The 2023 NCAA volleyball season feels like it's almost over, but the tournament is just beginning. It all starts with Sunday's selection show, which determines what teams will play in the postseason.
Texas, who swept its way to a national title, is not at the top of this year's standings. Instead, it's rival Nebraska, who nearly accomplished the rare feat of an undefeated season. In its second-to-last game of the regular season, it suffered its first loss in a sweep by Wisconsin. Regardless, the Huskers are all but guaranteed to get the No. 1 overall seed for the tournament.
There are plenty of powerful teams on Nebraska's heels. Wisconsin is eyeing another national championship after winning it all in 2021, while Louisville wants a spot back in the title match after coming up just short last year. Don't forget Stanford, who's battled and survived one of the toughest schedules of all.
While the top teams are rarely upset early, there's always one underdog that sneaks its way through the playoffs. The SEC poses a good chance to run deep with Arkansas and Tennessee, while the Pac-12 could find success with Oregon and Arizona State.
Should the Huskers complete a nearly-perfect season and take home the title, it would be their sixth overall and first since 2017. Only Stanford and Penn State have more national championships with nine and seven each.
MORE: Watch the 2023 NCAA volleyball tournament selection show live with Fubo (free trial)
The Sporting News has everything you need to know about the NCAA volleyball selection show and tournament.
When is the NCAA volleyball tournament selection show in 2023?
- Date: Sunday, Nov. 26
- Time: 6 p.m. ET
The NCAA volleyball show will take place Sunday, Nov. 26. It will begin at 6 p.m. ET, releasing portions of the tournament bracket throughout the show.
What channel is the NCAA volleyball selection show on?
- TV channel: ESPN
- Live stream: ESPN app, Fubo
For the first time, the NCAA volleyball selection show will air on ESPN.
It can be streamed on the ESPN app or Fubo, which offers a free trial.
NCAA volleyball tournament 2023 selection format
The NCAA Division I volleyball tournament consists of 64 teams. There are 32 automatic qualifiers, given to winners of each conference, and 32 at-large bids, given to teams chosen by the tournament committee. The top 16 teams will be selected and seeded to host regional sites. The entire tournament is single-elimination, and games will be played best-of-five.
First and second rounds
Four teams each will travel to the top-16 host sites to for the first round of the tournament. Two games will be played with the winners of those games competing against each other. That victor will move onto regionals, while losers are eliminated immediately from the tournament.
Regionals
The third and fourth round of the tournament, also known as regionals, will be hosted at four team sites. Like the previous rounds, four teams will compete at each location. The winner of game one will play the winner of game two, with losers sent home. The winner of the regional final advances to the national semifinals.
Final four
The four remaining teams will all travel to a pre-determined site for the national semifinals and championship. The 2023 location is Tampa, Florida. The winner of each semifinal game will earn their spot in the winner-take-all national final.
MORE: NCAA volleyball tournament bracket 2023
NCAA volleyball bracket predictions
The top 16 teams remain to be determined for the 2023 NCAA volleyball tournament, but the NCAA released an early prediction on Nov. 1.
Teams are grouped in fours and seeded 1-8 for the bracket, but only the top 16 teams will host.
- No. 1: Nebraska, Wisconsin, Louisville, Stanford
- No. 2: Oregon, Texas, Washington State, Pittsburgh
- No. 3: Arkansas, Tennessee, Georgia Tech, BYU
- No. 4: Kentucky, Arizona State, Dayton, Kansas
NCAA volleyball tournament schedule 2023
The NCAA volleyball tournament begins Nov. 30, with first- and second-round games played until Dec. 2. The top 16 teams will host. Regionals, which includes the third and fourth rounds, will take place at the top-4 team sites from Dev. 7 to Dec. 9.
The semifinals will take place on Thursday, Dec. 14. First serve for the national championship game will be Sunday, Dec. 17.
| Round | Dates |
| Selection show | Nov. 26 |
| First and second rounds | Nov. 30-Dec. 1 OR Dec. 2-Dec. 3 |
| Regionals | Dec. 7, Dec. 9 |
| Semifinals | Dec. 14 |
| National championship | Dec. 17 |
When is the NCAA volleyball championship in 2023?
The final three games of the 2023 NCAA volleyball tournament will be held at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida. The semifinal games take place Thursday, Dec. 14 while the championship will be three days later on Sunday, Dec. 17.
| Game | Date | Time (ET) | TV |
| Semifinal #1 | Dec. 14 | 7 p.m. | ESPN, Fubo |
| Semifinal #2 | Dec. 14 | 30 minutes following semifinal #1 | ESPN, Fubo |
| National Championship | Dec. 17 | 3 p.m. | ABC, Fubo |