Breakfast of champions

The GIST: Last season saw a nationwide, record-breaking, ceiling-smashing party for college women’s volleyball and, this year, the sport is poised to soar even higher. Aces, loading.

Setting the stage: Women’s volleyball is more popular than ever, with viewership and attendance records being shattered left and right. From the world-record 92K people who packed Nebraska’s Memorial Stadium for Volleyball Day last August to the 612K who tuned in to watch a regular-season Nebraska-Wisconsin rivalry match last October, this sport is truly the moment.

• Plus, with expanding pro opportunities on home soil — looking at you, PVF, LOVB, and AU — and USA volleyball’s silver medal run at this summer’s Paris Olympics, the game continues to prove there’s plenty of room to grow in popularity. Oui love to see it.

The shifting landscape: As for this season’s changes, the sport’s two most competitive conferences — the Big Ten and ACC — gained even more top contenders after the now-defunct Pac-12 dispersed across the country. Expect renewed rivalries with a spicy intraconference twist.

• And it’s not just institutions that flipped the script — teams raided the transfer portal to level up their rosters in the offseason, including reigning back-to-back champs Texas.

The GIST: The final four squads from last year’s national tournament unsurprisingly topped the 2024 preseason rankings, with all-star rosters back vying for another shot at December’s confetti shower.

🤘 No. 1 Texas Longhorns: The Longhorns finished last season with 10 straight wins — including a title-game sweep — as they barreled toward their second straight natty. After moving from the Big 12 to the SEC this year, Texas lost a few key players, but superstar outside hitter (OH) Madisen Skinner is back, alongside three big-name transfers, to bolster their three-peat pursuit.

🌽 No. 2 Nebraska Cornhuskers: One of the sport’s most prestigious and popular programs, the Cornhuskers lost just two contests in 2023 — including that title game L to Texas — and they did it with zero seniors on their roster. Nearly every member of that formidable team is back for 2024…and everyone else should be very, very afraid.

🦡 No. 3 Wisconsin Badgers: When you think of blue-blood programs, Nebraska’s archnemesis Wisconsin should also come to mind. Last year’s Player of the Year Sarah Franklin returns at OH to lead the Badgers to another stellar (and hopefully record-breaking) season.

🐾 No. 4 Pitt Panthers: Reigning Freshman of the Year Olivia Babcock led a young Pitt roster to the 2023 national semifinals and, with most of their core returning, that experience will make the Panthers even more dangerous this time around.

The GIST: As the sport’s popularity grows, so does its parity, making every season more unpredictable than the last. Here are a few squads that could give the top four a run for their money.

🔟 The rest of the Big Ten: Nebraska and Wisconsin are the Big Ten’s top-ranked contenders, but they’re far from the only big dogs. Half of the nation’s Top 10 hail from the now-18-team conference and, with the likes of No. 10 Oregon and No. 21 USC joining in the wake of the Pac-12’s collapse, the status is definitely not quo-ing.

🌲 No. 5 Stanford Cardinal: Another legacy program, the Cardinal enters uncharted territory as the newest members of the cutthroat ACC. But first, they’re kicking off the season with their favorite tradition: an absolutely brutal slate of nonconference opponents. Gotta beat the best to be the best, right?

🐦 No. 6 Louisville Cardinals: For the past few seasons, the ACC has mostly been a battle between the Cardinals and Pitt, but that shifts significantly with Stanford entering the fray. If Louisville can manage them both, their veteran core, led by OH Anna DeBeer, will have them well-positioned for yet another deep run.

🐾 No. 9 Kentucky Wildcats: The Wildcats are the only SEC team to ever win a natty — though new member Texas will look to add to that count this season. Along with the Longhorns, Kentucky will have to contend with the SEC’s typically tough cast, including No. 11 Florida. But with setter Emma Grome running the offense, the ’Cats’ potential is off the charts.

🐊 No. 11 Florida Gators: The Gators had one hell of a 2023 run before the injury bug put last season to bed. Like Kentucky, they’ll have their hands full in SEC play, but if they can rediscover their groove and stay healthy, Florida just might beat the charges field.

The fun begins with tomorrow’s stacked AVCA First Serve Showcase, all airing on ESPN2. First, No. 2 Nebraska serves for a season-opening win against No. 9 Kentucky at 7 p.m. ET, followed by No. 3 Wisconsin and tournament hosts No. 6 Louisville hitting the court at 9 p.m. ET. Pour some (maple) sugar on 'em.