It’s blue blood vs. new blood for the NCAA women’s volleyball national title on Sunday. Penn State, winner of seven national titles and six of the last 17 titles in the sport, takes on Louisville, which has never won the national title and made its first Final Four appearance three years ago.
How to watch Penn State vs. Louisville volleyball
Both teams made comebacks in Thursday’s semifinals, but Penn State’s was more dramatic. The Nittany Lions lost the first two sets to Nebraska and faced two match points in the fourth set, but battled back to win 23-25, 18-25, 25-23, 28-26, 15-13.
Louisville was down a set to Pitt and faced four set points in the third set but eventually found enough answers. The Cardinals won 21-25, 25-23, 29-27, 25-17. The Panthers were the No. 1 overall seed and had beaten Louisville in both previous meetings this season.
Penn State and Louisville played on Sept. 3 but at Penn State. The Nittany Lions won that one in three noncompetitive sets (25-15, 25-19, 25-13).
The Nittany Lions are seeking their first national title since 2014, although that title ended a run where PSU won six championships in eight years. Penn State is 7-3 in national title games, and this season marked the program’s 14th Final Four appearance.
Louisville’s resume isn’t quite the same. The Cardinals didn’t even make a regional final until 2019 but have been a consistent powerhouse since. Louisville has made the Final Four in three of the past four seasons and was the runner-up in 2022.
Louisville is hosting the Final Four. It would make for a heck of a celebration if the Cardinals won their first national title on their home floor.
Whichever team ends up celebrating, it will mark the first time a woman has coached a team to a national championship. Louisville coach Dani Busboom Kelly, who played at Nebraska, has turned the Cardinals into a juggernaut with NCAA Tournament appearances in all eight of her seasons in charge and six regional finals in a row. Penn State’s Katie Schumacher-Cawley played volleyball and basketball for the Nittany Lions and is only in her third season on the job. This season marked her first Final Four.
(Photo credit: Jeff Faughender / Courier Journal & USA Today Network via Imagn Images)
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