The 2025 NCAA volleyball championship has narrowed to the final 16 squads. Yet numerous vital inquiries linger as the tournament progresses toward the final four in Kansas City. Will Nebraska, the No. 1 seed, go unbeaten and secure the program’s sixth national title? Can Pitt achieve its fifth consecutive final four appearance? Will SEC champion Kentucky make a return to the final four for the first time since claiming its first national title in 2020? Is the young Texas squad poised to exceed expectations?
Here are 10 (well, 11) athletes who will significantly influence the answers to these questions and others.
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Brookeva DeHudson, Kentucky: Avoid searching for her online. Choosing one standout Kentucky outside hitter over another is nearly impossible. Brooklyn DeLeye and Eva Hudson are each that exceptional, prompting us to combine them into a single mention. DeLeye earned the SEC Player of the Year accolade in 2024. Hudson, in her inaugural season with the Wildcats after transferring from Purdue, has been named SEC Player of the Year in 2025. The 6-foot-2 DeLeye has amassed 495 kills this season, averaging 4.7 per set. Meanwhile, the 6-foot-1 Hudson boasts 482 kills with an average of 4.6 per set. Can you slow down one? Perhaps. Can you stop both? Nearly unfeasible. Together, they form the deadliest duo of pin hitters in the tournament, propelling Kentucky toward a shot at its second national championship.
Chloe Chicoine, Louisville: Now we encounter the rarest of phenomena in the latter stages of the NCAA tournament: a 5-foot-10 outside hitter. Chicoine, a transfer-portal newcomer to the defending national runners-up, infuses her impressive vertical leap and tenacious gameplay from Purdue into Louisville’s roster. She enters the regional semifinals on fire, having delivered a season-high 28 kills in a five-set victory over Marquette in the second round. Chicoine leads the well-rounded Cardinals with 387 kills and ranks second in digs with 332.
Mimi Colyer, Wisconsin: Two words: Immediate. Scoring. The 6-foot-3 senior outside hitter and Oregon transfer was a unanimous all-Big Ten selection in her debut season with the Badgers. How could she not be? Colyer averages 5.32 kills per set, the highest among remaining tournament players, with a hitting percentage of .340. She also gathered 220 digs and 67 blocks during her downtime. With the exceptional setter Charlie Fuerbringer back in action, the Badgers present an offense capable of troubling any opponent.
Averi Carlson, SMU: The 5-foot-11 setter has played for two seasons at Baylor, then at Texas, and led the U.S. U23 national team to gold at the Pan American Cup. Now, she directs a potent Mustangs offense. The ACC Setter of the Year oversees an offense hitting .316, tied for third in the nation (with Texas). She has forged a rapid and effective partnership with fellow transfer Malaya Jones (503 kills) from Colorado State. Carlson also contributes significantly to defense, with 85 blocks this season.
Noemie Glover, Arizona State: After transferring from Oregon at the beginning of the season, the Sun Devils’ opposite hitter has only had one match without double-digit kills — and even in that game, she achieved a hitting percentage of .444. The 6-foot-2 Glover has collected 406 kills, 108 blocks, and 80 digs. Interesting note: Her father, La’Roi Glover, enjoyed a 13-season NFL career and was a six-time Pro Bowler.
Elia Rubin, Stanford: This senior and four-year starter has become a cornerstone of Stanford volleyball throughout her collegiate career. She brings an array of awards — AVCA All-America, All-ACC, All-Pac 12 — and 1,607 career kills into the regional semifinals. This season, she leads the second-seeded Cardinal with 378 kills and 45 aces and ranks second in digs with 296. The only major achievement missing from Rubin’s Stanford tenure is an appearance in the final four.
Logan Lednicky, Texas A&M: The 6-foot-3 senior opposite hitter exemplifies consistency. She has been a powerhouse for the Aggies for four consecutive seasons, and she’s set to conclude her collegiate career with an impressive NCAA tournament run. Through her initial two tournament matches, she has logged 39 kills at a .429 efficiency and averages 6.21 points per set. The AVCA Player of the Year semifinalist also plays impressive defense, having recorded 83 blocks and 275 digs this season, ranking second among the Aggies.
