The No. 2-ranked University of Pittsburgh women’s volleyball team, currently 17-1 overall and 7-1 in Atlantic Coast Conference play, opens a two-match road trip against Georgia Tech on Friday at 7 p.m. before facing Clemson on Sunday at 1 p.m.
The Panthers enter the weekend holding the No. 1 spot in the official NCAA RPI rankings for the second consecutive week and ranking No. 2 in the NCAA selection committee’s mid-year top 16.
Georgia Tech enters Friday’s match at 13-5 overall and 5-2 in ACC play, holding an 8-0 record at home this season. Clemson enters the weekend at 8-12 overall and 2-6 in conference play, having won two consecutive matches with all eight of its victories coming at home. Pitt is tied with Nebraska for the most wins in NCAA Division I women’s volleyball since 2021, posting a 170-21 record (.890 winning percentage) over that span, including a 92-10 mark in ACC play.
Head Coach Dan Fisher leads the Panthers with an .852 career winning percentage, making him the winningest active coach by winning percentage in NCAA Division I among those with at least five years of experience. Fisher also ranks fourth among all Division I head coaches in NCAA history.
Junior setter Izzy Starck guides an offense that ranks second in the nation with a .326 attack percentage. Starck, a two-time ACC Setter of the Week this season and the 2024 AVCA Freshman of the Year at Penn State, is averaging 10.83 assists per set in her first season with the Panthers. Pitt has hit at least .300 in 12 of its 18 matches this year, including three matches at .400 or higher.
Opposite hitter Olivia Babcock leads the nation in kills per set and points per set despite ranking 35th in attacks per set. Babcock is hitting .367 on the season, an increase from .334 last year, .323 as a sophomore and .306 as a freshman.
On Sept. 26, Babcock and teammate Blaire Bayless announced during a timeout at Pitt football’s Homecoming game at Acrisure Stadium that both will return for a fifth season in 2027 under new NCAA rules.
Outside hitter Bayless was added to the National Player of the Year Watch List on Oct. 8 alongside Babcock and Starck. Bayless is averaging career highs across multiple statistical categories this season, including 3.27 kills per set, 1.64 digs per set, 0.63 blocks per set and 3.60 points per set. On defense, Pitt ranks third nationally and first in the ACC with 3.05 blocks per set.
Middle blocker Maaike Heilig ranks 11th in the country with 1.49 blocks per set, while Abbey Emch ranks 13th with 1.47 blocks per set. Freshman Trinity Thompson has transitioned to libero, averaging 2.95 digs per set over the team’s past seven matches, including a career-best 14 digs against Stanford.
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