Greatest College Volleyball Teams of All Time

Few things in college sports provide the thrill of watching volleyball played at a high level. The athleticism it takes to soar above the net or the lightning-quick reflexes it takes to dig a ball out of the floor on a return are truly something to behold. 

Since USC won the first official NCAA women’s volleyball national championship in 1981, we now have over 40 years of getting to see the best of the best teams make the trek to the top of the mountain. 

These are the greatest women’s college volleyball teams of all time, picked from the list of NCAA national championship-winning teams. 

Head coach: Andy Banachowski

Key players: Natalie Williams, Elaine Youngs

Record: 31-5

Bottom line: UCLA won the second of back-to-back national championships in 1991 in dramatic fashion, rallying from a 2-0 deficit to Long Beach State in the national championship match. And they did it at home, with the Final Four held at Pauley Pavilion that year. 

This was the sixth national championship for head coach Andy Banachowski, who coached the team from 1965 to 1967, then again from 1970 until his retirement in 2010, only taking a two-year break to finish his coursework and graduate from UCLA. Banachowski won his six titles in three different decades. 

UCLA didn’t win another title until 2011, the year after Banachowski’s retirement and the Bruins’ first title with new head coach Michael Sealey. 

Head coach: Craig Skinner

Key players: Madison Lilley, Avery Skinner, Alli Stumler, Azhani Tealer, Gabby Curry

Record: 24-1

Bottom line: The University of Kentucky made history in 2020 (played in spring 2021) when it became the first SEC school to win a national championship in women’s volleyball behind National Player of the Year Madison Lilley. 

The Wildcats closed things out in the national championship with a 3-1 win over Texas, led by 26 kills from All-American Alli Stumler, who also had the championship-clinching kill in the fourth set.

The SEC had lost in its previous two appearances in the national championship, with the University of Florida losing both times. 

Head coach: John Cook

Key players: Sarah Pavan, Jordan Larson, Tracy Stalls, Rachel Holloway

Record: 36-1

Bottom line: Nebraska won its second national championship just a stone’s throw away from its campus, defeating Stanford in the national championship match in front of a record 17,209 fans in Omaha. It was the largest attendance at a volleyball match in history and the first time since 1991 that the host team won the tournament. 

National Player of the Year Sarah Pavan led Nebraska with 22 kills in the championship match. She was one of four All-Americans for the Huskers in 2006.

Pavan, who is Canadian, played pro volleyball overseas for 10 years and paired with Melissa Humana-Paredes to win a gold medal at the 2019 World Championships. 

Head coach: Dave Shoji

Key players: Teee Williams, Suzanne Eagye, Diana Jessie

Record: 37-2

Bottom line: The University of Hawaii won all four of its national championships in women’s volleyball in a nine-year stretch from 1979 to 1987, and all under legendary coach Dave Shoji. 

Freshman outside hitter Teee Williams was the star for Hawaii in 1987, earning the first of two National Player of the Year awards, and was one of three All-Americans with seniors Suzanne Eagye and Diana Jessie. 

Hawaii was dominant in the Final Four in Indianapolis, sweeping Illinois in the semifinals and defeating Stanford 3-1 in the finals.