Star-studded Teams Part of 2025 AVCA First Serve

The 2025 AVCA First Serve will feature a star-studded lineup of 10 Division I women’s volleyball teams, who will play in a series of matches at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Nebraska, on Aug. 22–24, and at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, on Aug. 25.

The field for this year’s AVCA First Serve includes five teams that made the final eight in the 2024 NCAA Championship, including three semifinalists and last year’s champion, Penn State. In addition to the Nittany Lions, host Nebraska, Creighton, Florida, Kansas, Minnesota, Pittsburgh, Stanford, Texas A&M, and Vanderbilt will compete.

“The AVCA is very excited to bring such a fantastic group of teams to the Midwest for four days of outstanding volleyball,” says AVCA CEO Dr. Jaime Gordon. “There are so many great storylines, and AVCA First Serve will kick off what will be another great season of women’s college volleyball in style.”

On Friday, Aug. 22, Nebraska will face Pittsburgh, and Stanford will play Florida. Saturday’s matches in Lincoln include Penn State vs. Creighton and Kansas vs. Vanderbilt. Florida, Nebraska, Pittsburgh, and Stanford will be back in action Sunday, with the Huskers facing the Cardinal and the Gators taking on the Panthers.

Then, as the AVCA announced on Feb. 21, a Monday doubleheader in Sioux Falls has been added to AVCA First Serve. Minnesota will play Texas A&M and Penn State will face Kansas to round out an exciting opening weekend to open the 2025 season. Match times will be announced soon on the AVCA First Serve homepage.

In addition to the marquee teams, the four days of action will include plenty of firsts: the first matches at new schools for coaches Dani Busboom-Kelly of Nebraska, Ryan Theis of Florida, and Matt Ulmer of Kansas. It will be Vanderbilt’s first match as the school relaunches its volleyball program, and the Lincoln matches represent the first time college volleyball will be played at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

Ticket presales open this Thursday, Feb. 27, for the matches in Lincoln and on March 6 for the matches in Sioux Falls. The general public sale for both sites will begin on March 14. All tickets will be available to purchase through Ticketmaster.