Thursday, December 18
Kansas City, Mo.
5:30 PM
Texas A&M
28-4,14-1SEC
3
vs
0
Pitt
30-5,18-2ACC
1
2
3
F
Texas A&M
29
25
25
3
Pittsburgh
27
21
20
0
Photo by: Evan Pilat/Texas A&M Athletics
No. 3 Aggies Earn Spot in National Title Match with Sweep of No. 1 Pitt
Dec 18, 2025 | Volleyball
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The most successful season in Texas A&M volleyball history continues following the No. 3-seed Aggies' sweep of the No. 1-seed Pitt Panthers, 3-0 (29-27, 25-21, 25-20), in Thursday's NCAA Championship semifinal match inside the T-Mobile Center.
Texas A&M (28-4) became just the third No. 3 seed in NCAA Tournament history to dispatch of two No. 1 seeds, joining UCLA in 2011 and Nebraska in 2021. The Aggies handed Pitt (30-5) its first sweep since October 12, 2024, and became the first team since 2023 to sweep a national semifinal match. In an offensive slug fest, it was the Maroon & White who owned a .382-.344 advantage in attack percentage against the Pitt juggernaut. The Maroon & White closed out the match with a .455 hitting percentage in the third set to take the win.
The Aggies' four AVCA All-Americans performed on an elite level. First-teamer Ifenna Cos-Okpalla swung at a .538 clip with eight kills and five blocks. Logan Lednicky, a second-team selection, logged a .323 attack percentage with 14 kills. Fellow second-teamer Kyndal Stowers put down a team-high 16 kills, hitting .433 with six digs. Maddie Waak, a third-team selection recorded 48 assists and three service aces.
The opening set was a seesaw affair with 17 ties and six lead changes as neither team scored more than three consecutive points. A 7-3 run by the Maroon & White flipped a one-point deficit into Texas A&M's largest lead of the set, 12-9, as Pitt called its first timeout. The Panthers scored three in a row to knot things at 12-12. The set was deadlocked 11 more times before A&M prevailed 29-27. With Pitt serving at set point for the first time up 27-26, the Aggies responded with two Stowers kills sandwiched around a service ace by Tatum Thomas. Stowers registered a phenomenal opening stanza, attacking at a .750 clip with nine kills.
In the second set, the Aggies used a 7-2 surge, including four straight points with Lednicky serving to stake claim to a 10-6 lead. The Panthers outscored Texas A&M 9-1 out of a Pitt timeout to nose ahead, 15-11, aided by three Aggie net violations. Texas A&M offered an immediate response. The Maroon & White went on a 9-2 charge with multiple kills by Lednicky (3), Cos-Okpalla (2) and Emily Hellmuth (2) to go ahead, 20-17. Pitt inched back to tie the set 21-21, but the Aggies scored the last four points to take a 2-0 advantage in the match.
Although the third set was tied on six occasions, the Aggies never trailed after a 5-0 run, sparked by two Waak services aces, grabbing a 12-10 lead. Texas A&M stretched the advantage to 17-13 before the Panthers took their last gasp of air. Pitt knotted the match at 18-18, but a kill by Morgan Perkins and a Panthers attack error put the Aggies ahead for good. Up 21-20, Cos-Okpalla had two kills, including the endgame, and one block as Texas A&M closed the match out with four straight points.
STAT LEADERS
Kills – Kyndal Stowers – 16
Hitting Percentage (Min. 10 kills) – Kyndal Stowers – .433
Assists – Maddie Waak – 48
Aces – Maddie Waak – 3
Digs – Ava Underwood – 8
Blocks – Ifenna Cos-Okpalla – 5
GAME NOTES
UP NEXT
The Maroon & White return to the T-Mobile Center Sunday to face the winner of No. 1 seed Kentucky and No. 3 seed Wisconsin with first serve set for 2:30 p.m.
FOLLOW THE AGGIES
Visit 12thMan.com for more information on Texas A&M volleyball. Fans can keep up to date with the A&M volleyball team on Facebook, Instagram and on Twitter by following @AggieVolleyball.
TEXAS A&M SWEEPS THEIR WAY TO THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP ??#NCAAWVB x ?? ESPN / @AggieVolleyball pic.twitter.com/zaRz7x9m1L
— NCAA Women's Volleyball (@NCAAVolleyball) December 19, 2025
Texas A&M (28-4) became just the third No. 3 seed in NCAA Tournament history to dispatch of two No. 1 seeds, joining UCLA in 2011 and Nebraska in 2021. The Aggies handed Pitt (30-5) its first sweep since October 12, 2024, and became the first team since 2023 to sweep a national semifinal match. In an offensive slug fest, it was the Maroon & White who owned a .382-.344 advantage in attack percentage against the Pitt juggernaut. The Maroon & White closed out the match with a .455 hitting percentage in the third set to take the win.
