Pitt
#14 Oregon
No. 1 Panthers Set to Host Regional Semifinals and Finals This Weekend
12/10/2024 5:15:00 PM | Volleyball
PITTSBURGH – The No. 1 overall seed Pitt volleyball team (31-1, 19-1 ACC) is set to host the Regional Semifinals and Finals this weekend at the Petersen Events Center. The Panthers play No. 14 Oregon on Thursday afternoon at 3:30 p.m., and with a win will play the victor of the No. 11 Kentucky/No. 25 Missouri match for a spot in the NCAA Semifinals. All three matches are set to stream on ESPN 2.
Pitt leads Oregon in the overall series 3-1 and most recently defeated the Ducks in the season opener in August. Torrey Stafford had a match-high 13 kills and added five digs and an ace while hitting .300 in the sweep. The Ducks are 24-7 overall and compiled a 14-6 record in their first season in the Big Ten. Junior All-American outside hitter Mimi Colyer leads the Ducks offensively and earned AVCA National Freshman of the Year honors in 2022. Oregon advanced to the Regional Final last season, eventually losing to Wisconsin in four sets.
With a win, the Panthers will play either Kentucky or Missouri on Saturday evening. Pitt is 5-3 against Kentucky and went 2-0 against the Wildcats last season. Kentucky claimed the SEC regular season championship this year and is led by SEC Player of the Year Brooklyn DeLeye. The Wildcats are 22-7 overall and went 14-2 in conference play.
Missouri upset No. 2 seed SMU in the Round of 32 last weekend to advance to the Regional Semifinal for the first time since 2017. The Tigers notched a 22-8 overall and 11-5 SEC record. Missouri leads the series 2-1 against Pitt and most recently defeated the Panthers in 2016.
ALL-REGION NODS
• All seven starters were named to the AVCA East Coast Region Team for the second straight year.
• Olivia Babcock was dubbed the AVCA East Coast Region Player of the Year for the first time in her career. Rachel Fairbanks earned the award last season.
• Dan Fisher was named the AVCA East Coast Region Coach of the Year for the third time in his career after leading Pitt to a 31-1 overall and 19-1 ACC record.
OUTRIGHT ACC CHAMPS!
• The Pitt Panthers are the 2024 outright ACC Champions for the third time in program history and sixth overall.
• This is the third consecutive ACC Championship for Pitt.
• The win over No. 3 Louisville secured a share of the title, and the victory over No. 19 Georgia Tech allowed Pitt the outright championship.
OUR COACH
• Head coach Dan Fisher was named the 2024 ACC Coach of the Year after leading Pitt to a 31-1 overall record and 19-1 ACC record.
• This marks Fisher's third ACC Coach of the Year accolade and first since 2018.
BALLER BABCOCK
• Olivia Babcock earned the ACC Player of the Year award for the first time in her career.
• The sophomore sensation leads the conference in points per set (5.84), kills per set (4.52) and aces per set (0.69).
• Babcock is the second player to earn the honor in program history as Pitt great Kayla Lund did so in 2019 and 2020.
NUMBER ONE
• For the first time in program history, Pitt is the number one overall seed in the NCAA Tournament.
• The Panthers have less losses than any other team in the country and are currently number one in RPI.
AWARDS ON AWARDS
• In addition to ACC Coach of the Year and ACC Player of the Year, all seven of Pitt's starters were named all-conference.
• Olivia Babcock, Rachel Fairbanks, Torrey Stafford and Bre Kelley saw their names on the First Team, and Valeria Vazquez Gomez and Emmy Klika earned Second Team honors.
• Ryla Jones was named to the ACC All-Freshman Team for her impact in her rookie campaign.
STAT STUFFING STAFFORD
• For the first time this season, Torrey Stafford was named the ACC Offensive Player of the Week after wins over No. 3 Louisville and No. 19 Georgia Tech.
• She averaged 3.67 kills per set and 2.33 digs per set in the wins over No. 3 Louisville and No. 19 Georgia Tech., hitting .397.
• Stafford recorded 17 kills and 13 digs for a double-double against Louisville, hitting .405 and 16 kills, eight digs and an assist in the win over Georgia Tech to clinch the outright championship.
REGIONAL SEMIS, AGAIN!
• Pitt advanced to the Regional Semifinals for the fifth straight season after earning sweeps of Morehead State and Oklahoma.
• Rachel Fairbanks quarterbacked the offense and averaged 11.50 assists per set, 2.00 digs per set and 0.83 aces per set.
• This marks the second time in the past three seasons Pitt has completed the first weekend of play without dropping a set.
PITT PREVAILS
• The Panthers upended No. 19 Georgia Tech in five sets to finish the ACC slate.
• Bre Kelley notched a career-high 15 kills and Olivia Babcock recorded her second career triple-double with 18 kills, 12 digs and a career-high 10 blocks.
