UNI volleyball draws Utah in opening round of 2025 NCAA Tournament

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa --- UNI volleyball will match up with the Utah Utes in the opening round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament, as announced during the release of the bracket on Sunday afternoon on ESPN.

The Panthers, seeded sixth in the Creighton quarter of the bracket, will battle the Utes at D.J. Sokol Arena on Thursday, Dec. 4 in Omaha at 4:30 p.m. CT. Should Northern Iowa prevail in its first round match, the Panthers would play the winner of third-seeded Creighton and Northern Colorado on Dec. 5 at 6:30 p.m. CT.

UNI, who will make its 27th NCAA Tournament appearance this week, will square off with Utah for the fourth time in program history and first time in the postseason. The Panthers lead the all-time series with the Utes, 2-1 with the last meeting coming during the 2013 non-conference schedule, won by Utah in four sets.

The Panthers qualified for this year's tournament after posting a 25-5 record, finishing 16-0 in Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) play for its fourth straight regular season and tournament championships. Northern Iowa has won its last 21 matches, tied for the second-longest active winning streak in Division I.

Utah enters its 20th NCAA Tournament after posting a 15-14 record in 2025 and a 7-11 mark against Big 12 opponents, finishing in a tie for 11th in the league standings. The Utes notably recorded three wins over top-25 ranked opponents (Kansas, BYU, Dayton) and rank fourth in the Big 12 with 1.4 service aces per set. Kamryn Gibaldo leads Utah with 4.2 kills per frame, ranking in the top-ten in the league.

Northern Iowa carries an all-time NCAA Tournament record of 17-26 into this year's field of 64, with three Sweet Sixteen appearances under its belt (1999, 2001, 2002).

UNI volleyball action can be followed all season long on social media on Facebook (UNI Volleyball), X (@UNIVolleyball) and on Instagram (@univolleyball). The full 2025 schedule and roster, along with the latest Panther news and information can be found online at UNIpanthers.com.

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