Pitt volleyball awarded a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament

Pitt volleyball (25-4, 16-2 ACC) was awarded a No. 1 seed in the lower left region of the NCAA tournament. The ACC champions — along with Stanford, Wisconsin and Nebraska — can potentially host the first four rounds of the tournament. 

The Panthers take on the 2023 MEAC champions Coppin St (27-4, 13-1 MEAC) in round one on Friday. The winner of that matchup will advance to face the winner of Southern California against UMBC the next day.

The Panthers earned their ranking for their dominance throughout the regular season. The Panthers swept their opponents in 21 of their 25 victories. The Panthers rank No. 3 in hitting percentage and No. 2 in blocks per set. 

The Panthers are accompanied in their bracket by probably their biggest foe. Louisville (24-4, 15-3 ACC) earned a No. 2 seed in the lower left region, meaning if both the Panthers and Cardinals advance through the first three rounds, they will face each other in the Elite Eight.

The Panthers and Cardinals traded their two contests this season, with the Panthers winning at home and losing on the road. If the two teams face each other for a third time, the Panthers will have home field advantage. 

The Panthers are coming off two consecutive Final Four appearances. But unlike the past two years, the Panthers have the opportunity to host all of their opponents from the Fitzgerald Field House if they continue their dominance.