Louisville Stays Unbeaten in ACC Volleyball Race
Louisville is the only undefeated team left in the ACC volleyball title race, with road matches at SMU and Pitt ahead.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Volleyball
Louisville is 24-2 overall and 14-0 in ACC play, the only unbeaten team left in the conference title race. The Cardinals play at SMU on Thursday, Nov. 13 and at Pitt on Sunday, Nov. 16, matches that may decide the race.
Why it matters
The ACC has no conference tournament, and its champion receives the conference's automatic NCAA bid, so the regular-season standings determine the title. Each team has six league matches left, and Pitt, at 23-1 overall and 13-1 in ACC play, is the other leader.
Louisville has won 14 straight conference matches and is 24-2 overall, while Pitt is 23-1 and SMU is 20-4. Each team has six league matches remaining, and the final standings depend on how the Cardinals fare at SMU and Pitt.
The players
Louisville Cardinals volleyball
The Louisville women's volleyball program competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference and is the subject of this title-race update.
Pitt Panthers volleyball
The University of Pittsburgh women's volleyball program is a 23-1 ACC contender whose Sunday match at Louisville's visit may decide the conference race.
SMU Mustangs volleyball
The Southern Methodist University women's volleyball program is 20-4 overall and hosts Louisville on Thursday in a match that bears on the title race.
The details
Louisville won a sweep of North Carolina on Oct. 18 that gave it sole possession of first place. Pitt swept North Carolina on Sunday, and SMU is the only team to beat Pitt this season, winning their Oct. 7 meeting 3-1.
Timeline
Oct. 7: SMU beat Pitt 3-1.
Oct. 18: Louisville swept North Carolina to take sole first place.
Thursday, Nov. 13: Louisville plays at SMU at 8 p.m. ET.
Sunday, Nov. 16: Louisville plays at Pitt at 8 p.m. ET.
Nov. 28: Louisville hosts SMU.
Season Trajectory
Louisville's position reverses the 2025 season, when Pitt swept the series including a five-set road win over the Cardinals. With no conference tournament, the remaining road trips at SMU and Pitt will shape the final ACC standings and the automatic NCAA bid.
Because the ACC has no conference tournament, the regular-season standings decide the automatic NCAA bid. Fans tracking the race should watch the Nov. 16 match at Pitt, which could settle the conference title.
The takeaway
The title race is not yet decided, and the Nov. 16 match at Pitt is the one most likely to determine it. Following the remaining standings through the final week will show who holds the automatic NCAA bid.
What happens next
Louisville plays at SMU on Thursday, Nov. 13 at 8 p.m. ET and at Pitt on Sunday, Nov. 16 at 8 p.m. ET, with the Pitt match likely to decide the race.
Further reading
For more on the team's season, see Volleyball coverage across the conference.
