ESPN Reveals Women’s College Volleyball Programming Lineup – Most Extensive on Record

• 2025 slate boasts the most matches ever across ESPN, ABC
• 24 of the top 25 AVCA preseason teams to make appearances across ESPN platforms

The long-awaited college volleyball season is back and bigger than ever with ESPN serving up the best matches, storylines and players all fall long, beginning with the AVCA First Serve Showcase on Sunday, Aug. 24.

ESPN continues to be at the helm of women’s sports coverage, with more than 2,600 women’s college volleyball matches slated for ESPN platforms this fall – the largest total in ESPN history. This season also boasts the most matches ever across ESPN and ABC. Matches featuring 13 of the top 15 from the 2025 preseason rankings are slated for ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, SEC Network, ACC Network, ESPN+, SEC Network+ and ACCNX.

The season jumpstarts with the aforementioned AVCA First Serve Showcase in Lincoln, Neb. on Aug. 24, with four perennial powerhouses taking the court. 2024 National Semifinalist Pittsburgh takes on Florida at 1 p.m. ET, followed by Stanford vs. host and National Semifinalist Nebraska at 3:30 p.m. – with both matches airing on ESPN. New this season, ESPN will produce a studio show between matches to cover all the action from Lincoln.

The second weekend of play features the inaugural Broadway Block Party, ESPN Events’ owned-and-operated volleyball invitational at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn. The three matches on Aug. 31 showcase Big Ten vs. SEC battles, with the first match between Nebraska and Kentucky airing on ABC (noon ET). Immediately following at 3 p.m., Purdue takes on Tennessee on ESPN2, while Vanderbilt – in its first season of play – closes out of the day against Illinois on SEC Network at 6 p.m.

Additionally, ESPN Events will also have its first ‘Showdown at the Net’ on Sept. 9-10, with eight of the 16 ACC-SEC matchups airing on linear platforms. As part of the challenge series, the Shriners Children’s ‘Showdown at the Net’ will highlight a four-team showcase at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas on Sept. 10. Pitt, Kentucky, Louisville and Texas will face off in those two ACC/SEC clashes, with the Pitt Panthers slated to take on the Kentucky Wildcats at 6:30 p.m. ET, and the Louisville Cardinals and Texas Longhorns to follow at 9 p.m. Both matches will air on ESPN.

2024 National Runner-Up Louisville is slated to appear across ESPN platforms just shy of a dozen times throughout the fall, while National Semifinalists Nebraska and Pittsburgh will both continue to make national waves with their linear appearances, beginning with the AVCA First Serve.

The Huskers lead a loaded lineup with 24 of the 25 teams from the AVCA preseason poll showcased on ESPN platforms this fall, including: No. 1 Nebraska, No. 3 Pittsburgh, No. 4 Louisville, No. 5 Texas, No. 6 Stanford, No. 7 Kentucky, No. 8 Wisconsin, No. 9 Texas A&M, No. 10 SMU, No. 11 Minnesota, No. 12 Creighton, No. 13 Arizona State, No. 14 Kansas, No. 15 Purdue, No. 16 Florida, No. 17 Missouri, No. 18 UCLA, No. 19 BYU, No. 20 Baylor, No. 21 Southern California, No. 22 Georgia Tech, No. 23 Utah, No. 24 Dayton and No. 25 TCU.

ESPN+ is home to a plethora of matchups throughout the 2025 season, highlighting multiple top 25 teams. During the fall, viewers can catch Top-25 battles on ESPN+, including No. 14 Kansas at No. 25 TCU (Oct. 1, 7:30 p.m.), No. 23 Utah at No. 13 Arizona State (Oct. 4, 3 p.m.), No. 20 Baylor at No. 13 Arizona State (Oct. 10, 9 p.m.) and No. 23 Utah at No. 18 BYU (Nov. 26, 8 p.m.). No. 11 Minnesota, No. 12 Creighton, No. 21 USC and No. 24 Dayton will also make appearances on ESPN+ throughout the fall.

The 2025 season will conclude with ESPN again showcasing the 2025 NCAA Women’s Volleyball Tournament in its entirety. The national semifinals begin Thursday, Dec. 18 on ESPN, with the first semifinal airing at 6:30 p.m. and the second semifinal starting 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first. Then for the third straight year, the national championship will broadcast live on ABC from the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Mo. on Sunday, Dec. 21.

2025 NCAA VOLLEYBALL ON ESPN

All of ESPN. All in One Place. Coming August 21.
For the first time ever, ESPN will offer its full suite of networks and services directly to fans, along with an enhanced ESPN App that integrates game stats, betting information, fantasy sports, commerce, multiview options and a personalized SportsCenter For You. Designed to give fans more choice, flexibility and access to all of ESPN, these new features and functionality will be available to all fans who watch on the ESPN App on mobile and connected TV devices, whether they subscribe directly or through a traditional pay TV package. For more visit the ESPN DTC Press Kit.