Three Questions as Pitt Volleyball Wraps Up the Regular Season
Only a few matches left before the NCAA Tournament, so what is there to settle?
“The present is bright, and so is the future.”
Pitt head coach Dan Fisher just about summed up the Wednesday of news for Pitt Volleyball, which included two signings (both long-ago committed) for the Class of 2025: outside hitter Samara Coleman from Houston, Texas and middle blocker Abbey Emch from New Waterford, Ohio (just over an hour’s drive from Pittsburgh).
Coleman should battle for playing time right away, though an immediate starting spot may be tough behind current sophomore pin hitters Torrey Stafford, Blaire Bayless and Olivia Babcock.
Emch joins a crowded group at middle blocker, with starters Bre Kelley and Ryla Jones currently backed up by international freshmen Bianca Garibaldi and Dalia Vîrlan. Listed at 6’4, Emch will arrive with a heigh advantage over all but Kelley.
That’s the future; let’s talk burning questions for the 2024 team.
Will a Pitt player win the program’s first National Player of the Year award?
On Wednesday, the first 7 of 14 semifinalists for 2024 AVCA Division I Player of the Year were revealed, including three Pitt Panthers:
Right side Olivia Babcock
Outside hitter Torrey Stafford
Setter Rachel Fairbanks
Any of them would be a worthy Player of the Year. Chad Gordon’s advanced metrics have Babcock as the nation’s top right-side, Stafford as the nation’s top outside hitter, and Fairbanks as the nation’s top server (evaluating setters overall is still a tough nut for analytics to crack).
“These women have worked incredibly hard and represent our university and program well,” said coach Fisher. “Congrats to them and the AVCA. They got it right with these three.”
We still have some volleyball to play, but Babcock — a year after winning AVCA National Freshman of the Year — appears to be the top candidate. It comes down to her scoring prowess from the front row, back row and even the service line: her 5.66 points per set are 7th in the nation. Some big performances against Pitt’s toughest remaining opponents (Florida State, Louisville and Georgia Tech) could cement Babcock in the driver’s seat for the award.
The AVCA will reduce the list to a set of finalists in mid-December before announcing the winner on Dec. 20.
Will Nebraska lose another match and open the door for Pitt to grab the #1 overall seed?
We talked a few weeks ago about the NCAA Tournament selection committee’s in-season Top 16 putting Nebraska at #1 and Pitt at #2. You can read more about it here:
If you’re new to the NCAA Tournament world — the most pivotal seed lines are between #4 and #5. The top four seeds are guaranteed to host matches all the way through the Elite Eight, while everyone else has to be ready to travel.
While the path to the National Championship is still more important than the seed itself, it’s becoming clear that (barring some calamitous upsets) Nebraska, Pitt and Louisville will be the Top 3 in some order. That means, in all likelihood, unless Nebraska takes a loss that would drop them from #1 in the eyes of the committee, Pitt and Louisville would be on a collision course to play in the National Semifinal *in* Louisville’s KFC Yum! Center.
If I had my choice, I would like to avoid that Louisville match in favor of being lined up against Penn State, Creighton or *someone else* in the Semifinal.
Here is the road left for Nebraska in the regular season:
vs. #16 Minnesota
vs. Indiana
at Iowa
vs. #6 Wisconsin
at #4 Penn State
at Maryland
A Wisconsin team that’s gaining strength or a Penn State team backed by a sold-out Rec Hall on Black Friday would appear to provide the toughest tests.
What will happen in the Pitt-Louisville rematch?
I’ve already typed the word “Louisville” more than I would prefer to, but such is the rivalry. They’ll still play once more before the NCAA Tournament begins.
Round 1 of Pitt-Louisville was… let’s say… high energy. Big plays, big celebrations, big emotions drawing a not-oft-seen yellow card for each side. 11,309 fans filled up the Petersen Events Center, and the KFC Yum! Center could see an even higher total on Wednesday, Nov. 27.
While you would think that such a match would have major stakes, it might not. As I pointed out above, barring some major upsets or a Nebraska loss, the result could really just be shuffling who ends up #2 overall and who ends up #3 overall — not that significant.
So the Panthers and Cardinals could be meeting up solely to play for something that the biggest college sports rivalries were once all about: bragging rights.
Louisville fans groused that officiating cost them the match in Pittsburgh — then here’s your second chance! Pitt hasn’t beaten the Cards outside the friendly confines of Oakland since 2019 — here is the opportunity. Just win, baby.
Make sure you’re in front of the TV for that one the day before Thanksgiving, it’s going to be just as satisfying as the mashed potatoes and gravy.