• Rachel Fairbanks captained the Pitt offense, recording 46 assists and 10 digs for a double-double.
HOW THE CARDS FELL
• Pitt defeated Louisville for the fourth straight time to secure a share of the ACC Championship in the KFC Yum! Center.
• Olivia Babcock and Torrey Stafford combined for 40 kills, and Rachel Fairbanks registered a match-high 47 assists and nine digs.
• Bre Kelley had a night on the defensive end, notching a match-high seven blocks.
OMAHA BOUND!
• Graduate outside hitter Valeria Vazquez Gomez heard her name in the PVF draft, selected by the Omaha Supernovas with the sixth pick in the fourth round.
• She joins Pitt volleyball alumni Courtney Buzzerio, Kayla Lund, Leketor Member-Meneh, Chiamaka Nwokolo and Layne Van Buskirk in the league.
BIG TIME BABCOCK
• Olivia Babcock earned her second AVCA National Player of the Week award of the season after her impressive performances against No. 22 Florida State and Miami.
• This was the third time of her career Babcock has been honored.
• She is the only player in program history to have more than one national weekly award to her name as Kayla Lund is the only other Panther to add the accolade to her resume.
ACC NODS
• Rachel Fairbanks and Olivia Babcock were named ACC Setter and Offensive Player of the Week, respectively, after two sweeps against No. 22 Florida State and Miami.
• Fairbanks averaged 12.00 assists per set and 2.17 digs per set.
• She set Pitt to a .438 team hitting percentage for both matches.
• Babcock averaged 8.08 points per set, 6.50 kills per set, hitting .525, 1.17 blocks per set, 1.17 digs per set and 1.00 ace per set.
BABCOCK MAKES HISTORY
• Olivia Babcock is the all-time program leader for most aces in a single season with 70.
• She reached the feat against Morehead State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
• Previously she passed the single season record in the 25-point scoring era with her third ace of the night against Miami (11/17) and ended with five for the match.
• Babcock passed Lindsey Zitzke who recorded 53 aces in the 2011 season.
TERRIFIC TRIO
• Rachel Fairbanks, Olivia Babcock and Torrey Stafford have been named semifinalists for the 2024 AVCA Division I Player of the Year award.
• Pitt's three nominees lead the country, and Nebraska is the only other team to have more than one (2).
• All three were named AVCA All-Americans last season and are on track to earn the award once again.
WELL-OILED MACHINE
• Pitt ranks among the top 15 in the country for hitting percentage (1st - .336), opponent hitting percentage (1st - .123), blocks per set (4th - 2.93), aces per set (8th - 2.01), assists per set (13th -13.16) and kills per set (15th - 14.04).
FAIRBANKS RUNS THE SHOW
• The reigning ACC Setter of the Year and AVCA East Coast Region Player of the Year, Rachel Fairbanks, is putting up solid performances in her fourth and final season in Pittsburgh.
• The senior is 25th in the nation in assists per set (10.56) and has recorded double digit digs in seven matches.
SENSATIONAL STAFFORD
• Torrey Stafford is hitting .369 for the season, good for 49th in the nation and first amongst all Division I outside hitters.
• No other Power Four outside hitter ranks in the top 150 in hitting percentage.
KELLEY HEATING UP
• Middle blocker Bre Kelley has recorded at least five blocks in 15 matches this season.
• Her ACC Defensive Player of the Week award (10/21) was the first of her career.
• Bre's .800 hitting percentage against NC State is a career high (eight kills on 10 attempts).
• Her ten blocks against No. 4 Louisville (10/25) tied a career high and are a season high.
DYNAMIC DUO
• Torrey Stafford and Olivia Babcock have impressed in their sophomore campaigns after earning All-American status as rookies.
• Babcock ranks among the top 25 in the nation in aces per set (2nd - 0.69), points per set (4th – 5.84) and kills per set (16th – 4.52) while Stafford ranks 49th in hitting percentage (0.369), 83rd in kills per set (3.77) and 86th in points per set (4.32).
• Babcock or Stafford have either led or tied for the team high in kills in each match this season.
VOLLEYBALL TAHN
• Nine Pitt volleyball matches have sold out this season (Penn State, Cal, Stanford, Notre Dame, North Carolina, Duke, Florida State, Miami and Georgia Tech).
• Eight of those nine took place in the Fitzgerald Field House while the victory over the Nittany Lions was in the Petersen Events Center in front of a record-breaking 11,800 people.
FISHER IN HIS 12TH SEASON
• Head coach Dan Fisher is in his 12th season at the helm of the Pitt volleyball team.
• He is building upon his unprecedented success, earned his sixth ACC Championship and is seeking his first National Championship.
• Fisher currently holds a 318-68 overall record, good for a .824 winning percentage.
