No. 3 Pitt to Compete in Program’s First NCAA Volleyball National Semifinal

PITTSBURGH – For the first time in program history, the No. 3 seed University of Pittsburgh volleyball team (30-3, 15-3 ACC) will compete for a spot in the NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball National Championship. The Panthers will face No. 10 seed Nebraska (25-7, 15-4 Big Ten) in the National Semifinals Thursday at 9:30 p.m. ET on ESPN at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio.

HOW TO FOLLOW

NCAA National Semifinal, Match 1 – (4) Wisconsin vs. (1) Louisville (Thursday, 7 p.m. ET, Nationwide Arena, Columbus, Ohio): Live Stats | ESPN
NCAA National Semifinal, Match 2 – (10 Nebraska vs. (3) Pitt (Thursday, 9:30 p.m. ET, Nationwide Arena, Columbus, Ohio): Live Stats | Watch | ESPN
NCAA National Championship – Winner, Match 1 vs. Winner, Match 2 (Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET, Nationwide Arena, Columbus, Ohio, ESPN2)
Fans can follow @Pitt_VB on Twitter and Instagram for live updates during all Pitt matches.

A WIN FOR PITT WOULD…

Advance the Panthers to the National Championship match for the first time in program history. Pitt holds a 14-16 all-time record when playing in the NCAA Volleyball Tournament.
Be Pitt's first win against Nebraska in program history. The Panthers enter Thursday's match at 0-13 all-time against the Cornhuskers. Pitt's 13 consecutive losses to Nebraska mark the Panthers' longest active loss streak against a single opponent. The Panthers' 13 consecutive losses marks the third-longest loss streak against a single opponent in program history (1980-pres.).
Be Pitt's first win against Nebraska when playing in the NCAA Tournament. The Panthers are 0-3 all-time against the Cornhuskers when meeting in the tournament. Pitt dropped matchups in 1984 (3-0), 1986 (3-1) and 1990 (3-0).

MAKING SCHOOL (AND CONFERENCE) HISTORY

The volleyball team is the third program in Pitt Athletics history to advance to an NCAA National Semifinal, following men's basketball in 1941 and men's soccer in 2020, making it the first women's team in department history to reach the milestone.
The 2021 season marks the first time that two teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) will compete in the NCAA Volleyball National Semifinals, with No. 3 seed Pitt and No. 1 seed Louisville each reaching the milestone for the first time. Louisville (32-0, 18-0 ACC) knocked out No. 8 seed Georgia Tech (26-6, 14-4 ACC), 3-1, in the Regional Finals Saturday evening to advance. Florida State is the only other ACC program to reach an NCAA Volleyball Semifinal, doing so in 2011.

LONGEST NCAA STREAK IN PROGRAM HISTORY

The 2021 season marks the sixth consecutive year that the Panthers have qualified for the NCAA Tournament, which is the longest streak of reaching the tournament in program history.
The Panthers have advanced to at least the NCAA Regional Final in each of the last two seasons (2020, 2021). Eight months separate Pitt's two Regional Final appearances (April 2021 - December 2021).
Pitt has advanced to at least the NCAA Second Round in each of the last six seasons.
The Panthers have competed in the NCAA Tournament 17 times: 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2004, 2003, 1994, 1993, 1992, 1991, 1990, 1987, 1986, 1984, 1982

HOW THEY GOT HERE

No. 3 seed Pitt and No. 10 seed Nebraska were named two of 64 teams that qualified to compete in the 2021 NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Championship. Thirty-two conferences were awarded an automatic qualification, while the remaining 32 positions were filled with at-large selections to complete the bracket.
The Panthers qualified for their sixth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance following an at-large bid as the No. 3 national seed, announced during the 2021 Selection Show Sunday, Nov. 28. Pitt was the only team in the Top 4 to receive an at-large bid instead of an automatic qualification. No. 1 Louisville earned the AQ from the ACC while No. 2 Texas qualified from the Big 12 and No. 4 Wisconsin qualified from the Big Ten. Pitt defeated UMBC (3-0, Dec. 3) and Penn State (3-1, Dec. 4) at Petersen Events Center, as well as Kansas (3-0, Dec. 9) and No. 6 seed Purdue (3-1, Dec. 11) at Fitzgerald Field House to advance to the National Semifinal.
Making their 40th consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance, Nebraska earned the No. 10 national seed as an at-large bid from the Big Ten. The Huskers took second place in the Big Ten Conference this season behind No. 4 seed Wisconsin. Nebraska carries a streak of nine straight NCAA Regional Final appearances and owns five national championships (1995, 2000, 2006, 2015 and 2017). It is the most recent Big Ten program to win a national championship (2017). NU also ranks second in NCAA history in postseason wins (118-34) and winning percentage (.776) over 39 previous tournament appearances. The Huskers defeated Campbell (3-0, Dec. 3), Florida State (3-0, Dec. 4), Illinois (3-0, Dec. 9) and No. 2 seed Texas (3-1, Dec. 11) to advance to the National Semifinals.

