Pitt Volleyball RS Olivia Babcock Makes USA Team

Pitt Panthers right side hitter Olivia Babcock made the USA Women's Volleyball Team for a tournament this summer.

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

PITTSBURGH -- Pitt Panthers sophomore right side hitter Olivia Babcock 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.

She will join 14 other players from the college ranks on the team, while the senior national team readies to compete at the Olympics in Paris.

“We are treating NORCECA Final 6 as the first tournament of the new Olympic cycle that eventually leads to the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles,” U.S. Women’s Head Coach Karch Kiraly said in a statement USA Volleyball released.

This bodes well for Babcock, who hails from Los Angeles and played for Sierra Canyon High School.

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.

Her play in the back row allowed Pitt to run a 5-1 rotation, putting setter Rachel Fairbanks solely at her position and not at right side hitter, which helped Fairbanks to earn First Team All-American honors.

Fairbanks is also an alternate on this roster and will join the team if one of the two setters, Mia Tuaniga of USC and Kami Miner of Stanford, gets injured or needs to depart.

Babcock will join the best collegiate volleyball players in the country on this USA team, including AVCA National Player of the Year in Wisconsin outside hitter Sarah Franklin.

Rival Louisville will bring two players in libero Elena Scott and middle blocker Cara Cresse and Final Four foe Nebraska brings in three players in libero Lexi Rodriguez, opposite side hitter Merrit Beason and outside hitter Taylor Landfair.

Florida State middle blocker Khori Louis joins Babcock, Miner, Scott and Cresse from the ACC. Outside hitters Jess Mruzik from Penn State and Eva Hudson from Purdue plus middle blockers Carter Booth from Wisconsin and Sophie Fischer from Georgia round out the 14 on the roster.

One notable alternate is Louisville outside hitter Anna DeBeer, who has played some of her best games against Pitt.

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