University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Olivia Babcock Named an AAU Sullivan Award Semifinalist
2/14/2025 12:40:00 PM | Volleyball
PITTSBURGH - Sophomore standout Olivia Babcock has been named a semifinalist for the prestigious AAU Sullivan Award, given to the most outstanding collegiate, Olympic or similar level athlete in the United States. It has been presented annually by the AAU since 1930 as a salute to founder and past president of the Amateur Athletic Union, and pioneer in amateur sports, James E. Sullivan.
Public voting determines the award finalists and will open Feb. 18 at 9 a.m. and will run until Feb. 25. The winner of the award will be determined through a second voting period with the finalists announced in mid-March. Among some of the renowned AAU Sullivan Award winners are Caitlin Clark, Michael Phelps, Peyton Manning, Carl Lewis and Simone Biles.
Babcock is named an AAU Sullivan Award semifinalist after recently winning the Honda Award for the sport of volleyball. She was the 2024 AVCA National Player of the Year, ACC Player of the Year, AVCA First Team All-America, First Team All-ACC, AVCA East Coast Region Player of the Year and East Coast Region Team member. She was named the Pittsburgh Regional Most Outstanding Player after recording 44 kills in the two wins over No. 14 Oregon and No. 11 Kentucky. Her 33 kills against Louisville in the National Semifinal is a career high and the most kills registered by a Panther since 2007.
She led the Pitt offense and averaged 5.94 points per set, 4.72 kills per set, 1.82 digs per set and 0.62 aces per set. Babcock won two AVCA National Player of the Week and three ACC Offensive Player of the Week awards this season.
Babcock's 71 aces in 2024 is a program record, passing Dee MacAulay who recorded 67 aces in 1989. She is fifth in program history for most kills in a single season with 538 and first in the rally scoring era.
