A look at the teams vying for the title

Nebraska leads slate of heavyweights as clashes start Thursday in Tampa

Regardless of the matchups, the NCAA women’s volleyball Final Four looks full of heavyweight matchups. Nebraska, the top-ranked team in the final season poll conducted by the America Volleyball Coaches Association, joins No. 3 Wisconsin and No. 4 Pittsburgh as the top seeds to advance to this week’s tournament in Tampa, Fla., which begins Thursday.

And No. 7 Texas, the only team not seeded atop a region, returns to the Final Four as the defending national champion fresh off an impressive 3-1 win over No. 2 Stanford.

Nebraska and Pittsburgh meet in the first semifinal on Thursday followed by the match between Texas and Wisconsin. The winners will meet Sunday for the national title.

Let’s take a look at all four teams in the Final Four:

Nebraska (32-1)

Key players: All-American libero Lexi Rodriguez anchors the back row and already has more than 1,400 digs in her decorated three-year career, and 6foot-4 outside hitter Merritt Beason has reached double digits in kills in 27 matches since transferring in from Florida in the offseason.

Why Nebraska could win it all: The Huskers have tradition on their side with 17 Final Fours and five national titles as well as one of the top recruiting classes in college volleyball history that features four freshmen starters.

Nebraska’s biggest concern: The Huskers don’t have a single senior on their team, and their lone loss in 2023 came in resounding fashion late in the season against fellow Final Four qualifier Wisconsin.

Wisconsin (30-3)

Key players: Two of Wisconsin’s losses came with 6-foot-9 outside hitter Anna Smrek sidelined by an injury, but the Badgers have won seven in a row since her return, and 6-4 outside hitter Sarah Franklin earned player of the year honors in the Big Ten after averaging 4.19 kills a set.

Why Wisconsin could win it all: The most intimidating rotation in the nation features six players at least 6-feet-3 and three players with at least 100 total blocks, and the Badgers only lost one match — a five-set thriller on the road against Big Ten rival Nebraska — with a healthy lineup.

Wisconsin’s biggest concern: The Badgers’ massive block can mask some defensive concerns on the back row.

DYLAN WIDGER/USA TODAY SPORTS Veteran Nebraska libero Lexi Rodriguez (8) leads the Cornhuskers into this year’s NCAA volleyball Final Four. The All-American has accumulated more than 1,400 career assists in three years.