Pitt
Pepperdine
No. 9 Panthers Play Pepperdine and Jacksonville in Home Opener This Weekend
9/4/2025 1:45:00 PM | Volleyball
PITTSBURGH – The No. 9 Panthers (2-2, 0-0 ACC) open the home campaign at the Fitzgerald Field House this weekend. Pitt plays Pepperdine (2-1, 0-0 WCC) on Friday night at 7 p.m. before taking on Jacksonville (2-1, 0-0 ASUN) on Sunday at 1 p.m. Both matches can be streamed on ACCNX.
The Panthers and Waves meet for the eighth time in program history with Pitt holding a narrow 4-3 lead. Most recently, the Panthers defeated Pepperdine in Malibu last September behind 14 kills, nine digs and three blocks from Olivia Babcock. Sunday marks the first time that Pitt and Jacksonville will meet. The Dolphins are led by Haley Yount who is currently second in the nation in hitting percentage (.680).
FAMILY REUNION!
• Jacksonville Head Coach Alicia Manguiat and Assistant Coach Peter Manguiat return to Pittsburgh after stints on the Pitt volleyball coaching staff.
• Peter was on the staff as a director of operations and assistant coach for two stints, and Alicia was an assistant coach for the 2023 season where the Panthers were Co-ACC Champions and advanced to its third National Semifinal.
PANTHERS PERFECT AT PPG
• The Panthers went 2-0 last weekend at the State Farm Showcase at PPG Paints Arena, defeating #25 TCU in four sets and #7 Arizona State in a clean sweep.
• Blaire Bayless recorded a personal best 14 kills against the Horned Frogs, hitting a blistering .448 hitting percentage.
• Bayless followed that up with a career-high five blocks against the Sun Devils.
• Brooke Mosher impressed in the Monday night win alongside Bayless, recording 21 assists, five digs, four blocks, four aces and three kills.
MILESTONE REACHED
• Senior middle blocker Bre Kelley reached 500 career kills against #7 Arizona State on Monday night.
• She also added a match-high seven blocks in the contest, holding the Sun Devils to a .051 hitting percentage.
1,000 KILL CLUB
• Olivia Babcock recorded her 1,000th career kill in the match against #16 Florida last Sunday.
• She reached the mark in only 238 sets played as she is currently averaging 4.18 kills per set for her career.
• Babcock is currently averaging 4.44 kills per set in the 2025 campaign.
ACC POTW NODS
• Olivia Babcock and Brooke Mosher earned ACC Offensive Player of the Week and ACC Setter of the Week, respectively, after last weekend's matches.
• Babcock recorded 46 kills, 18 digs, six blocks, six aces and a pair of assists in two matches.
• She totaled 21 kills and five digs against #1 Nebraska and recorded her first double-double of the season with 25 kills and 13 digs against No. 16 Florida.
• Mosher led the Pitt offense on opening weekend and totaled 80 assists, 16 digs, three blocks, three kills and two aces.
• She added 36 assists and four digs against the Cornhuskers and earned her first double-double as a Panther against the Gators with 44 assists and 12 digs.
LIV'S BUSY SUMMER!
• Olivia Babcock had a busy summer both on and off the court.
• She played with the USA Senior National Team in the VNL for two weeks before heading to New York City for the CWSA Honda Award Banquet (6/29-6/30) and Los Angeles for the ESPYS (7/16).
• Babcock is the first Panther to be named a Honda Award winner and the first Pitt female student-athlete to be nominated for an ESPY (best college athlete in women's sports).
PANTHERS TO WATCH
• Olivia Babcock and Bre Kelley were named to the 2025 AVCA Player of the Year Watch List.
• This marks Kelley's first time being named to the list.
• Babcock makes the list after being dubbed the 2024 AVCA National Player of the Year.
NPOTY RETURNS
• Olivia Babcock returns for her junior campaign.
• She had the best season in program history last year, being named the program's first AVCA National Player of the Year, ACC Player of the Year, AVCA East Coast Region Player of the Year, AVCA First Team All-American, First Team All-ACC, and Pittsburgh NCAA Regional Most Valuable Player.
