Olivia Babcock (born June 28, 2005)[1] is an American collegiate volleyball player who currently plays for thePittsburgh Panthers women's volleyball team.[2] She was named theAVCA National Freshman of the Year in 2023[3] and the AVCA National Player of the Year in 2024[4] and 2025.[5] She was also named theACC Freshman of the Year in 2023[6] and the ACC Player of the Year in 2024[7] and 2025.[8]
Babcock is fromLos Angeles, California and is the daughter of Dave and Katrina Babcock.[9] She has a twin sister and two step-brothers.[10] She played as a goalkeeper in both soccer and water polo, and started playing club volleyball at the age of 15 before she transitioned to solely playing volleyball at the age of 16.[11]
She was ranked as the No. 43 recruit by PrepVolleyball.com and No. 27 by PrepDig.com before committing to play at theUniversity of Pittsburgh.[12] She led her high school,Sierra Canyon's volleyball team to its first Division 1 girls volleyball championship.[13] She played club volleyball at Sunshine Volleyball Club.[14]
In her freshman season, Babcock played in and started all 34 matches for the Pitt Panthers and led the team in points, kills, and aces.[15] During the season, she was honored six times as ACC Freshman of the Week and once as AVCA National Player of the Week.[16] She led the Panthers to a co-ACC championship and to theNational Semifinal, where they lost to Nebraska.[17]
She was named to the All-ACC First Team, All-ACC Freshman Team, and AVCA First Team All-American.[18] She became the program's first-ever AVCA National Freshman of the Year and the program's first-ever ACC Freshman of the Year.[19]
In her sophomore season, Babcock recorded 538 kills, setting a 25-point scoring era individual season record.[20] She recorded two triple-doubles and set a program record with 12 aces in a single match.[21] She also broke the all-time individual single-season record with 71 aces, surpassing a record previously set in 1989.[22]
She led the Panthers to another ACC Championship and to theNational Semifinal, where they lost to rival Louisville.[23] During the season, she was named ACC Offensive Player of the Week three times and AVCA National Player of the Week twice.[24]
She was named the ACC Player of the Year, AVCA First Team All-American, and the program's first AVCA National Player of the Year.[25] She was also awarded the 2025Honda Sport Award for Volleyball[26] and was nominated for anESPY Award for Best Female College Athlete.[27]
In her junior season, Babcock broke the program record for kills with 41 against Louisville in the regular season.[28] She broke her own record two weeks later with 45 kills against the University of North Carolina.[29] She was named AVCA Player of the Week once and ACC Offensive Player of the Week five times.[30]
She was named the ACC Player of the Year for the second time,[31] becoming the first player in program history to win the award twice. On December 19, 2025, she was named the AVCA National Player of the Year for the second consecutive season,[32] making her only the fifth player in the award's history to win back-to-back honors.[33][34] She also received the inaugural AVCA Rightside Hitter of the Year award.[35] For the second consecutive year she won the Honda Sports Award for volleyball.[36]
She led the Panthers to the team's fifth consecutive national semifinal on December 18, 2025, where they were swept by eventual champions Texas A&M in three sets.[37] Babcock led all players in the match with 22 kills and six blocks.[38]
