Olivia Babcock

Last updated
Olivia Babcock
OliviaBabcock.jpg
Olivia Babcock at the 2025 NCAA 2nd Round
Personal information
NationalityUnited States
Born (2005-06-28) June 28, 2005 (age 20)
HometownLos Angeles, California
Height6 ft 4 in (193 cm)
College / UniversityUniversity of Pittsburgh
Volleyball information
PositionOpposite

Olivia Babcock (born June 28, 2005) [1] is an American collegiate volleyball player who currently plays for the Pittsburgh Panthers women's volleyball team. [2] She was named the AVCA National Freshman of the Year in 2023 [3] and the AVCA National Player of the Year in 2024 [4] and 2025. [5] She was also named the ACC Freshman of the Year in 2023 [6] and the ACC Player of the Year in 2024 [7] and 2025. [8]

Contents

Early Life

Babcock is from Los Angeles, California and is the daughter of Dave and Katrina Babcock. [9] She has a twin sister and two step-brothers. [10] She played as a goalkeeper in both soccer and water polo, and started playing club volleyball at the age of 15 before she transitioned to solely playing volleyball at the age of 16. [11]

She was ranked as the No. 43 recruit by PrepVolleyball.com and No. 27 by PrepDig.com before committing to play at the University of Pittsburgh. [12] She led her high school, Sierra Canyon's volleyball team to its first Division 1 girls volleyball championship. [13] She played club volleyball at Sunshine Volleyball Club. [14]

Collegiate Career

Freshman Season (2023)

In her freshman season, Babcock played in and started all 34 matches for the Pitt Panthers and led the team in points, kills, and aces. [15] During the season, she was honored six times as ACC Freshman of the Week and once as AVCA National Player of the Week. [16] She led the Panthers to a co-ACC championship and to the National Semifinal, where they lost to Nebraska. [17]

She was named to the All-ACC First Team, All-ACC Freshman Team, and AVCA First Team All-American. [18] She became the program's first-ever AVCA National Freshman of the Year and the program's first-ever ACC Freshman of the Year. [19]

Sophomore Season (2024)

In her sophomore season, Babcock recorded 538 kills, setting a 25-point scoring era individual season record. [20] She recorded two triple-doubles and set a program record with 12 aces in a single match. [21] She also broke the all-time individual single-season record with 71 aces, surpassing a record previously set in 1989. [22]

She led the Panthers to another ACC Championship and to the National Semifinal, where they lost to rival Louisville. [23] During the season, she was named ACC Offensive Player of the Week three times and AVCA National Player of the Week twice. [24]

She was named the ACC Player of the Year, AVCA First Team All-American, and the program's first AVCA National Player of the Year. [25] She was also awarded the 2025 Honda Sport Award for Volleyball [26] and was nominated for an ESPY Award for Best Female College Athlete. [27]

Junior Season (2025)

In her junior season, Babcock broke the program record for kills with 41 against Louisville in the regular season. [28] She broke her own record two weeks later with 45 kills against the University of North Carolina. [29] She was named AVCA Player of the Week once and ACC Offensive Player of the Week five times. [30]

She was named the ACC Player of the Year for the second time, [31] becoming the first player in program history to win the award twice. On December 19, 2025, she was named the AVCA National Player of the Year for the second consecutive season, [32] making her only the fifth player in the award's history to win back-to-back honors. [33] [34] She also received the inaugural AVCA Rightside Hitter of the Year award. [35] For the second consecutive year she won the Honda Sports Award for volleyball. [36]

She led the Panthers to the team's fifth consecutive national semifinal on December 18, 2025, where they were swept by eventual champions Texas A&M in three sets. [37] Babcock led all players in the match with 22 kills and six blocks. [38]

International Career

Babcock made her national team debut in 2023, winning gold at the Girls U19 Pan American Cup. [39] In 2024, she competed with the national team at the NORCECA Women's Pan American Cup Final Six, where the team won silver. [40]

Babcock was one of two active NCAA volleyball players to play for the United States Senior National Volleyball Team in the 2025 Volleyball Nations League, where the team finished in sixth place. [41]

