With the bracket set for the 2024 NCAA girls’s volleyball championship, the sphere appears set to supply an exhilarating match this December.
Though nearly all of the main target will likely be on the highest seeded groups like Pitt, Nebraska, Penn State and Louisville and their potential path to the Last 4 or a nationwide title, there are a number of groups that would make some noise and go on an exhilarating match run with out the excessive rating — and possibly present some scares to the favorites.
Listed here are 4 darkish horses to look out for on this 12 months’s match.
Florida Gators
Mary Smart’s program has a historical past of profitable.
Since she took over the Gators in 1991, her groups have received 25 SEC common season titles and made the NCAA match yearly, together with reaching the championship sport in 2003 and 2017.
Though the Gators had a down 12 months by their lofty requirements, they’ve the kind of expertise that may make a noise within the match, beginning with Kennedy Martin. The 6-foot-6 sophomore exterior hitter/reverse has tallied 5.50 kills per set, the second finest mark within the NCAA. Whether or not she has been set by sophomore setter Alexis Stucky or freshman Taylor Parks, Martin has been in a position to take over matches for Florida this season.
Heading to the Lawrence regional, the Gators have the No. 7 seed of their facet of the bracket and so they’ll tackle NC State within the opening spherical. In the event that they win, they’ll tackle the Kansas Jayhawks, which might be an honest matchup for the Gators and provide an opportunity for one more deep run.
Hawaii Rainbow Warriors
Coming from a decrease ranked convention, it’s not typically that these sorts of groups can deal with the step up in competitors of the postseason. Not so for the Warriors.
Hawaii, who received their fifth-straight Massive West Championship this season, is a program that has made it to the NCAA match many instances and boasts some spectacular performances out-of-conference as nicely.
That features a 3-2 victory over No. 2 seeded SMU in August and taking a set off Texas and Baylor — two different match groups.
The ‘Bows are led by junior exterior hitter Caylen Alexander, who averaged 5.15 kills per set, the third finest mark within the nation. Senior setter Kate Lang has led the offense to be balanced exterior of Alexander, averaging 10.55 assists per set, whereas senior libero Tayli Ikenaga received the convention’s Libero of the 12 months honors to assist the Wahine get to its thirty first straight match look.
The ‘Bows will face a troublesome No. 5 seed TCU workforce, however with the workforce within the Eugene regional — a lot much less journey than it might have been — and its match pedigree, Hawaii might be a workforce that would pull off an upset.
Dayton Flyers
Though they’re coming off a shock defeat within the A-10 Championship, don’t rely the Dayton Flyers out.
Led by 5-foot-8 exterior hitter Lexie Almodovar, who has 4.91 kills per set — seventh most within the NCAA — and a .322 hitting proportion, the Flyers misplaced solely twice on the season. Regardless of lacking out on the convention title, Dayton earned a No. 5 seed within the dance and has the firepower to make a deep run.
Together with Almodovar, junior center blocker/reverse Liana Sarkissian and out of doors hitter Brooke Smith additionally posted over 2 kills per set and so they’re one of many high serving groups within the nation with 1.88 aces per set as a squad.
Sturdy serving is at all times necessary within the dance. Within the Waco regional, they’ll have a primary spherical date with the South Carolina Gamecocks earlier than a possible conflict in opposition to the No. 4 Baylor Bears.
USC Trojans
Of their first 12 months dealing with the gauntlet of a Massive Ten schedule, the Trojans have been in a position to make a press release with their blocking skill.
USC is the seventh finest blocking workforce within the NCAA with 2.86 blocks per set and the Trojans’ battle-tested season ought to assist them be prepared for the dance.
On offense, USC is led by former Nebraska Cornhusker Ally Batenhorst, who was named to the All-Massive Ten First Crew for her exploits. Batenhorst averaged 3.87 kills per set for the Trojans whereas including 2.11 digs per set and 0.78 blocks per set as she was part of all-six rotations.
The Trojans face a troublesome draw, heading to the Austin regional with the No. 3 seed Texas Longhorns who’re two-time defending nationwide champions. Nevertheless, USC’s block and the star energy of Batenhorst might assist the Girls of Troy make some noise deep within the postseason.
