The seeds are set, now its time to get the NCAA Division I volleyball tournament started. The first round will take place Thursday, Dec. 4, and Friday, Dec. 5, at school sites across the country.
Sixty-four teams are vying for the title with the No. 1 overall seed going to undefeated Nebraska, which is 30-0. The Cornhuskers, who are in their first season under coach Dani Busboom Kelly, won the last of their five national titles in 2017.
Kentucky, Texas, and Pitt are the other No. 1 seeds. The Wildcats have lost two matches, the Longhorns three and the Panthers four this season.
Defending champion Penn State finished 18-12 and is a No. 8 seed in the Austin region. The Nittany Lions face South Florida (17-12) in the first round on Friday.
The 2025 NCAA 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, formerly known as the Sprint Center, has hosted the volleyball national championship.
Here’s everything you need to know about the NCAA volleyball tournament:
How to watch NCAA volleyball tournament
Streaming: ESPN+ ∣ Fubo (free trial)
The 2025 NCAA volleyball tournament will air across the ESPN and ABC family of networks. All first- and second-round games can be found streaming on ESPN+, ESPN’s subscription streaming service, and Fubo, which offers a free trial to potential subscribers.
Watch the 2025 NCAA volleyball tournament live with Fubo (free trial)
What time is NCAA volleyball tournament?
Date: Thursday, Dec. 4 and Friday, Dec. 5
Start time: 32 matches, beginning at 3 p.m. ET Thursday. The last match starts at 10 p.m. ET Friday. Match-by-match times below.
NCAA volleyball first-round matchups, game times
Lexington bracket
No. 1 Kentucky (25-2) vs. Wofford (17-13), 7 p.m. ET, Thursday
No. 8 UCLA (18-12) vs. Georgia Tech (16-13), 4:30 p.m. ET, Thursday
No. 5 BYU (22-8) vs. Cal Poly (25-7), 8 p.m. ET, Thursday
No. 4 USC (24-6) vs. Princeton (18-6), 10:30 p.m. ET, Thursday
No. 3 Creighton (25-5) vs. Northern Colorado (17-15), 8 p.m. ET, Thursday
No. 6 Northern Iowa (25-5) vs. Utah (15-14), 5:30 p.m. ET, Thursday
No. 7 Tennessee (20-7) vs. Utah State (23-7), 6:30 p.m. ET, Thursday
No. 2 Arizona State (26-3) vs. Coppin State (23-11), 9 p.m. ET, Thursday
Austin bracket
No. 1 Texas (23-3) vs. Florida A&M (14-16), 8 p.m. ET, Friday
No. 8 Penn State (18-12) vs. South Florida (17-12), 5:30 p.m. ET, Friday
No. 5 Colorado (22-8) vs. American (24-4), 3 p.m. ET, Thursday
No. 4 Indiana (23-7) vs. Toledo (23-10), 5:30 p.m. ET, Thursday
No. 3 Wisconsin (24-4) vs. Eastern Illinois (24-7), 8 p.m. ET, Thursday
No. 6 UTEP (25-4) vs. North Carolina (21-8), 5:30 p.m. ET, Thursday
No. 7 South Dakota State (23-4) vs. Arizona (16-12), 7:30 p.m. ET, Friday
No. 2 Stanford (27-4) vs. Utah Valley (16-10), 10 p.m. ET, Friday
Pittsburgh bracket
No. 1 Pitt (26-4) vs. UMBC (13-11), 6:30 p.m. ET, Friday
No. 8 Xavier (26-4) vs. Michigan (21-10), 4 p.m. ET, Friday
No. 5 Iowa State (22-7) vs. St. Thomas (21-9), 5:30 p.m. ET, Friday
No. 4 Minnesota (22-9) vs. Fairfield (25-5), 8 p.m. ET, Friday
No. 3 Purdue (24-6) vs. Wright State (21-10), 7 p.m. ET, Thursday
No. 6 Baylor (17-9) vs. Arkansas State (22-8), 4:30 p.m. ET, Thursday
No. 7 Rice (21-9) vs. Florida (15-11), 5 p.m. ET, Friday
No. 2 SMU (25-5) vs. Central Arkansas (18-11), 7:30 p.m. ET, Friday
Lincoln bracket
No. 1 Nebraska (30-0) vs. LIU (20-8), 8 p.m. ET, Friday
No. 8 San Diego (25-4) vs. Kansas State (17-3), 5:30 p.m. ET, Friday
No. 5 Miami (26-5) vs. Tulsa (25-6), 5 p.m. ET, Thursday
No. 4 Kansas (22-10) vs. High Point (18-9), 7:30 p.m. ET, Thursday
No. 3 Texas A&M (23-4) vs. Campbell (23-6), 7:30 p.m. ET, Friday
No. 6 TCU (20-10) vs. Stephen F. Austin (23-7), 5 p.m. ET, Friday
No. 7 Western Kentucky (27-5) vs. Marquette (17-10), 4 p.m. ET, Friday
No. 2 Louisville (24-6) vs. Loyola Chicago (17-15), 6:30 p.m. ET, Friday
NCAA volleyball tournament rounds
Second round: Dec. 5-6
Regionals: Dec. 11 and 13 or Dec. 12 and 14
Semifinals: Thursday, Dec. 18
National championship: 3:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, Dec. 21
All games on ESPN Unlimited, ESPN, ABC
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 Chicago
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: LIU
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 followed three days later by the national championship game on Sunday, Dec. 21.
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.
