The road to Kansas City has officially been set. On Sunday evening, the NCAA revealed the 64 teams headed to the 2025 Division I Women’s Volleyball Tournament, setting the stage for the next three weeks. Nebraska leads the pack with a perfect 30-0 record on the regular season, earning them the No. 1 overall seed. Nebraska has remained statistically unmatched as well, leading the nation with a .350 hitting percentage, a powerhouse offense run by none other than AVCA Player of the Year finalist Bergen Reilly.
Reilly’s calm leadership and precise setting has been instrumental to the Husker’s success this season. She attributes Nebraska’s strength not purely on skill, but the power of a passionate fanbase in an interview with ESPN; “Everyone knows there’s no place like playing in Nebraska.” Bergen Reilly embodies the Husker’s confidence with a steady approach, bringing discipline and determination to every match.
In addition to regular season success, Nebraska also captured the Big Ten title, and extended their reign of excellence to a 44th straight NCAA tournament appearance, the longest streak in NCAA history. Nebraska will host the first round of the tournament in their home arena, the Lincoln Center, for the 40th time this year in their matchup against Long Island University.
Coach Busboom Kelly, Nebraska’s first-year head coach, reflected on the journey to an undefeated season and the strength of Nebraska’s mindset, saying, “They’ve been really confident with their mindset, going into practice every day.” Kelly has another emotional tie to this year’s tournament, for her former team, the Louisville Cardinals, ended up in Nebraska’s bracket. “Of course, I still want them to be great. It’s a bit of a bummer having them in our bracket, because we both can’t be in Kansas City,” she said.
Kentucky, Pittsburgh, and Texas join Nebraska as the 2025 No. 1 seeds in the tournament. The programs are no strangers to national title opportunities, with each team having reached the Final Four in at least one of the past two seasons. Kentucky earned its spot after winning the SEC Tournament, beating Texas in a five-set nail biter. Texas, the SEC runner-up, has remained the NCAA’s most experienced postseason program, winning back-to-back titles in 2022 and 2023. Lastly, Pittsburgh, the ACC co-champion, reached its fourth straight No. 1 seed after reaching the Final Four in each of the past four seasons.
Overall, the tournament bracket includes 31 automatic qualifying teams rewarded to each conference champion, and 33 at-large selections. The Big Ten Conference, home to Nebraska and numerous other strong programs, earned nine bids in total, while the Big Twelve Conference received a staggering ten bids. Representing the Big Ten conference will be Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Penn State, Purdue, UCLA, USC, and Wisconsin.
Several Big Ten programs have held massive previous postseason stretches. Wisconsin earned an impressive No. 3 seed in its 29th NCAA appearance, hosting Eastern Illinois University in its home opener. Purdue secured its 11th straight bid and another No. 3 seed, and is opening on Thursday, December 4, against Wright State. Finally, Penn State, the defending national champions, have received a No. 8 seed after a disappointing regular season. However, the Nittany Lions continue their 45-tournament appearance streak this year.
Other national milestones include Indiana’s first postseason appearance in 15 years, along with Michigan’s first tournament bid since 2021. Both USC and UCLA return to the bracket under new coaching staffs, and each program will be hosting in the first round.
Tournament selection decisions were based heavily on the RPI scale submitted on November 30, 2025. The RPI is a national ranking system of each program, allowing for deep analysis on each program’s possible success. Nebraska, Texas, Kentucky, and Arizona State claimed the top four positions, but Pittsburgh found its way into the No. 1 seed after earning the ACC title. Finishing the top 10 rankings were Creighton, Stanford, SMU, Louisville, and Texas A&M.
This year’s national champion will be determined in Kansas City’s T-Mobile Center, home of the Big Twelve Men’s Basketball Championship. T-Mobile will be hosting the tournament for the third time, with the semifinals taking place on Thursday, December 18, with the championship match scheduled for Sunday, December 21.
In last year’s final, Penn State defeated Louisville in a gut-wrenching match to secure its eighth national title. Now, almost a year later, the bracket has been revealed, and showcases some of the best talent seen in years. With electric programs and serious contenders filling this year’s bracket, the matchups promise another thrilling postseason full of upsets and championship hunters.
