NCAA volleyball round of 16 begins: Schedule, women coaches, key transfers

Will there be a new champion for the third time in four years?

History indicates otherwise as the NCAA Division I women’s volleyball tournament heads into Thursday’s round of 16.

Just 12 programs have won the national championship since 1981, the year the NCAA conducted its first tournament. USC won that first title, the same year Texas won the last AIAW national championship.

Since then, USC won two more, in 2002 and 2003, and Texas has won the NCAA title three times, in 1988, 2012 and last year. 

When Kentucky won in 2020 (spring 2021), the Wildcats became the first first-time champion since Washington in 2005. Wisconsin became a first-time winner in 2021.

Thursday’s round of 16

Here is Thursday’s schedule, in chronological order, with all times…