"We believe in it. We believe in each other and where we’re going for everything we have."
T-MOBILE CENTER - After defeating No. 1 Pittsburgh in the Final Four, No. 3 Texas A&M Volleyball has officially reached the Division 1 Women’s Volleyball Championship, as they’ll face their toughest opponent yet in the 1st seed Kentucky Wildcats on Dec. 21st.
After upsetting the No. 2 seed Louisville Cardinals and No. 1 overall seed Nebraska Huskers, Texas A&M keeps their postseason hopes alive, reaching their first Final Four in program history. The Aggies swept No. 1 seed Pittsburgh on Thursday night and prepared themselves to play their first national championship.
Aggies Sending a Message
Led by dominant hitters like Logan Lednicky and Kyndal Stowers, the Aggies dominated the net and service line for an impressive 29-27, 25-21, 25-20 victory. It was the first time the Pittsburgh Panthers had been swept all season. Although Pittsburgh showed promise by defeating UMBC, Michigan, Minnesota, and Purdue in the opening rounds, they simply couldn’t overcome the battling Aggies and the grittiness of play.
The Panthers came out strong in the second set; leading the charge was Olivia Badcock, the reigning national player of the year, with 22 kills on the season and a hitting percentage of .463. Despite these challenges, the duo of Ifenna Cos-Okpalla and Morgan Perkins from Texas A&M showed immense talent, combining for 13 kills and 6 blocks for the Aggies and contributing directly to a 10-6 lead throughout the second set. Pitt came out of timeout and fired an 8-0 run that found A&M in a 15-11 deficit. After this, however, it was all Aggies. The dynamic and contributing A&M offense broke away, regaining momentum and their set to ultimately win. They sent a message with this game; don’t count them out because they haven’t had success in the past! The Aggies are looking to prove people wrong this season and already have in a huge way.
Texas A&M head coach Jamie Morrison, who was named the 2025 AVCA Coach of the Year, said his team showed, “a bunch of grit and a bunch of belief, and that’s in one another. That’s in our entire group. We believe in it. We believe in each other and where we’re going for everything we have.”
Panthers Defeated In 5th-Straight Season Final Four Loss
Despite the defeat, Pittsburgh remains confident in next season. Olivia Badcock pens a message for fans after the heartbreaking loss to Texas A&M, saying, “Thank you for all the support this year, Pitt fans. See you again next year.” This evaporated rumors of the transfer portal and her intent to return for her senior season, hoping to break Pitt’s five-year Final Four curse. “It always hurts the same.” She said in a statement.
Up-Next
Texas A&M has a chance of a lifetime to play No. 1 seed Kentucky in a star-studded National Championship Game in Kansas City, MO. The Aggies are looking towards earning their first national championship in program history.
Pittsburgh’s season is officially over; however, with the impending commitments of their players to remain with the team, they hope to achieve and get past their 5-year Final Four elimination streak.
Key Stat
The first time the Pittsburgh Panthers had been swept all season.
Final Score
Texas A&M 3, Pittsburgh 0
