The North Carolina Tar Heels volleyball team enters the 2024 season with high hopes of capturing their first ever national championship. With a strong returning core and an elite recruiting class, the Tar Heels are poised to make a deep tournament run.
UNC brings back 4 starters from last year’s squad that reached the Elite Eight. Preseason All-American junior setter Maggie Cobb leads the charge after averaging 11 assists per set in 2023. She will have no shortage of weapons to set up, including senior outside hitter Sarah Keller (3.2 kills per set) and junior middle blocker Rachel Lane (1.4 blocks per set).
Incoming freshmen Emma Jones and Katie Wu, both top 15 recruits, provide an immediate boost at opposite hitter and libero. Jones will bring some much-needed firepower behind the service line, while Wu’s superior passing and digging skills should bolster the back row.
The well-rounded Tar Heels have experience, depth, and elite talent at nearly every position. They have all the pieces in place for a championship run. Thus, expectations both inside and outside the program are sky high. UNC enters the season ranked #4 in the AVCA preseason poll, their highest ever preseason ranking.
Betting houses also view the Tar Heels as top contenders for the national title. According to the odds at BetMGM North Carolina, UNC opens at +600 odds to win it all, trailing only #1 Texas, #2 Wisconsin, and #3 Louisville. Their +600 odds imply about a 14% probability of cutting down the nets come December.
For bettors looking to wager on women’s volleyball, BetMGM offers a wide variety of betting options. You can bet on futures like which team will win the championship or which players will take home end-of-season awards. There are also lines for each individual match, including spreads, over/unders on sets played, correct scores, and more.
With an experienced lineup mixed with elite young talent, North Carolina ticks all the boxes of a championship contender. They have skill, athleticism, defense, serving, and solid coaching. After coming painfully close in last year’s Elite Eight, the Tar Heels are poised to finally get over the hump and compete for their first ever national title. Both fans and oddsmakers view UNC as top candidates to make a deep tournament run. We’ll soon find out if the Tar Heels can live up to the lofty expectations that come with a #4 preseason ranking.
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