Penn State vs. Nebraska Volleyball: Time, TV Channel, 2024 NCAA Semifinals Preview

Penn State vs. Nebraska Volleyball: Time, TV Channel, 2024 NCAA Semifinals Preview

2:01 p.m., December 16, 2024

Penn State vs. Nebraska

Penn State and Nebraska will meet tonight for a spot in the 2024 NCAA DI Women’s Volleyball national title game, where they will face the winner of the Pittsburgh-Louisville semifinals. The championship game is scheduled for Sunday, December 22nd in Louisville, KY.

This year marks the first time since 2008 that the top four overall seeds have reached the semifinals of the tournament, setting the stage for a historic showdown.

Here’s all the information you need to watch Penn State vs. Nebraska in the semifinals of the DI Women’s Volleyball Tournament:

  • 🗓️ Date: Thursday, December 19th
  • ⏰ Time: 30 minutes after the Pitt vs. Louisville semifinal game at 6:30 p.m
  • 📺 Television: ESPN | Electricity
  • 📍Location: KFC Yummy! Center | Louisville, Ky
  • 📊 Follow: Live results and statistics

We will be live blogging the game here on NCAA.com.

2:33 p.m., December 16, 2024

Here are the paths Penn State and Nebraska took in the DI women’s volleyball tournament to reach the semifinals:

Penn State Round Nebraska
Def Deleware State, 3-0 First Def Florida A&M, 3-0
Def. No. 8 North Carolina, 3-1 Second Def. No. 8 Miami, 3-0
Def. No. 5 Marquette, 3-1 Regionals Def. 5 Dayton, 3-1
Def. No. 2 Creighton, 3-2 Regional final Def. No. 2 Wisconsin, 3-0

2:46 p.m., December 16, 2024

Let’s take a look at the comparison of each team’s overall season stats:

category Penn State Nebraska
Recording (conference) 33-2 (19-1) 33-2 (19-1)
Team hits % .285 .285
Enemy hits % .176 .139
Assists per set 13,516 13,111
Service aces/mistakes 189/297 149/186
Excavations per set 14,683 15,248
Blocks per set 2,488 2,791
Top individual kills Jess Mruzik (510) Harper Murray (391)
Top individual assists Izzy Starck (1372) Bergen Reilly (1297)
Top individual blocks Maggie Mendelson (140) Rebekah Allick (146)

4:25 p.m., December 16, 2024

Earlier this season (November 29), then-No. 4 Penn State was upset by then-No. 2 Nebraska, ending the Cornhuskers’ impressive 25-game winning streak with a 3-1 victory (21-25, 25-14 , 22-25, 23-25).

Here are the teams’ stats against each other this season:

Penn State had 20 blocks and held Nebraska to .154 hitting. The Nittany Lions also had 11 more kills, 57-46.

PENN STATE
category management
Kills Caroline Jurevicius (18), Camryn Hannah (12), Jess Mruzik (10)
Aces Ava Falduto (1), Gillian Grimes (1), Jess Mruzik (1)
Blocks Izzy Starck (6), Maggie Mendelson (6), Taylor Trammell (4)
Supports Izzy Starck (46), Jess Mruzik (5), Gillian Grimes (4)
Excavations Gillian Grimes (12), Izzy Starck (11), Ava Falduto (10), Jess Mruzik (10)

Nebraska had 16 blocks and held Penn State to .152 hitting.

NEBRASKA
category management
Kills Harper Murray (13), Andi Jackson (10), Rebekah Allick (8)
Aces HarperMurray (1)
Blocks Andi Jackson (8), Rebekah Allick (7), Merritt Beason (5)
Supports Bergen Reilly (38), Lexi Rodriguez (3), Harper Murray (1), Andi Jackson (1), Rebekah Allick (1)
Excavations Lexi Rodriguez (16), Harper Murray (13), Laney Choboy (9)

4:30 p.m., December 16, 2024

Penn State and Nebraska will face off in the semifinals after defeating tough opponents. The Nittany Lions secured their spot with a thrilling five-set win over Creighton, taking the final set 15-7. Meanwhile, Nebraska edged past Wisconsin with a decisive win to secure its ticket to this stage.

These Big Ten rivals have a storied history and have combined for nine national runner-up championships.

🦁 Penn State

  • Semifinal comeback: The Nittany Lions return to the semifinals for the first time in seven years, having last reached this stage in 2017 when they fell to Nebraska.
  • Milestone for Schumacher-Cawley: Third-year head coach Katie Schumacher-Cawley secured her first NCAA regional final victory with a victory over Creighton.
  • Semifinal Legacy: This is Penn State’s 14th semifinal appearance in program history.
  • Championship History: Penn State holds seven NCAA titles, all won under legendary coach Russ Rose. Now Schumacher-Cawley has a chance to become the first woman to win an NCAA Division I volleyball championship as a head coach.

🌽 Nebraska

  • Semifinal Regular: The Cornhuskers are in the semifinals for the seventh time in the last 10 seasons and 18th time overall, a testament to their continued dominance.
  • Cook’s Dynasty: Head coach John Cook has led Nebraska to 12 semifinal appearances and four NCAA titles in his 25th season, making him the only coach in this year’s semifinals with championship experience.
  • Redemption Arc: Nebraska reached the national championship last year but fell short. They will be eager to avenge their loss and add to their five NCAA titles.
  • Past Glory: Nebraska last won the national title in 2017, the same year they defeated Penn State in the semifinals.

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