Aggies, Panthers, Wildcats & Badgers battle for national title in KC

What: 2025 NCAA Tournament Final Four & National Championship
Who: #1 Pitt, #1 Kentucky, #3 Texas A&M, #3 Wisconsin 
Where: T-Mobile Center – Kansas City, Missouri 
When:

• Thursday
  • Match 1: #1 Pitt vs. #3 Texas A&M - 5:30 p.m. CT (ESPN)
  • Match 2: #1 Kentucky vs. #3 Wisconsin - 8 p.m. CT (ESPN)
• Sunday: 2:30 p.m. CT (ABC)

#3 Texas A&M

• RPI: 10
• Record: 27-4 (14-1)
• Hitting Percentage: .295
• Kills Per Set: 14.51
• Blocks Per Set: 2.63

Top Players

• Logan Lednicky (31 MP, 4.69 PTS/S, 4.09 K/S, .311 HP, 0.89 B/S)
• Ifenna Cos-Okpalla (31 MP, 3.33 PTS/S, 2.04 K/S, .426 HP, 1.70 B/S)
• Kyndal Stowers (30 MP, 3.95 PTS/S, 3.45 K/S, .276 HP, 0.59 B/S)

Scouting Texas A&M
A&M overcame the steepest, most improbable of climbs to get to Kansas City, but the Aggies have yet to reach the summit. In two five-set matches vs. reigning national runner-up Louisville and then-unbeaten Nebraska, the Ags put on a spectacle, reverse sweeping the Cards and taking down the NCAA Tournament's top-seeded Huskers.

Will Huffman, TexAgs

Jamie Morrison is 64-25 in three years at Texas A&M, and he has taken the Aggies to the NCAA Tournament each season.

Entering the Final Four, the stakes have never been higher in the history of the program, but A&M’s veteran presence has kept the heartbeat of this team steady this far. Only 0.8 percent picked the Aggies to win it all via ESPN's Volleyball Championship Challenge, the lowest percent of teams remaining. If the last week has shown anything, it's that the Maroon & White don't mind being the underdog. In fact, Jamie Morrison & Co. embrace it.

The Aggies are led by four-time All-SEC honoree Logan Lednicky, who has pieced together one of the most distinguished careers in the program’s history. Coming off a 24-kill night vs. Nebraska, the left-handed opposite has been the driving force all season long. Ifenna Cos-Okpalla continues to deliver across the board, whether taking a swing, shutting down the opponent's best hitter with a stuff or dishing out an ace beyond the service line. Outside Kyndal Stowers is coming off a career night, recording 25 kills and an additional 16 digs as a full rotation player. Morgan Perkins is also hot after her best game as an Aggie, denying the Huskers nine times.

Fueled by setter Maddie Waak, the Aggies are firing at a .305 clip during December play. With the most balanced attack of the bunch, the Aggies do not have to rely on one arm to swing their way to a title or out of a hole.

A&M is not on this stage because they got lucky. They are here because they refused to break when it mattered most.

#1 Pittsburgh 

• RPI: 5
• Record: 30-4 (18-2)
• Hitting Percentage: .311
• Kills Per Set: 13.86
• Blocks Per Set: 2.87

Top Players

• Olivia Babcock (34 MP, 5.91 PTS/S, 5.11 K/S, .330 HP, 0.98 B/S)
• Blaire Bayless (33 MP, 2.91 PTS/S, 2.65 K/S, .295 HP, 0.50 B/S)
• Dagmar Mourits (31 MP, 2.61 PTS/S, 2.20 K/S, .483 HP, 1.14 B/S)

Scouting Pittsburgh 
For the Panthers, their fifth consecutive Final Four came in relatively dominant fashion, only dropping one set through the entire NCAA Tournament in the Elite Eight to Purdue. The path has been pretty painless as their gap between their hitting percent and opponent hitting percentage these last four games is outstanding (.367 to .206).

Jeff Faughender/Courier Journal & USAToday Network

Olivia Babcock is the reigning AVCA Player of the Year.

You cannot break down Pitt volleyball without quickly mentioning Olivia Babcock's name. Last year's AVCA Player of the Year, she has a chance to repeat as the Panthers' prized possession on the right side. If you take your eyes off of #5, she can take over a match in a hurry, leading the field in kills per set. As one of two contributors last season in the starting rotation, the integration of youth is the story beyond Babcock. In his 12th year with the program, Dan Fisher saw his young talent rise to the occasion in 2025. Freshman Abbey Emch took over the starting role in the middle, strengthing the Panthers' block and has come around offensively, heating up as of late. On the outside, Pitt has an influx of options with Blaire Bayless, Dagmar Mourtis and Marina Pezelj.

