There’s no shortage of top-15 and top-25 match ups this week. Several of the top teams in the Big 12 are facing off, while struggling ACC and Big Ten teams have the opportunity to make a statement with a winning record this week. Here’s what to check out.

Wednesday, October 22

#10 TCU vs. #14 Kansas

Two of the top teams in the Big 12 are facing off for the second time this season. Last time, TCU took down Kansas in four sets, two of which weren’t close (25-15 in the first set and 25-13 in the fourth). Since then, both teams are undefeated, with Kansas having beaten Baylor in five sets not long after the Bears upset TCU. 

In their last meeting, Kansas’ top scorer was middle blocker Reese Ptacek, whose 13 kills on a .348 efficiency could have been a difference maker if only the rest of her team was able to score on the same level. The biggest opportunity for Kansas to improve is to get its pin hitters, particularly Jovana Zelenovic (who had only five kills on a .143 efficiency against TCU last time), going. Zelenovic has hit .413 in her last four matches, so if she can keep that up, the Jayhawks have a real shot at evening the score.

For TCU, leading scorer Evan Hendrix has continued to be a revelation. Against Kansas, she posted 20 kills on a blistering .526 efficiency, and in TCU’s last outing against Kansas State, she had 27 kills and 23 digs. Becca Kelley also has been on a tear—she had 21 kills last time these two teams faced off and followed that up with 12 kills on a .688 efficiency in a sweep of Texas Tech. If Hendrix and Kelley stay anywhere near the top of their game, it’s going to be a tough night for Kansas.

When and where: 7:00pm EDT on FS1

Thursday, October 23

#17 BYU vs. #19 Baylor

BYU has swept Baylor in the last two meetings, but it’s hard to predict how this year’s match will go. BYU comes into the match with a 16-3 record, while Baylor’s 11-6 record looks much worse on paper but is more justified when you compare the strength of their off-season schedule with BYU’s. Baylor fell in five sets to #10 SMU and #11 Florida before being swept by #2 Texas, but they then bested #9 TCU in five sets. BYU’s best win this season came in a sweep over #16 USC in September, but they recently lost to the unranked West Virginia.

All that is to say that these teams are relatively evenly matched, and who comes out victorious will depend on which team can better contain the other’s best hitter(s). For Baylor, that means slowing down freshman Suli Davis, who leads her team in total kills (298) and kills per set (4.32). Claire Little-Chambers is right behind her with 284 kills and 4.18 per set, but she struggled mightily in BYU’s last outing against Arizona State, posting 14 kills on a .067 hitting efficiency. Rebounding in this match will provide the usual one-two punch that BYU has from their left side hitters, which, in combination with a solid performance from middle blocker Brielle Kemavor, could make things tough for Baylor.

BYU’s strategy will have to include slowing down Manuela Bibinbe, who leads the Bears in the points per set with 3.25, as well as freshman Ksenia Rakhmanchik, who has posted double-digit kills in her last seven matches. 

When and where: 8:00pm EDT on ESPN+

Friday, October 17

#20 Minnesota vs. #23 Indiana

Both of these middle-of-the-pack Big Ten teams came out of last week with one win and one loss; Minnesota fell to Oregon before beating Washington, while Indiana lost to in-state rival Purdue before defeating Ohio State.

Minnesota, beleaguered by four season-ending injuries to its starting lineup, is still figuring out what will work best for the team to finish out the season. The team’s star hitter, Julia Hanson, still leads the offense, but it’s the other pin hitters whose consistency can’t necessarily be relied upon—especially if Hanson is having an off-night. Freshman opposite Carly Gilk has been stepping up her game lately, with 11 kills on a .550 hitting percentage against Washington helping secure that win. 

Indiana is a strong blocking squad, however, and if Minnesota’s offense gets predictable (i.e., every ball goes to Hanson), they’ll be able to shut that down quickly. Top blocker Ella Boersema unfortunately sustained an injury during the match against Purdue, but Madi Sell didn’t seem to miss a beat when coming in for, and together with Victoria Gray, the two are a formidable pair of blockers. Offensively, Indiana has several weapons, including the aforementioned blockers, right-side Avry Tatum (3.37 kills per set), and freshman standout Jaidyn Jager, who leads the team with 252.5 points.

When and where: 6:00pm EDT on Big Ten Network

Saturday, October 25

#10 TCU vs. #17 BYU

It’s yet another top-20 match up for each of these squads. The outcomes of the matches earlier in the week may spur a sense of urgency to win here if one or both of these teams are upset. Either way, we can expect some heavy hitting from the aforementioned Evan Hendrix and Bre Kelley of TCU and Suli Davis and Claire Little-Chambers of BYU. 

When and where: 2:00pm EDT on ESPN+

Sunday, October 26

#8 Louisville vs. #21 North Carolina

Almost every team in the top 25 is playing on Sunday, so choose whichever match you like. If you don’t know what to watch, I recommend checking out how Louisville rebounds after a tough week of five-set losses against SMU and Pitt. This match will take place after Louisville plays and likely beats Duke (5-14 overall, 2-6 in conference), so the Cardinals may have some of their mojo back. But though North Carolina is ranked much lower than Louisville, this is by no means a guaranteed walk in the park.

While it’s true that North Carolina’s conference schedule has been pretty breezy to start, the fact is that they are the only undefeated team in ACC play so far. Combine this with their overall 15-2 record, which includes a sweep over Florida, and they are a team that has the chance to prove themselves in a big way. Outside hitter Safi Hampton has been excellent for the Tar Heels, posting double-digit kills in all but one match this season and maintaining a hitting efficiency just shy of .300. UNC is also first in the ACC and fourth nationally for opponent hitting percentage, holding opponents to just .144 against them thanks in large part to middle blocker Jackie Taylor, who is second in the conference for blocks per set with 1.43. 

To ensure a win, Louisville needs to stay disciplined. If Chloe Chicoine has another good night, like she did against Pitt, that will help immensely. Additionally, UNC is toward the bottom of the conference in terms of aces per set, so Louisville should be able to stay in system most of the time, which will help get Cara Cresse a fair number of attempts.

When and where: 3:00pm EDT on ESPN