References

  1. "Olivia Babcock". USA Volleyball. Retrieved 2025-12-17.
  2. "Olivia Babcock - Volleyball". Pitt Panthers. Retrieved 2025-12-17.
  3. "Pitt VB Duo Babcock, Fairbanks Win ACC Freshman, Setter of the Year Honors". Pittsburgh Sports Now. 2023-11-27. Retrieved 2025-12-17.
  4. "Pittsburgh's Olivia Babcock named AVCA National Player of the Year". NCAA.com. Retrieved 2025-12-17.
  5. "Olivia Babcock Wins AVCA National Player of the Year". The Pitt News. 2025-12-19. Retrieved 2025-12-17.
  6. "Pitt VB Duo Babcock, Fairbanks Win ACC Freshman, Setter of the Year Honors". Pittsburgh Sports Now. 2023-11-27. Retrieved 2025-12-17.
  7. "Pitt Panthers Volleyball: Olivia Babcock Named ACC Player of the Year". Sports Illustrated. 2024-11-26. Retrieved 2025-12-17.
  8. "ACC Unveils 2025 Volleyball Awards". ACC. 2025-12-01. Retrieved 2025-12-17.
  9. "Olivia Babcock". USA Volleyball. Retrieved 2025-12-17.
  10. "Olivia Babcock - Volleyball". Pitt Panthers. Retrieved 2025-12-17.
  11. Feinswog, Lee (2024-12-05). "NCAA volleyball tourney begins; more coaching moves; Olivia Babcock, water polo player". Volleyballmag.com. Retrieved 2025-12-17.
  12. "Pitt Duo OH Blaire Bayless and RS Olivia Babcock Lead USA to U19 Pan Am Championship". Pittsburgh Sports Now. 2023-05-15. Retrieved 2025-12-17.
  13. "Bayless, Babcock Power USA Volleyball to U19 Pan American Cup Championship". Pitt Panthers. 2023-05-15. Retrieved 2025-12-17.
  14. "Olivia Babcock - Volleyball". Pitt Panthers. Retrieved 2025-12-17.
  15. "Olivia Babcock - Volleyball". Pitt Panthers. Retrieved 2025-12-17.
  16. "Pitt VB Duo Babcock, Fairbanks Win ACC Freshman, Setter of the Year Honors". Pittsburgh Sports Now. 2023-11-27. Retrieved 2025-12-17.
  17. "Pitt VB Duo Babcock, Fairbanks Win ACC Freshman, Setter of the Year Honors". Pittsburgh Sports Now. 2023-11-27. Retrieved 2025-12-17.
  18. "Pitt Panthers Volleyball: Olivia Babcock Named ACC Player of the Year". Sports Illustrated. 2024-11-26. Retrieved 2025-12-17.
  19. "Pitt VB Duo Babcock, Fairbanks Win ACC Freshman, Setter of the Year Honors". Pittsburgh Sports Now. 2023-11-27. Retrieved 2025-12-17.
  20. "Olivia Babcock wins AVCA National Player of the Year". The Pitt News. 2024-12-20. Retrieved 2025-12-17.
  21. "Olivia Babcock Sets New Pitt Panthers Volleyball, NCAA Record for Service Aces". Sports Illustrated. 2024-10-06. Retrieved 2025-12-17.
  22. "Pittsburgh's Olivia Babcock named AVCA National Player of the Year". NCAA.com. Retrieved 2025-12-17.
  23. "Olivia Babcock wins AVCA National Player of the Year". The Pitt News. 2024-12-20. Retrieved 2025-12-17.
  24. "Pittsburgh's Olivia Babcock named AVCA National Player of the Year". NCAA.com. Retrieved 2025-12-17.
  25. "Pittsburgh's Olivia Babcock named AVCA National Player of the Year". NCAA.com. Retrieved 2025-12-17.
  26. "Olivia Babcock of the University of Pittsburgh Named Class of 2025 Honda Sport Award Winner for Volleyball". Collegiate Women Sports Awards. 2025-01-18. Retrieved 2025-12-17.
  27. "Pitt Volleyball Star Earns ESPY Nomination". Sports Illustrated. 2025-06-26. Retrieved 2025-12-17.
  28. "Olivia Babcock Makes Pitt Panthers Volleyball History". Sports Illustrated. 2025-10-06. Retrieved 2025-12-17.
  29. "No. 4 Pitt Outlasts No. 21 UNC in Five; Babcock Shatters Kills School Record". Pitt Panthers. 2025-11-02. Retrieved 2025-12-17.
  30. "Olivia Babcock Wins AVCA National Player of the Year". The Pitt News. 2025-12-19. Retrieved 2025-12-17.
  31. "Olivia Babcock: Pitt's best female athlete of 2025". The Pitt News. 2025-12-05. Retrieved 2026-01-02.
  32. "Pittsburgh's Olivia Babcock repeats as AVCA Division I Women's Player of the Year". NCAA.com. 2025-12-19. Retrieved 2026-01-02.
  33. "Olivia Babcock Named Back-To-Back AVCA National Player of the Year". Pitt Panthers. 2025-12-19. Retrieved 2026-01-02.
  34. "Pitt's Olivia Babcock Wins Back-To-Back National Player Of the Year". Sports Illustrated. 2025-12-19. Retrieved 2026-01-02.
  35. "Olivia Babcock Named Back-To-Back AVCA National Player of the Year". Pitt Panthers. 2025-12-19. Retrieved 2026-01-02.
  36. "Pitt's Babcock Named Honda Sport Award Winner for Volleyball". ACC. 21 January 2026. Retrieved 21 January 2026.
  37. "Pitt's Olivia Babcock Hints at Return After Semifinal Loss". Sports Illustrated. 2025-12-18. Retrieved 2026-01-02.
  38. "Pitt's Olivia Babcock Hints at Return After Semifinal Loss". Sports Illustrated. 2025-12-18. Retrieved 2026-01-02.
  39. "Girls U19 Team Wins 2023 Pan Am Cup Gold". USA Volleyball. 2023-05-14. Retrieved 2025-12-17.
  40. "2024 NORCECA Women's Pan American Cup Final Six". USA Volleyball. Retrieved 2025-12-17.
  41. "Pitt Panthers Duo Makes USA Volleyball Nations League Roster". Sports Illustrated. 2025-05-14. Retrieved 2025-12-17.