Arizona volleyball makes NCAA Tournament for 1st time since 2018

The last time the Arizona Wildcats made the NCAA Volleyball Tournament, outside hitter Kendra Dahlke was one of the top scorers in Division I. It was fitting that Dahlke came back to Tucson this weekend ahead of the team’s first selection to the field since 2018.

Dahlke left the Wildcats with a message.

“Just continue to fight, be competitive, and don’t be afraid of the moment, which is ultimately what you want them to understand all the time,” said Arizona head coach Rita Stubbs.

The selection committee sent Arizona to Stanford where it will face off with No. 7 seed South Dakota State in Maples Pavilion on Friday, Dec. 5. That’s also fitting.

Last year, many people had the Wildcats in the NCAA field. Instead, the committee took the Jackrabbits, who had lost in their conference tournament. SDSU lost in their tournament again this year, and it looked like that might keep Arizona out again as a conference that typically gets one bid was set to get two again this year. Now, it will get settled on the court.

“To me, that’s exciting,” Stubbs said.

It wasn’t an easy path to get there. Arizona’s loss at Texas Tech in the last half of conference play put the Wildcats in jeopardy. Then, they weren’t able to pull off wins at BYU or Utah in the penultimate week, dropping a four-setter in Provo and a five-setter in Salt Lake City. Returning home to win their final two against West Virginia and Cincinnati closed the deal, possibly putting them in the field over the Bearcats.

“Very important, because rumor has it that it was between us and Cincinnati,” Stubbs said.

In the end, the Big 12 put 10 of its 15 volleyball teams in the tournament. The conference took over as the top volleyball league in RPI several weeks ago.

“Ten teams is amazing,” Stubbs said.

Stubbs spoke the group of fans, players, and families gathered for the reveal prior to the show. She talked about how this was something they had worked for since their name wasn’t called on Dec. 1, 2024. She talked about how important it was that none of her players asked when they could go home this year.

It still wasn’t an easy wait. Assistant coach Ryan Windisch stood away from the group of players and fans, trying to stay calm.

“Last year he was in close proximity to me, and so we would look at each other and go like this,” Stubbs said, displaying a worried expression. “And so it was so nice that he wasn’t in my eye shot. So when I went to the restroom at the one point, I go, where’s Ryan? They go over there. I was like, perfect. I mean, he’s a worrywart, too.”

When the Wildcats’ name popped up during the third bracket, a huge roar went up in the Sands Club. Most importantly, a huge wave of relief spread over the room. The players were then led into a side room where they were given new Nike gear.

The group of players that broke through consists almost completely of players who either started their careers at Arizona or have spent multiple years as Wildcats. Only reserve opposite Britt Carlson transferred in this offseason.

“When we were recruiting kids that knew how to win, that would compete, and was just comfortable,” Stubbs said. “And then you add into the pieces that we already had, and just the training and whatnot, it just makes it so much better. And the fact that they’re so close to one another really helps. And it’s amazing. The senior group has done awesome. They stayed true to it. They worked hard. They competed. They are on each other. And to be able to go out with a bang with them makes it even more special.”

Stubbs says she has four days to study South Dakota State, but she likes where the committee placed the Wildcats.

“Excited to be able to go on the West Coast and stay in our time zone for the most part, other than gain an hour,” Stubbs said.