Man, what a year. If you were looking for a predictable season in the world of nets and knee pads, 2024 was basically the opposite of that. It felt like every time we settled into a rhythm with the polls, someone went and upended the entire Apple cart. By the time the dust settled in Louisville this past December, the college volleyball rankings 2024 didn't just look different; they looked like a total changing of the guard.
You've probably heard the big headline: Penn State is back on top. But it’s the way they got there that matters. For a decade, the Nittany Lions were the "almost" team, always lingering in the top ten but never quite grabbing the trophy. Then 2024 hits, and Katie Schumacher-Cawley—who, by the way, was fighting stage 2 breast cancer during the season—leads them to their eighth national title. Honestly, it’s the kind of stuff they make movies about.
The Final Top 10 Shakedown
When the AVCA released the final 2024 poll on December 22, the room got real quiet for fans of some traditional powerhouses. Texas, who started the year at No. 1 and were the back-to-back defending champs, ended up sliding down to No. 6. That’s a long way to fall for a team that looked invincible in August.
Basically, the final rankings looked like this:
- Penn State (The undisputed champs, 35-2)
- Louisville (Heartbreak at home, but a massive 30-6 season)
- Pittsburgh (The No. 1 overall seed that just couldn't solve the Louisville puzzle in the semis)
- Nebraska (Finished 33-3, but that Final Four loss to Penn State stung)
- Stanford (The ACC transition was smooth, but they hit a wall in the regional finals)
- Texas (A "down" year that most teams would kill for)
- Creighton (Best finish in school history at No. 6 before dropping a spot in the final shuffle)
- Wisconsin (Tough year, but still managed to stay in the elite conversation)
- Kentucky (Swept the SEC and proved they belong in the top tier)
- Purdue (Rounding out a Big Ten-heavy top ten)
Why Texas Falling to No. 6 Matters
Most people assumed Texas would just steamroll through their first year in the SEC. It didn't happen. They went 20-7 overall. That’s not a typo. For a program that usually treats losses like a rare lunar eclipse, seven losses felt like a collapse. They dropped matches to teams like Miami and SMU early on, and while they found their footing later, they never regained that "No. 1" aura.
📖 Related: NFL Football Teams in Order: Why Most Fans Get the Hierarchy Wrong
The SEC was tougher than people gave it credit for. Kentucky, led by Madison Lilley’s coaching influence and a roster of athletes that refuse to quit, actually took the conference crown. If you're looking at college volleyball rankings 2024 and wondering why the Longhorns aren't at the top, it’s because the transition to a new conference is never as easy as it looks on paper.
The ACC Revolution (Yes, Really)
If you told someone five years ago that the ACC would have two teams in the Final Four and the No. 1 overall seed, they’d have laughed. But here we are. Pitt and Louisville have turned the ACC into a volleyball meat grinder.
Pitt, coached by Dan Fisher, was arguably the most consistent team all year. They finished 33-2. Their only regular-season slip-up was against SMU—who, let’s be real, was the ultimate giant-killer this year. But when it came to the big stage, Louisville had their number. It’s kinda wild how one team can just have a psychological edge over another, despite what the "official" rankings say.
The SMU Factor: The Rankings' Greatest Disruptor
We have to talk about SMU. They weren't in the top 10 at the end, but they were the reason the college volleyball rankings 2024 were so chaotic. They beat Pitt. They beat Nebraska. They were the team nobody wanted to see on their schedule. They finished at No. 11, but for a good chunk of October, they were playing like a top-three team.
👉 See also: Why Your 1 Arm Pull Up Progression Isn't Working (And How to Fix It)
The rankings often reward "brand names," but SMU proved that the gap between the blue bloods and the rising programs is shrinking. Fast.
The "Big Ten" Dominance Is Still a Thing
Even with the ACC rising, the Big Ten is still the neighborhood bully. Five of the final top ten teams were from the Big Ten.
- Nebraska was a juggernaut until the very end.
- Wisconsin struggled with some identity issues but still made a deep run.
- Penn State obviously took the crown.
The addition of Oregon and Washington to the conference only made it harder. Oregon finished the year strong, sitting inside the top 15, and they’re going to be a problem for everyone in 2025.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Polls
Here’s the thing about the college volleyball rankings 2024: they’re a snapshot of momentum, not just talent. Take a team like Creighton. They finished No. 6 in the final regular-season poll (ended No. 7 after the tourney). They were 32-3. If they played in a "bigger" conference, people would have been screaming for them to be No. 1.
✨ Don't miss: El Salvador partido de hoy: Why La Selecta is at a Critical Turning Point
The polls tend to be a bit "sticky." Once a team like Nebraska or Stanford is in the top three, they have to lose twice for the voters to actually move them. This year, that stickiness actually hurt some of the mid-major teams that were playing lights-out volleyball but couldn't crack the top five because the "big names" were hogging the spots.
Player Impact on the Standings
You can't talk about these rankings without mentioning Jess Mruzik. She was the Most Outstanding Player for a reason. Carrying Penn State through a five-set semifinal against Nebraska and then a four-set battle against Louisville? That's legendary.
On the flip side, Nebraska’s Lexi Rodriguez was a human vacuum in the backcourt. Even though Nebraska finished No. 4, many coaches argued they were the most complete team. It just goes to show that the rankings don't always reflect who the "best" team is—they reflect who won the last point.
Actionable Insights for the 2025 Season
If you're following the rankings into the next season, here’s how to actually use this data:
- Watch the Transfer Portal: Penn State won because they nailed the portal (getting Maggie Mendelson and Caroline Jurevicius from Nebraska, ironically). Rankings in August mean nothing until you see who moved where in January.
- Don't ignore the ACC: The Pitt/Louisville rivalry is the best thing in the sport right now. Any time they play, it’s a preview of the Final Four.
- Value "RPI" over "Coaches Poll": If you're betting or just want to be the smartest person in the room, look at the RPI (Ratings Percentage Index). It’s math-based and usually predicts tournament success better than the human-voted AVCA poll.
- Keep an eye on the "New" SEC: Texas will likely bounce back, but with Kentucky and Florida solidified, the SEC is no longer a one-team show.
The 2024 season was a reminder that in college volleyball, the name on the front of the jersey doesn't guarantee a spot at the top. It was a year of resilience, upsets, and a historic coaching milestone. Whether you’re a die-hard fan or just checking in for the tournament, the 2024 rankings told a story of a sport that is getting deeper, faster, and much more unpredictable.
Next Steps for Volleyball Fans:
Check the updated 2025 preseason eligibility lists for top seniors like Anna DeBeer and Elena Scott to see who is returning for a fifth year, as these "super seniors" are currently the biggest factor in shifting the early 2025 power rankings. You can also analyze the final 2024 RPI data to identify "underrated" teams like SMU and Creighton that are likely to start 2025 with a significantly higher seed than their historical average.