The NCAA women’s volleyball Final Four is packed with traditional powerhouses this year, and the Pitt Panthers — in their third straight trip to the national semifinals — can now say they’re one of them.
The three other teams — Nebraska, Texas and Wisconsin — also can boast of at least three straight trips to the national semis in their respective school histories.
But there’s one door the Panthers are trying to break down: The one that leads to the national title match.
Their path won’t be any easier this year as Pitt (29-4) prepares to face the Huskers of Nebraska (32-1), the tournament’s top-ranked team, in Tampa at 7 p.m. Thursday on ESPN. The national title match will take place on Sunday afternoon.
“In my freshman year, the first Final Four, it was like, ‘Wow, we made it,’” said junior Rachel Fairbanks of Tustin, California. “But this year, it’s ‘We deserve to be here. We’re not done yet.’”
After making the trip to Omaha last year and Columbus, Ohio, the year before, Panthers coach Dan Fisher is discovering that no national semifinal is routine.
“Each year, each city seems to throw more things at us,” he said. “Every year, it feels like it’s becoming a bigger deal.”
The Huskers, in late August, demonstrated that with a crowd of more than 92,000 fans for an outdoor match in their football stadium.
Not to the proportion of Nebraska’s following, which will be evident for the Panthers' semifinal match, but the Panthers feel the increasing fan support, as their success spurs more supporters to climb on board their bandwagon.
“It’s been a historical time all these years,” said Chiamaka Nwokolo, a senior middle blocker from Columbus, Ohio.
To reach the national semis, the Panthers — as one of four No. 1 seeds to host a regional final — defeated ACC rival Louisville, 3-2, at Fitzgerald Field House in Oakland.
“The growth of our fan base in Pittsburgh has been phenomenal this year,” said Fisher.
With a roster of players from outside Pennsylvania, the team has learned to embrace what Pittsburgh offers as a city.
“You can be in a different neighborhood in 10 minutes,” said Nwokolo. “I just love the different neighborhoods that Pittsburgh has.”
What Pitt the volleyball team has is one of the top defenses in the country. In its match against Nebraska, the Panthers are facing the nation’s other top defensive team.
Nwokolo has 105 blocks this season — one of three Panthers with more than 100. Emma Monks, a senior from Louisville, Kentucky, leads with 165, followed by freshman Olivia Babcock of Los Angeles with 117.
The most significant number though is three — and whether or not the third time will be a charm for the Panthers.
