Olivia Babcock Sets New Pitt Volleyball, NCAA Record

Olivia Babcock set a new Pitt Panthers volleyball and NCAA Division I record.

Dominic Campbell | Oct 5, 2024

Pitt Volleyball RS Olivia Babcock Makes the USA Team for the NORCECA Final Six Pan American Cup /

PITTSBURGH -- Pitt Panthers volleyball sophomore right side hitter Olivia Babcock had one of her best games in her collegiate career in the win vs. Boston College on the road on Oct. 4.

Babcock had 12 service aces in the four-set win vs. the Eagles, setting the record for the most in a single match in Pitt history. The previous record for service aces in a match sat at eight total, which Diana Andreyko in a five set win vs. Florida State on the road on Sept. 3, 2005 and Wendy Hatlestad in a sweep vs. Savannah State at home on Sept. 13, 2002.

She also holds the record for most service aces in a match in NCAA Division I this season. She broke the previous high of 11 that Nicholls State junior outside hitter Leah Linares Castro had in the four-set victory in the season opener vs. South Carolina State on Aug. 30.

Babcock had five service aces in the first set vs. Boston College, tying her previous record in a match, which she had against Syracuse on the road on Nov. 24, 2023.

She added five more in a 10-0 run in the second set, breaking both her own and the Pitt record, and then two more in the third set to get the record for most this season.

Pitt also set a new record of 16 total service aces under head coach Dan Fisher in his 12th season in charge since 2013, with both senior setter Rachel Fairbanks and sixth year outside hitter Valeria Vazquez Gomez adding two aces each themselves. It broke the previous record of 15 vs. Louisville at home in a four-set victory on Oct. 26, 2014.

The match, itself, saw Babcock finish with a triple-double, as she also made 14 kills and 10 digs along with her 12 service aces.

That is the first triple-double for her at Pitt and the first for the program since Rachel Fairbanks had 10 kills, 28 assists and 13 digs in the sweep over BYU In the Second Round of the 2022 NCAA Tournament at the Petersen Events Center.

Babcock is having an outstanding season, coming into the game vs. the Eagles ranking No. 3 in the ACC and tied for No. 17 in Division I in aces per set, tied for No. 1 in the ACC and tied for No. 21 in Division I in kills per set, with fellow sophomore in teammate, outside hitter Torrey Stafford, plus No. 1 in the ACC and No. 4 in Division I in points per set.

Babcock had an incredible freshman season in 2023, playing a large role in Pitt earning a share of the ACC Title and making it back to the Final Four for a third straight time.

Her enthralling top spin serve led to 51 service aces, ranking No. 2 all-time in a season in Pitt history in the 25-point scoring era (2008-present) and No. 6 all-time, while her 0.44 service aces per set is level with the best in a season.

She also made 420 kills and 3.62 kills per set, which rank No. 8 and No. 9, respectively, while her 119 block assists, also rank ninth best in the 25-point scoring era for Pitt. She also finished fifth on the team with 159 digs, 1.37 per set, and led the team in points at 536.5.

Babcock earned numerous accoldes, including All-ACC Freshman Team, All-ACC First Team, All-ACC Freshman of the Year, AVCA All-East Coast Region Team, AVCA East Coast Region Freshman of the Year, AVCA First Team All-American and AVCA National Freshman of the Year.

She also earned ACC Offensive Player of the Week and AVCA National Player of the Week honors for her performance in the sweep of then ranked No. 8 Georgia Tech on the road on Nov. 10.

Babcock led the Panthers with 15 kills against the Yellow Jackets and had an incredible .652 hitting percentage. She also finished second with four total blocks, added three digs and tied with sophomore libero/defensive specialist Griffin for two services aces, best on the Panthers.

She also made the USA Women's Volleyball Team as they play at the NORCECA Women’s Final Six Pan American Cup, June 26-30 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The team won silver and Babcock served as the only rising sophomore on the team.

If Babcock continues to keep up her fantastic play, she'll once again feature as not just a First Team All-American, but potentially National Player of the Year.

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Published Oct 5, 2024

DOMINIC CAMPBELL

Follow Dominic Campbell on Twitter.