The 2024 NCAA Volleyball season was one for the history books and elevated the anticipation for next season to unprecedented levels. Let’s take a look back at some of the most story-worthy moments of the 2024 season, with moments of athleticism, character, and grit, to remind us of all the excitement that could be in store as 2025 kicks off.

That Penn State Reverse Sweep

The Penn State Nittany Lions had an awesome regular season in 2024 NCAA volleyball. They went 29-2 in regular season play and won their 18th Big Ten title. And though they would ultimately go on to win the 2024 NCAA championship, their season almost came to a stunning halt in a semifinal match against Nebraska. The Cornhuskers took the first two matches until the Nittany Lions pulled off a legendary reverse sweep, ultimately winning 3-2 (23-25, 18-25, 25-23, 28-26, 15-13). The win was Penn State’s first reverse sweep since 2009, and it saved their season. The emotions from players like Jezz Mruzik, Caroline Jurevicius, and the legendary Izzy Starck could be felt through the television screen. Can Penn State pull off not just another NCAA championship, but one in a similar dramatic fashion?

SMU Cinderella Season

When Southern Methodist University entered the ACC in the 2024 season, they knew they had something to prove. And prove themselves they did. In their first season in the new conference after turbulent realignment, the Mustangs went deep, reaching the NCAAs for the second season in a row and the fourth season ever. They ultimately fell to Missouri in the second round of the NCAAs, but their run was historic, giving the team something to both be proud of and build off of. Head coach Sam Erger was named AVCA Southwest Region coach of the year for the first time in her career, and players Celia Cullen and Naya Shime were named to AVCA Southwest All-Region team, two of only 10 players in SMU history to receive those honors. The heartwarming storyline of the season belonged to the SMU Mustangs. Now with another stellar class of transfers, can they defy expectations and charm volleyball fans once again? Or will the Cinderella storyline belong to someone else?

Katie Schumacher-Cawley Battles Back

Katie Schumacher-Cawley’s story is a lot to grasp. A former Penn State volleyball player, she became the associate head coach of Penn State’s volleyball program in 2018 and rose to head coach in 2022. In October of 2024, midway through the Nittany Lions’ season, Schumacher-Cawley announced she was battling breast cancer. But she still didn’t miss a beat; two months later, she became the first female head coach to win an NCAA women’s volleyball championship. Schumacher-Cawley has since completed chemotherapy and recently received the Jimmy V. Award for Perseverance at the 2025 ESPYs.

“This past year has been one I could have never imagined,” Schumacher-Cawley told the ESPYS crowd, as reported by CNN. “It’s been filled with challenges, with grit, with tears, but also with perspective, purpose and unbelievable love … It didn’t take my belief. It didn’t take my spirit, and it didn’t take my team.

Anna DeBeer Leading from the Sidelines

In a cruel twist of fate, one of Louisville Volleyball’s greatest-ever Ann DeBeer, was unable to play in her last game because of an ankle injury she sustained in a game prior. That last game? Oh, it was only the NCAA Championships (in which her team ultimately fell to Penn State). But what could've been a heartbreaking end to her career instead turned into an opportunity for DeBeer to rise to the occasion. She was a force from the sidelines for the entire game, motivating her teammates, being a vocal leader, and hyping everyone up. She showed that even when she couldn’t be on the court, she could remain a significant and irreplaceable team player. Now that’s character. Louisville lost head coach Dani Busboom-Kelly to Nebraska. Can Dan Meske lead them to their first national championship win?

The Generational Talent of Lexi Rodriguez

It’s hard to even know where to begin when talking about Lexi Rodriguez. Every step of her journey with Nebraska has been record-setting, starting with her freshman year. In her final game with Nebraska, when the Cornhuskers were reverse-swept by Penn State in the NCAA semifinals, Rodriguez set the program record for career digs, with 1,897.

And since her spectacular season ended, the awards haven’t stopped flooding in. In April, Rodrigue won the James E. Sullivan Award for best college or Olympic athlete of the year. She was the first Husker volleyball player to win the award, the second Husker athlete ever to win, and the third volleyball player ever to win the award. Don’t worry, Nebraska fans, the team is looking poised to make another run for the championship.