As the NCAA women’s volleyball tournament bracket was revealed, five-time national champion Nebraska emerged as a top contender, securing the No. 1 seed. The Cornhuskers, led by head coach John Cook, enter the tournament with a remarkable 28-1 record, only recently experiencing their first season defeat against Wisconsin.

The state of Nebraska has strong representation in the tournament: Not only is Nebraska women’s volleyball team the No. 1 seed, but Creighton and Omaha will also be in the tournament.

“We got three schools now in the NCAA tournament now. I think it’s huge for the state of Nebraska, huge for those three programs … so congrats to those guys. Nebraskans have a lot to be proud of,” Cook said in a video shared on X, formerly Twitter, by Kevin Sjuts of 10/11 News. “We are the volleyball state … I’m very proud of volleyball in the state … There’s a bond here in the volleyball world and here we are in the middle of Nebraska doing some great things.”

The tournament, set to start on Thursday, will feature first and second rounds full of anticipation and high stakes. Joining Nebraska as No. 1 seeds are Stanford, Pitt and the reigning NCAA champions, Wisconsin, adding to the competitive intensity.

Apart from Nebraska, the tournament sees other noteworthy seeds. Kentucky, Louisville, Oregon and Texas are placed as No. 2 seeds, while Arkansas, Creighton, Purdue and Tennessee hold the No. 3 positions. The No. 4 seeds include BYU, Florida, Kansas, and Washington State, setting the stage for a fiercely competitive tournament.

NCAA tournament starts Thursday

The University of Nebraska women’s volleyball team, with cut-outs of players Lexi Rodriguez and Merritt Beason as the main focus

This 64-team tournament, seeding the top 32 teams nationally, will proceed to the regional semifinals and finals at various campus sites. The No. 1 seeds, if they advance, are set to host these regionals from Dec. 7-9. The final four will then move to Amalie Arena in Tampa, with the semifinals scheduled for Dec. 14 and the championship match, a first for ABC, airing on Dec. 17.

Nebraska has already marked its presence in volleyball history by drawing a record-breaking crowd of 92,003 at Memorial Stadium. The team they defeated, Omaha, has also made it to the NCAA field. It’s Omaha’s first Division I tournament appearance after a successful history in Division II.

The tournament also features newcomers like Coppin State, Wofford and Grand Canyon, adding fresh faces to the field. Notably, Penn State makes its 43rd appearance, maintaining a record of participating in every NCAA tournament.