The two-time defending champion Texas Longhorns are out of the NCAA women's volleyball tournament, eliminated 3-1 on Friday in the regional semifinals by Creighton in State College, Pennsylvania.
It wasn't a surprise in terms of seeding, as the Bluejays are No. 2 and Texas is No. 3 in the Penn State regional standings. But Texas is a four-time national champion and a longtime powerhouse in the sport. Creighton has never made the final four, but will have a chance to do so in Sunday's regional final against No. 1 seed Penn State (ESPN, 8:30 p.m. ET). The Nittany Lions beat No. 5 Marquette 3-1 later on Friday.
Sunday's other regional final is at No. 1 Nebraska, which faces No. 2 Wisconsin (ABC, 3 p.m. ET). On Friday, the Huskers defeated No. 5 Dayton 3-1, and the Badgers defeated No. 6 Texas A&M 3-2.
This is Creighton's second appearance in a regional final; The Bluejays advanced in 2016 but were eliminated by Texas. On Friday, Creighton won its 25th consecutive game, the longest active streak in Division I. Norah Sis led Creighton with 15 kills, 3 blocks and 13 kills.
Creighton men's basketball coach Greg McDermott posted on social media that his team stopped practice to watch the decisive point of the volleyball game and celebrate the Bluejays' victory.
Texas' quest to become the second Division I women's volleyball team to win three consecutive NCAA titles has come to an end. The only school to do so is Penn State, which won four straight titles from 2007 to 2010. Madisen Skinner, who won NCAA titles at Kentucky and Texas, led the Longhorns with 23 kills on Friday.
Texas won NCAA championships in 1988, 2012, 2022 and 2023, and has also reached the NCAA Final Four 11 other times. The Longhorns began this season ranked No. 1 in the AVCA Top 25 poll, but immediately fell on hard times, losing three of their first six games.
In its first season in the SEC, Texas went 13-3, finishing second behind league champion Kentucky. The Wildcats advanced Thursday to the regional final in Pittsburgh, where they will face host Pitt, the overall No. 1 seed, on Saturday (ESPN2, 5 p.m. ET) for a trip to the final four.
Saturday's other regional final is in Louisville, where the No. 1-seeded Cardinals host No. 2 Stanford (ESPN2, 7:30 p.m. ET).
The final four will take place in Louisville, with the semifinals on December 19 at 6:30 and 9:30 pm ET on ESPN and the final on December 22 at 3 pm ET on ABC.
