Who won the NCAA volleyball championship in 2023? Texas goes back-to-back with a sweep of Nebraska

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Emily Dozier
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Back to back! Texas won its second-straight NCAA volleyball national championship with a sweep of No. 1 Nebraska on Sunday. An NCAA volleyball indoor record of 19,727 were at Amalie Arena to see Texas win a fourth national title. 

It was all gas from the Longhorns. Altering narrowly winning the opening set, they absolutely dominated the Huskers in the next two sets to win 25-22, 25-14, 25-11. It started behind the service line, as they had a championship-record 12 aces to keep Nebraska out of system and out of sorts. The Huskers hit .013 percent throughout the match with a team-high seven kills from Harper Murray.

It was the Madi Skinner show once again. The Most Outstanding Player of the Tournament led with 16 kills to help her team to its second national title. It’s the senior’s third after winning it all in 2020 with Kentucky, which beat none other than Texas in the final. Sixth-year player and Longhorns legend Asjia O’Neal added three blocks and a team-high five aces, including the game-winning one.

While the Longhorns were the defending champions, they were the underdogs heading into this match. They lost their first match of the season on the way to a 5-3 start and earned a two-seed in the tournament.

Meanwhile, the Huskers had lost just one match the entire season: to the team Texas beat in the semifinals, Wisconsin. Their youth showed in the championship match, as they struggled with unforced errors and miscommunication. With four starting freshmen and no seniors, it just means they’ll be back and better next year.

MORE: Watch the NCAA volleyball national championship live with Fubo (free trial)

The Sporting News tracked the NCAA volleyball national championship game between Nebraska and Texas. Scroll below for results and highlights.

Nebraska vs. Texas volleyball score

  Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 Final
Nebraska 22 14 11 0
Texas 25 25 25 3

Nebraska vs. Texas results, highlights from NCAA volleyball championship game

All times Eastern.

5:04 pm. – The title goes to Texas! Just like last season, the ace wins it all. Who other than Asjia O'Neal to finish it out.

5:01 p.m. – Huskers call a timeout trailing 21-11.

4:58 p.m. – Sneaky, sneaky Swindle gets the kill on the setter dump. Texas is five points away from a national championship.

4:56 p.m. – O'Neal on the slide gives Texas a 5-0 scoring run! Nebraska calls a timeout, trailing by nine. It's not looking good for the Huskers, as they're getting dominated in nearly every way.

4:51 p.m. – Texas is first to 15! A block puts it up by five at the media timeout. O'Neal is issued a yellow card for taunting Ally Batenhorst through the net after the block.

4:46 p.m. – What a save from Murray! She dives over the scorer's table to keep it in play, but it's not enough. Bella Bergmark pops it back over for a kill.

4:40 p.m. – This is a must-win set for Nebraska. Otherwise, Texas takes home the title once again.

4:33 p.m. – The Longhorns look absolutely unstoppable right now. The Huskers look nothing like themselves, hitting -.036 with seven errors and being aced seven times. They have some work to do to pull off the reverse sweep, and it starts with a pass.

End of set two: Nebraska 14, Texas 25

4:32 p.m. – Texas takes set two! It goes on a 15-4 run, including seven aces, to close it out 25-14.

4:26 p.m. – Nebraska will use it's first challenge. Murray's swing was long, but John Cook is challenging for a touch. The point for the Longhorns stand, though.

4:23 p.m. – An error by Ella Swindle ends Texas's 11-0 run. Nebraska trails 18-11 in the second.

4:20 p.m. – No breaks in sight for the Longhorns! A block by Wenaas makes it nine straight points, and Nebraska uses its second timeout.

4:18 p.m. – That's four straight aces for Asjia! That ties her career high.

4:16 p.m. – Two straight aces for Asjia O'Neal give the Longhorns the lead! They're on a 4-0 scoring run, prompting a timeout from the Huskers.

4:11 p.m. – Murray out of the back, and the Huskers are the first to 10! Timeout, Texas, as it trails by three.

4:00 p.m. – Lots of errors through set one. Skinner leads the court with six kills as Texas out-hits Nebraska .176% to .065%.

End of set one: Nebraska 22, Texas 25

3:58 p.m. – What better way to end it than a Keonilei Akana ace? The former-Husker helps the Longhorns take the first set of the match 25-22.

3:54 p.m. – Murray ties it up at 22 with an ace! The Huskers are on a 6-2 run, helped by a Longhorn red card that automatically gives them the point. Timeout, Texas.

3:51 p.m. – A Texas block forces a Nebraska timeout! The Longhorns lead 22-19.

3:48 p.m. – Are you not entertained?! Jenna Wenaas ends the best rally of the game but is called in the net. Point, Huskers, and a yellow card is given to the Texas coaching staff.

3:43 p.m. – Madi Skinner gets her first ace! The Huskers call a timeout as they trail 17-14.

3:39 p.m. – At the first media timeout, Texas leads 15-14 in the first set.

3:37 p.m. – We have our first challenge! Jerritt Elliot is challenging a touch on the Nebraska block. But the call is confirmed for the Husker point! Texas is down to one challenge.

3:32 p.m. – We have ourselves a rally, and Harper Murray ends it on a tip! Nebraska takes its first lead 10-9.

3:30 p.m. – Points are traded back-and-forth. Two for Jenna Wenaas, two for Andi Jackson. It's tied at eight.

3:28 p.m. – The Longhorns get out to a 4-0 lead, but Nebraska rallies back to tie it up at six a piece.

3:23 p.m. – Nebraska serves first, but Madi Skinner gets the first point of the afternoon for Texas.

3:20 p.m. – A matchup for the ages.

3:12 p.m. – The last time the Longhorns and Huskers met was Dec. 11, 2021, in Austin. That was Texas's last NCAA tournament loss.

3:05 p.m. – First serve will be in approximately 15 minutes.

2:48 p.m. – The Huskers have been here before, but it hasn't gone their way in recent years. They lost in 2018 and 2021 to Stanford and Wisconsin, respectively. This is their fifth title appearance in nine seasons.

2:18 p.m. – Nebraska is just warming up, on the court and in the stands. 

1:18 p.m. – Fans are lined up and ready for the teams' arrivals. It's a sea of red in Tampa.

1:13 p.m. – There's plenty of support for the Longhorns as they make their way to Amalie Arena.

What channel is Nebraska vs. Texas volleyball on today?

  • TV channel: ABC
  • Live stream: ESPN App, Fubo

For the first time, the NCAA volleyball game will be broadcast on ABC. Streaming is available on the ESPN app or Fubo, which offers a free trial.

Nebraska vs. Texas volleyball start time

  • Date: Sunday, Dec. 17
  • Time: 3 p.m. ET

First serve between Nebraska and Texas in the national title game from Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida, will be at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, Dec. 17.

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Emily Dozier Photo
Emily Dozier

Emily Dozier is an editorial intern at The Sporting News

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