NCAA volleyball semifinals steal the spotlight on ESPN

The GIST: The NCAA women’s volleyball national semifinals are set for tomorrow on ESPN in the U.S. and TSN+ in Canada, and they couldn’t come at a better time: Volleyball is having a moment from youth leagues to the pros, but the college game is doing especially well with, ahem, spiking viewership and attendance.

• Sunday’s quarter-final round was truly bananas, so you’ll want to buckle up ahead of tomorrow’s semis — here’s what to expect.

🐆 No. 1 seed Pitt Panthers (30-4) vs. ❤️ No. 3 Texas A&M Aggies (27-4) at 6:30 p.m. ET: The Aggies handed runaway favorite No. 1 Nebraska their first loss of the season (and first home loss in over three years) in a wildly close match on Sunday…but do they have enough in the tank to down another No. 1 seed, this one led by reigning Player of the Year Olivia Babcock?

🦡 No. 3 Wisconsin Badgers (28-4) vs. 🐱 No. 1 Kentucky Wildcats (29-2) at 9 p.m. ET: Speaking of Player of the Year candidates, this matchup features two finalists: Wisconsin outside hitter Mimi Coyler and Kentucky outside hitter Eva Hudson. The Badgers pulled off an upset of their own on Sunday, stunning No. 1 Texas, but the Wildcats are looking fierce with just one dropped set in four postseason matches. Game on.