A preview of the women’s volleyball national semifinals

The GIST: The women’s volleyball national semifinalists take the court in Tampa, FL, tomorrow night, hoping to make Santa’s nice victorious list for the opportunity to wrap their season with a championship bow on Sunday.

No. 1 Nebraska Cornhuskers (32-1) vs. No. 1 Pittsburgh Panthers (29-4), 7 p.m. ET (ESPN): No ACC team has ever won the natty, and Pitt — who’ve never made the final — are hungry to change that stat. The Panthers face an uphill battle though: They’ve never defeated Nebraska.

• On the flip side, the overall No. 1–seed Huskers are no strangers to success. This will be the five-time champs’ 17th (!!!) Final Four berth and they’ve won all but one set all tourney.

No. 1 Wisconsin Badgers (30-3) vs. No. 2 Texas Longhorns (26-4), 9:30 p.m. ET (ESPN): This is defending champ Texas’ 15th NCAA semi, and with stars like middle blocker (MB) Asjia O’Neal, these Longhorns could swim to a fourth ’ship.

• But not if the Badgers have anything to say about it. With junior outside hitter Anna Smrek back and healthy, Wisconsin’s lone 2021 trophy could soon have company.