In a two-libero system, Mallorie Meyer is in during serve/receive, and Emeru Dupes is on the floor when Pitt serves. Often a struggle to find some consistency, Pitt's back row has improved heavily over the course of the season. A transfer from Illinois, setter Brooke Mosher had big shoes to fill after the departure of Rachel Fairbanks, who helped Pitt to four Final Fours. Mosher has fit perfectly, allowing Bacock to have her best season yet.

With an 11-4 record against ranked opponents this year, the Panthers are battle-tested against the nation's best. When they did lose, all but one of their stumbles was decided by two points in the fifth set.

Falling in this round a year ago, Pitt doesn't want a different book to end with the same story. Babcock has the talent and ability to lift them to the school's first-ever national championship.

#1 Kentucky 

• RPI: 3
• Record: 29-2 (15-0)
• Hitting Percentage: .295
• Kills Per Set: 14.95
• Blocks Per Set: 2.47

Top Players

• Eva Hudson (31 MP, 4.93 PTS/S, 4.54 K/S, .317 HP, .42 B/S)
• Brooklyn DeLeye (31 MP, 5.09 PTS/S, 4.69 K/S, .289 HP, 0.32 B/S)
• Lizzie Carr (31 MP, 2.73 PTS/S, 2.02 K/S, .361 HP, 1.26 B/S)

Scouting Kentucky
After a 3-1 win over Creighton, the SEC's title holder is back in the Final Four. The last time the Wildcats were in this position, they went on to win it all in 2021. Sweeping three of its four NCAA Tournament foes on top of a perfect conference season, Kentucky enters late December with more to prove.

The Wildcats have some familiarity with the other side of the bracket, having played both Pitt and A&M this season. They were swept by the Panthers in September and took a four-setter from the Aggies in October. In his 21st season as head coach, Craig Skinner has won 76 percent of his games in his time in Lexington, but he is 0-4 against the Wildcats' opening opponent in the Badgers.

Scott Utterback/Courier Journal

A transfer from Purdue, Eva Hudson was the Big Ten’s Freshman of the Year in 2022.

The two-headed monster of Eva Hudson and Brooklyn DeLeye accounted for 32 of the team’s 47 kills in the Elite Eight. As the SEC's Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year, Hudson has put together an outstanding single season in Blue and White. In her third year at Kentucky, DeLeye leads the team in kills per set, making them the best outside tandem in the country. Beyond the superstars on the left side, Kentucky's defensive efforts allow the offensive attack to be so successful. Totaling 62 kills and eight blocks last time out, the Bluejays were held to a suffocating .066 hitting percentage.

Fairly unfamiliar with the concept of a loss this season, the Wildcats are primed for the spotlight. Kentucky knows exactly what it takes to succeed with the group it has, and it aims to use that formula to make a championship run.

#3 Wisconsin 

• RPI: 11
• Record: 28-4 (17-3)
• Hitting Percentage: .325
• Kills Per Set: 15.16
• Blocks Per Set: 2.43

Top Players

• Mimi Colyer (32 MP, 5.97 PTS/S, 5.39 K/S, 340 HP, .66 B/S)
• Carter Booth (32 MP, 2.78 PTS/S, 2.13 K/S, .454 HP, 1.17 B/S)
• Charlie Fuerbringer (23 MP, 1.31 PTS/S, 12.32 A/S, .59 B/S)

Scouting Wisconsin
Similarly to the Aggies, Wisconsin took a daunting road to arrive in Kansas City. In the Sweet 16, the Badgers knocked off powerhouse No. 2 seed Stanford before upsetting No. 1 seed Texas on its home floor. Behind the longest-tenured coach in program history, Kelly Sheffield is appearing in his sixth Final Four.

Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

In 13 seasons at Wisconsin, Kelly Sheffield has taken the Badgers to the NCAA Tournament every year and led them to the 2021 national title.

With five of their primary starters in new roles to start the season, the Badgers have found their way. Finishing second in the Big Ten, they surpassed expectations. With the majority of the roster being underclassmen, Wisconsin is a young team, but don't mistake youth for weakness.

Mimi Colyer leads the offensive attack by an overwhelming margin, as All-American setter Charlie Fuerbringer rides through her no matter the circumstance. Also an AVCA Player of the Year finalist, Colyer has totaled double-digit kills in her last 18 matches. Defensively, the block runs through Carter Booth, who has not recorded an error in three of the last four matches. True freshman libero Kristen Simon has bolstered the back row while entering the Badger record books, inside the top-five for most digs recorded by a rookie.

They are 16-1 this season when winning the first set, so if the Badgers start out hot, prepare for a long night. Sweeping 63 percent of their opponents this year, Wisconsin is used to dominance. They may not find that this weekend, but on sports' biggest stage, expect the Badgers to come out fighting.