid to qualify for the eight-team tournament’s final.
Set to chase a 160-run target, the Kingsmen comfortably knocked the winning runs for the loss of just two wickets and 28 balls to spare, courtesy of the second-wicket partnership between Usman and Sadaqat.
The Kingsmen, however, had a contrasting start to the pursuit as they lost their captain, Marnus Labuschagne (11), in the second over with 18 runs on the board.
Following the early setback, in-form wicketkeeper batter Usman joined Sadaqat in the middle, and the duo batted dominantly to put together 92 runs for the second wicket.
Usman, who was the core aggressor of the vital stand, was eventually removed by Steve Smith in the 11th over. He walked back after top-scoring for the Kingsmen with a swashbuckling 64 off 35 deliveries, studded with eight fours and three sixes.
Sadaqat was then joined by Saim Ayub in the middle, and the duo batted sensibly to steer the Kingsmen over the line in the 16th over.
The left-handed opener remained the joint top-scorer for the Kingsmen with an unbeaten 64 off 35 deliveries, comprising eight fours and three sixes, while Saim chipped in with a run-a-ball 15 not out.
For Sultans, Ismail and Smith could pick up a wicket apiece.
Put into bat first in the high-stakes fixture, the Sultans finished at 159/9 in their 20 overs, courtesy of Masood.
The Sultans got off to a shaky start to their innings as Mohammad Ali dismissed their experienced opener Steve Smith (13) in the third over with just 28 runs on the board.
Kingsmen then lost two more wickets in successive overs as Akif Javed got in-form opener Sahibzada Farhan (15) caught at cover point, while Hunain Shah trapped Josh Philippe (six) lbw, and consequently slipped to 36/3 inside the batting powerplay.
Following the early stutter, captain Ashton Turner (nine) and his deputy Shan Masood attempted to force a recovery by batting cautiously but could add 15 runs for the fourth wicket as the former was sent back by Saim Ayub in the seventh over.
Glenn Maxwell inflicted another blow to the Sultans’ batting expedition as he got rid of their young all-rounder Arafat Minhas on the first delivery of the eighth over and brought the total further down to 52/5.
Meanwhile, Masood, who stood his ground firmly during the collapse, then shared a crucial 33-run partnership for the sixth wicket with all-rounder Mohammad Nawaz, who contributed with an 18-ball 19 before falling victim to Javed in the 12th over.
Sultans endured another setback an over later as Ali cleaned up Mohammad Imran Randhawa (two) to expose their batting tail.
Hunain ensured retaining the momentum in Kingsmen’s favour as he bowled Peter Siddle in the 16th over.
Masood, however, kept the scoreboard ticking single-handedly and eventually brought his 10th PSL half-century in the 18th over.
The left-handed batter batted until the end and top-scored with an unbeaten 69 off 46 deliveries, studded with four sixes and as many fours.
For Kingsmen, the pace trio of Hunain, Ali and Javed bagged two wickets each, while spinners Maxwell and Saim chipped in with one scalp apiece.
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Hitters, pitchers and catchers are not the only beneficiaries of the ABS challenge system. Fans benefit, too.
The ABS challenge system helped Cincinnati Reds’ fans get free pizza during the ninth inning of the team’s 7-2 win over the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday at Great American Ball Park.
When the Reds strike out 11 hitters in a game, fans get free pizza from the local pizzeria, LaRosa’s. The Reds had 10 strikeouts going into the top of the ninth inning and needed one more to earn their fans some free pizza.
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Cincinnati Reds pitcher Brock Burke celebrates with catcher Tyler Stephenson after the final out of the ninth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Great American Ball Park. The Reds won the game 7-2 in Cincinnati, Ohio, on April 28, 2026. (Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
Reds’ reliever Brock Burke was ahead 1-2 in the count against Colorado Rockies second baseman Edouard Julien. Burke fired a 98 mph fastball at the edge of the zone, but home plate umpire Carlos Torres called it a ball.
Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson thought otherwise and tapped the top of his helmet to initiate the challenge. As the challenge appeared on the scoreboard, Reds play-by-play announcer John Sadak set up the moment.
“Stephenson has won one (challenge) tonight, can he win pizza for those in the stands?” Sadak said on the broadcast.
ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON’T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW!
A general view of Great American Ball Park during the seventh inning of the game between the San Francisco Giants and the Cincinnati Reds in Cincinnati, Ohio, on April 14, 2026. (Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
The replay confirmed it was a strike, giving the fans free pizza, and the place went bonkers.
“The crowd ready to burst. That’s a strike! He does it for everybody! He does it for the people,” Sadak said.
The broadcast panned to a raucous crowd that celebrated their free pizza. With Burke’s strikeout on the overturned call, all fans got a free small one-topping pizza at LaRosa’s.
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Cincinnati Reds relief pitcher Brock Burke pitches against the Colorado Rockies in the ninth inning at Great American Ball Park. in Cincinnati, Ohio, on April 28, 2026. (Katie Stratman/Imagn Images)
For good measure, Burke struck out the 12th Rockies hitter to end the game and secure the win.
With the win, the Reds improved to 19-10 which leads the National League Central. They will take on the Rockies (13-17) on Wednesday at 6:40 p.m. ET in the second game of their three-game series.
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