• Babcock recorded 33 kills in the National Semifinal, a program record in the rally scoring era.
• The sophomore sensation led the conference in points per set (5.85), kills per set (4.59) and aces per set (0.65) last season.
BIG BLOCK BRE
• Redshirt senior Bre Kelley is back for her fifth year after earning AVCA Second Team All-America honors last season.
• Kelley finished eighth in the nation in blocks per set (1.49)
• She finished the season hitting .497, setting both a program and ACC record.
• Along with being named an All-American, Kelley earned First Team All-ACC and East Coast Region honors.
EMERY DUPES A PANTHER
• Graduate libero Emery Dupes transferred to Pitt after four seasons at Florida State.
• She became the first All-ACC freshman libero in program history for the Seminoles.
• Dupes redshirted the 2023 season after tearing her ACL in preseason.
• She came into the 2025 campaign with career totals of 872 digs, 212 assists and 59 aces.
FROM GREEN TO GOLD
• Sophia Gregoire transferred to Pitt after two seasons at Oregon.
• She redshirted her freshman season and saw action in her redshirt freshman campaign before sustaining an ankle injury.
• Gregoire had an accomplished high school career and was named to the U18 roster for the USA Volleyball National Team Development Program.
B1G TO ACC
• Redshirt senior setter Brooke Mosher came to Pittsburgh this May to prepare for her fifth and final season of college volleyball.
• She played four years at Illinois and came into the season with 2,075 assists, 727 digs, 403 kills and 114 aces in her career.
EARLY ENROLLEES
• Freshman middle blocker Abbey Emch graduated high school early to join the Panthers last spring.
• Emch was the District Player of the Year and MVAC Player of the Year, notched 1st Team All Ohio, 1st Team All District, 1st Team MVAC and AVCA girls high school All-Region honors.
• Freshman libero Izzy Masten graduated a whole year early and reclassified to be a part of the 2025 Pitt volleyball team.
• She played outside hitter and libero in club and high school and won the USAV 18U Beach National Championship.
INTERNATIONAL INFLUENCE
• The Panthers welcome two international outside hitters to the 2025 team.
• Dagmar Mourits hails from the Netherlands and won the CEV Volleyball European Championship from 2019-2022.
• Marina Pezelj is from Monaco and recently was a member of the French VNL Team this past summer.
FOUR FOR FOUR
• The Panthers advanced to their fourth straight National Semifinal in 2024.
• Pitt is the only team in the nation that advanced to the 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 National Semifinals.
• Recent Pitt volleyball alumni Emmy Klika and Rachel Fairbanks made every Final Four in their careers.
PRO PANTHERS
• Three Panthers from the 2024 team are currently playing professional volleyball in the United States.
• Rachel Fairbanks re-signed a contract with LOVB Atlanta after a great first season this past spring, ending in a semifinal appearance.
• Valeria Vazquez Gomez joined the Omaha Supernovas last season after a successful career as a Panther.
• Libero Emmy Klika recently re-signed with the Orlando Valkyries after joining late in the year and helping them win the organization's first PVF Championship.
• Klika was a two-time All-ACC and 2023 AVCA All-America Honorable Mention performer.
BABCOCK MAKES HISTORY
• Olivia Babcock is the all-time program leader for most aces in a single season with 71 in 2024.
• She reached the feat against Morehead State in the first round of the 2024 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.
STAT STUFFERS
• Pitt led the nation in hitting percentage (.332) last year for the first time in program history.
• The Panthers were third in opponent hitting percentage (0.135), eighth in blocks per set (2.81), tenth in assists per set (13.18) and twelfth in aces per set (1.92) and kills per set (14.08).
FISHER IN HIS 13TH SEASON
• Head coach Dan Fisher is heading into his 13th season at the helm of the Pitt volleyball team.
• He is building upon his unprecedented success, earning his sixth ACC Championship and is seeking his first National Championship.
• Fisher currently holds a 322-71 overall record at Pitt, good for a .819 winning percentage.