LAST TIME OUT

For the first time in program history, Pitt advanced to the National Semifinals of the NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball championship following a 3-1 win over No. 6 seed Purdue Saturday night in the Regional Final at Fitzgerald Field House.
Outside hitter Leketor Member-Meneh powered the Pitt offense with 21 kills on .383 hitting, tying the Pitt record for kills by a Panther in a single NCAA Tournament match during the 25-point rally scoring era (2008-present). She picked up nine digs for Pitt.
Middle blocker Serena Gray had 14 kills and zero errors on 24 swings for a hitting percentage of .583. It is third-best hitting clip (with a minimum of 12 kills) by a Panther in an NCAA Tournament match during the 25-point rally scoring era (2008-present). She had six blocks, including three solos.
Freshman setter Rachel Fairbanks was two digs away from a triple-double, providing a spark with career highs of 10 kills and 28 assists to go along with eight digs.

PROGRAM RECORDS IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT

So far in the 2021 NCAA Tournament, multiple Panthers have written their names at the top of program record lists for performances by Pitt in the NCAA Tournament during the 25-point rally scoring era (2008-pres.)
With 21 kills against Penn State (Dec. 4) outside hitter Kayla Lund not only tied her 2021 season-best mark but bettered her own program record for kills in a single NCAA Tournament match. The program's previous best performance was Lund's 20 kills against Cincinnati in the Second Round on Dec. 7, 2019. In the following match, the Regional Semifinal against Kansas (Dec. 9), Lund produced four service aces, which ties for the most by a Panther in a single NCAA Tournament match. Kamalani Akeo (2015-18) had four aces against VCU in the 2017 First Round on Dec. 1, 2017.
Outside hitter Leketor Member-Meneh tied Lund's record with 21 kills against Purdue in the Regional Final match. Subsequently she was named Most Valuable Player at the Pittsburgh Regional as voted on by the media.
Middle blocker Serena Gray totaled three solo blocks against Purdue, which are the most by a Panther in a single NCAA Tournament match.

RECORD WATCH

A quartet of Panthers are rising in the Pitt volleyball career record rankings, following Pitt's most recent match against Purdue (Dec. 11).
With four service aces against Kansas (Dec. 9), two-time ACC Volleyball Player of the Year Kayla Lund moved into sole possession of second place in the Pitt record book with 155 for her career. She has also settled into the program's Top 10 for career kills (1,667, fourth), attacks (3,993, fifth) and digs (eighth, 1,280).
All-American right side Chinaza Ndee ranks second in program history with 468 block assists. She needs 42 more to take sole possession of first place in the record book. Ndee ranks third all-time with 490 total blocks for her career. She is eighth in the record book for career kills with 1,386.
Senior middle blocker Sabrina Starks is seventh all-time for Pitt in career block assists (342) and total blocks (383).
Junior setter Lexis Akeo has broken into the program's all-time with 2,302 career assists, ranking ninth. She notched the 2,000th assist of her career during the Panther's win at Florida State (Oct. 17).

SCOUTING NEBRASKA

The No. 10 seed Huskers are coming off of a 3-1 upset of No. 2 Texas Saturday night on the Longhorns' home court in Austin, Texas.
Four Nebraska volleyball players were named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association All-North Region Team, the AVCA announced Tuesday, Dec. 7. Lexi Rodriguez highlighted the Husker haul as AVCA North Region Freshman of the Year, and she, Kayla Caffey, Nicklin Hames and Madi Kubik each earned AVCA North All-Region awards. Hames and Kubik were honored as all-region for the third straight year.
The Panthers and Huskers last met in 2015 in Lincoln, which resulted in a 3-1 win for Nebraska. Thursday will be the teams' fourth postseason meeting, with the Huskers winning the first three.

2021 NCAA DIVISION I WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

The 2021 Division I Women's Volleyball championship provides for a field of 64 teams to compete in a single elimination tournament. Of the 64 teams, 32 teams will receive automatic qualification while the remaining 32 teams are selected on an at-large basis by the Division I Women's Volleyball Committee.
First and Second round competition will be held at 16 non-predetermined campus sites. At each campus site, four teams will compete in single-elimination first round competition. The two advancing teams then compete against each other in single-elimination second round competition at the same campus site. The winning team from each of the 16 second rounds advances to the regional round.
Regionals for the NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Championship will be held at four non-predetermined campus sites. At each site, four teams compete in single-elimination regional semifinal competition. The two advancing teams then compete against each other in single-elimination regional final. The winning team from each of the four regions will advance to the DI Women's Volleyball Championship final site in Columbus, Ohio.
The 2021 NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Championship will be held at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. The National Semifinals will be held Thursday, December 16, at 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. ET on ESPN. The National Championship will take place Saturday, December 18, at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2.

UP NEXT

The winner of Thursday's match will advance to the National Championship at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, held Saturday, December 18, playing at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2.

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No. 3 Pitt to Compete in Program’s First NCAA Volleyball National Semifinal

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Lexis Akeo

Rachel Fairbanks

Serena Gray

Kayla Lund

Leketor Member-Meneh

Chinaza Ndee

Sabrina Starks

No. 3 Pitt to Compete in Program’s First NCAA Volleyball National Semifinal

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Lexis Akeo

Rachel Fairbanks

Serena Gray

Kayla Lund

Leketor Member-Meneh

Chinaza Ndee

Sabrina Starks

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