The Aggies' four AVCA All-Americans performed on an elite level. First-teamer Ifenna Cos-Okpalla swung at a .538 clip with eight kills and five blocks. Logan Lednicky, a second-team selection, logged a .323 attack percentage with 14 kills. Fellow second-teamer Kyndal Stowers put down a team-high 16 kills, hitting .433 with six digs. Maddie Waak, a third-team selection recorded 48 assists and three service aces.
The opening set was a seesaw affair with 17 ties and six lead changes as neither team scored more than three consecutive points. A 7-3 run by the Maroon & White flipped a one-point deficit into Texas A&M's largest lead of the set, 12-9, as Pitt called its first timeout. The Panthers scored three in a row to knot things at 12-12. The set was deadlocked 11 more times before A&M prevailed 29-27. With Pitt serving at set point for the first time up 27-26, the Aggies responded with two Stowers kills sandwiched around a service ace by Tatum Thomas. Stowers registered a phenomenal opening stanza, attacking at a .750 clip with nine kills.
In the second set, the Aggies used a 7-2 surge, including four straight points with Lednicky serving to stake claim to a 10-6 lead. The Panthers outscored Texas A&M 9-1 out of a Pitt timeout to nose ahead, 15-11, aided by three Aggie net violations. Texas A&M offered an immediate response. The Maroon & White went on a 9-2 charge with multiple kills by Lednicky (3), Cos-Okpalla (2) and Emily Hellmuth (2) to go ahead, 20-17. Pitt inched back to tie the set 21-21, but the Aggies scored the last four points to take a 2-0 advantage in the match.
Although the third set was tied on six occasions, the Aggies never trailed after a 5-0 run, sparked by two Waak services aces, grabbing a 12-10 lead. Texas A&M stretched the advantage to 17-13 before the Panthers took their last gasp of air. Pitt knotted the match at 18-18, but a kill by Morgan Perkins and a Panthers attack error put the Aggies ahead for good. Up 21-20, Cos-Okpalla had two kills, including the endgame, and one block as Texas A&M closed the match out with four straight points.
STAT LEADERS
Kills – Kyndal Stowers – 16
Hitting Percentage (Min. 10 kills) – Kyndal Stowers – .433
Assists – Maddie Waak – 48
Aces – Maddie Waak – 3
Digs – Ava Underwood – 8
Blocks – Ifenna Cos-Okpalla – 5
GAME NOTES
- Logan Lednicky recorded her 22nd consecutive game with 10-or-more kills.
- Ifenna Cos-Okpalla's first block of the match secured the single-game school record. She wrapped up the contest with 195 to date and is two shy of breaking the program record for career blocks.
- Maddie Waak broke the postseason record for assists in a three-set match in the rally-scoring era with 48 on the night.
- The Aggies 28th win of the season marked their most in a year since 1999.
UP NEXT
The Maroon & White return to the T-Mobile Center Sunday to face the winner of No. 1 seed Kentucky and No. 3 seed Wisconsin with first serve set for 2:30 p.m.
FOLLOW THE AGGIES
Visit 12thMan.com for more information on Texas A&M volleyball. Fans can keep up to date with the A&M volleyball team on Facebook, Instagram and on Twitter by following @AggieVolleyball.
SWEPT OUR WAY TO THE 'SHIP ??#GigEm // #AggieVB pic.twitter.com/WY766GTwkX
— Texas A&M Volleyball (@AggieVolleyball) December 19, 2025
Earned the right ??#GigEm // #AggieVB pic.twitter.com/rBlpBwokDY
— Texas A&M Volleyball (@AggieVolleyball) December 19, 2025
"Run it back ??"#GigEm // #AggieVB pic.twitter.com/ZY9TbXy9o2
— Texas A&M Volleyball (@AggieVolleyball) December 19, 2025
Kyndal Stowers was medically retired just one year ago.
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) December 19, 2025
Now, she and the Texas A&M Aggies will make their first National Championship appearance in program history ?? pic.twitter.com/gZGkiToRX1
Team Stats
AM
UP
Kills
52
45
Errors
13
12
Attempts
102
96
Hitting %
.382
.344
Points
64.0
54.0
Assists
52
42
Aces
6
2
Blocks
6
7
Game Leaders
Kills
16
Aces
1
Blocks
2
Kills
14
Aces
1
Blocks
2
Kills
8
Aces
0
Blocks
5
Kills
8
Aces
0
Blocks
0
Players Mentioned
MB
/ VolleyballOH
/ VolleyballOPP
/ Volleyball
MB
/ VolleyballOH
/ Volleyball
L/DS
/ Volleyball
L/DS
/ Volleyball
S
/ VolleyballPitt Postgame: Jamie Morrison, Logan Lednicky, Ifenna Cos-Okpalla, Kyndal Stowers
Thursday, December 18
Highlights: A&M 3, Pitt 0
Thursday, December 18
NCAA Semifinal Press Conference
Wednesday, December 17
Final Four Preview: Jamie Morrison
Monday, December 15
