Nebraska and Omaha have made history, shattering previous records with an astonishing attendance of 92,003 fans at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska, on August 30, 2023. This regular-season match not only set the record for Division I women’s college volleyball but also broke the world record for any women’s sporting event attendance, eclipsing the former record of 91,648 set at a UEFA Women’s Champions League match in 2022. The excitement didn’t stop there, as the national final between Penn State and Louisville on December 22, 2024, attracted 21,860 fans to the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Kentucky, setting a new indoor attendance record.
Let’s look into the top ten highest-attended Division I college volleyball matches that have captivated fans across the country:
1. 92,003: Nebraska defeated Omaha on Aug. 30, 2023, at Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Nebraska
2. 21,860: Penn State defeated Louisville on Dec. 22, 2024, at the KFC Yum! Center, Louisville, KY, in the NCAA final
3. 21,726: Louisville defeated Pitt and Penn State defeated Nebraska on Dec. 19, 2024, at the KFC Yum! Center, Louisville, KY, in the NCAA semifinals
4. 19,727: Texas defeated Nebraska on Dec. 17, 2023, at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida, in the NCAA final
5. 19,598: Nebraska defeated Pitt and Texas defeated Wisconsin on Dec. 14, 2023, at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida, in the NCAA semifinals
6. 18,755: Wisconsin defeated Nebraska on Dec. 18, 2021, at the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, in the NCAA final
7. 18,516: Nebraska defeated Florida on Dec. 16, 2017, at the Sprint Center in Kansas City, MO, in the NCAA final
8. 18,374: Florida defeated Stanford and Nebraska defeated Penn State on Dec. 14, 2017, at the Sprint Center in Kansas City, MO, in the NCAA semifinals
9. 18,113: Stanford defeated Nebraska on Dec. 15, 2018, at the Target Center in Minneapolis, MN, in the NCAA final
10. 17,808: Stanford defeated BYU and Nebraska defeated Illinois on Dec. 13, 2018, in the NCAA semifinals at the Target Center in Minneapolis, MN
These matches highlight the immense popularity and growth of women’s college volleyball, showcasing thrilling moments, unmatched fan engagement, and historic achievements in the sport. If you’re curious about further records and averages across NCAA volleyball divisions, check out the detailed records in this PDF.
Scroll to the right to view the entire table of attendance records.
| ATT. | WINNER | OPPONENT | SCORE | DATE | ARENA | CITY | STATE | TOURNAMENT ROUND | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 92,003 | Nebraska* | Omaha | 3-0 | Aug. 30, 2023 | Memorial Stadium | Lincoln | NE | |
| 2 | 21,860 | Penn State | Louisville | 3-1 | Dec. 22, 2024 | KFC Yum! Center | Louisville | KY | NCAA Final |
| 3 | 21,726 | Louisville* | Pitt | 3-1 | Dec. 19, 2024 | KFC Yum! Center | Louisville | KY | NCAA semifinals |
| 4 | 19,727 | Texas | Nebraska | 3-0 | Dec. 17, 2023 | Amalie Arena | Tampa | FL | NCAA Final |
| 5 | 19,598 | Nebraska | Pitt | 3-0 | Dec. 14, 2023 | Amalie Arena | Tampa | FL | NCAA semifinals |
| 6 | 18,755 | Wisconsin | Nebraska | 3-2 | Dec. 18, 2021 | Nationwide Arena | Columbus | OH | NCAA final |
| 7 | 18,516 | Nebraska | Florida | 3-1 | Dec. 16, 2017 | Sprint Center | Kansas City | MO | NCAA final |
| 8 | 18,374 | Florida | Stanford | 3-2 | Dec. 14, 2017 | Sprint Center | Kansas City | MO | NCAA semifinals |
| 9 | 18,113 | Stanford | Nebraska | 3-2 | Dec. 15, 2018 | Target Center | Minneapolis | MN | NCAA final |
| 10 | 17,808 | Stanford | BYU | 3-0 | Dec. 13, 2018 | Target Center | Minneapolis | MN | NCAA semifinals |
* Host institution.
All arenas listed under current (or most recent) name.
