NCAA volleyball Final Four’s tallest and shortest players
LINCOLN, Neb. (BVM) – All four No. 1 seeds (Penn State, Pitt, Nebraska and Louisville) are set to compete in the 2024 NCAA women’s volleyball Final Four.
From dominant blockers who tower over the net to agile defenders who shine in the backcourt, these Final Four teams feature a wide range of players excelling at every position.
Here’s a closer look at the tallest and shortest players impacting the Final Four matchup.
Ranking Final Four volleyball teams by average height
The average height of a Division I women’s college volleyball player is six feet, and this year’s Final Four teams closely align with that benchmark. Here’s how the teams compare by average player height:
T-1. Penn State Nittany Lions: 6 feet
T-1. Pitt Panthers: 6 feet
T-1. Nebraska Cornhuskers: 6 feet
4. Louisville Cardinals: 5-foot-9
Tallest Final Four volleyball players
Louisville boasts the tallest women’s college volleyball player in the Final Four with 6-foot-6 middle blocker Cara Cresse. She ranks eighth in Division I volleyball with 1.49 blocks per set and sits eleventh in total blocks this season with 164. Teammate Reese Robins follows close behind in height at 6-foot-5, and together, they’ve formed a dominant wall at the net all season.
Pitt Panthers’ tallest volleyball player
Pitt features a trio of 6-foot-4 players, with sophomore right side hitter Olivia Babcock leading the charge. Babcock is a National Player of the Year finalist, finishing the regular season ranked No. 2 in the country with .69 aces per set, No. 4 with 5.87 points per set and No. 16 with 4.54 kills per set.
Junior Bre Kelley has emerged as one of the best middle blockers in the nation, averaging 1.54 kills per set, which ranks No. 5 nationally. Freshman middle blocker Dalia Vîrlan, who hails from Romania, has yet to see significant court time but holds great potential.
Nebraska Cornhuskers’ tallest volleyball player
At 6-foot-5, outside hitter Taylor Landfair is the tallest on the Huskers volleyball court. In Nebraska’s 3-0 sweep over Wisconsin on Sunday, Landfair led the match with a team-high 13 kills. Head coach John Cook said they’ve been working hard all season on developing Landfair’s blocking potential due to her height, resulting in 0.48 blocks per set.
Penn State Nittany Lions’ tallest volleyball player
The 6-foot-5 middle blocker and Nebraska transfer, Maggie Mendelson, has been adjusting well with more playing time this season. She currently leads the team with 140 blocks, ranks third with a .305 hitting percentage and fourth with 235 kills.
Shortest NCAA Volleyball Final Four players
At 5-foot-3, Nebraska’s Laney Choboy is the shortest player in the Final Four, and her relentless hustle and defensive plays have been nothing short of spectacular this season, with 179 total digs.
Louisville’s shortest player is 5-foot-4 Molly Urban, Penn State’s are 5-foot-6 Gillian Grimes and Jocelyn Nathan and Pitt’s are 5-foot-7 Emmy Klika and Mallorie Meyer.
