A volleyball season has many ups and downs. Each weekend brings a different set of competition, from familiar University Athletic Association (UAA) foes to an array of high-level invitational tournaments across the country. This weekend, the Bears were tested by two Top-25 opponents at the Marty Petersen Invitational in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. For a team like the No. 10 WashU volleyball team, building consistency, playing together, and responding to adversity against a variety of play styles and opponents early in the season is vital to a run in the UAA and NCAA Tournament in November. Last weekend, the Bears moved through […]

For a team with national ambitions, the No. 11 WashU volleyball team could not have asked for a stronger start to the 2025 season. Kicking off the year at the annual Bear Invite, WashU swept through four opponents in two days to open the season with an undefeated start. The weekend showcased a blend of dominance and perseverance, highlighted by three sweeps and a dramatic five-set comeback win in Saturday’s finale, demonstrating the grit of the Bears early on.

For the past three seasons, women’s volleyball has advanced to the D-III tournament. Each of those seasons, the Bears were eliminated in the second round. Although this year’s team will look different from previous years’ squads, the Bears hope that they can get over the hump in 2025.

WashU was able to beat Saint Benedict 3-0, but then fell 3-1 to No. 17 University of Wisconsin–Platteville the following day. The Bears’ season ended in the second round for the third season in a row, with a 29-7 record.

The No. 11 WashU volleyball team dominated the opening day of the University Athletic Association (UAA) Championship on Friday, Nov. 15, defeating New York University and No. 16 Case Western Reserve University in single-elimination matchups. These victories propelled the Bears into Saturday’s championship game against No. 6 Emory University, where they fell 3-0.

The regular season has officially come to a close for the No. 11 WashU women’s volleyball team. Following a 26-5 season, the Bears are ranked as the third seed in the upcoming UAA championship tournament.

The Bears swept both opponents in competitive fixtures, with each match lasting five sets. The match against UChicago featured a comeback after being down two sets to one, and against Carnegie Mellon, they held on after taking an early lead. With the wins, the Bears finish UAA play 5-2 and will enter the conference tournament as the third seed.

Playing at home, and making their return to the WashU Field House after a pipe burst forced the team to play matches on the Sumers Recreation Center and Varsity Gym courts, the Bears were able to flip the script, defeating Brandeis University and No. 23 New York University on Sunday, Oct. 13, both in four sets.

The Bears, however, couldn’t keep their win streak alive, falling by tight margins to Emory and Case Western before bouncing back to defeat Rochester 3-0.

There’s only one way to properly describe the No. 9 Washington University volleyball team: on fire. The Bears walked into the weekend with an eight-game win streak, and left with their undefeated streak extended to eleven.