Pitt Tabbed First in ACC Preseason Poll, Three Panthers Garner Preseason Honors

PITTSBURGH – All-Americans Rachel Fairbanks, Olivia Babcock and Torrey Stafford were named to the Preseason All-ACC Team on Thursday, the conference office announced. The Panthers were chosen to finish first in the ACC after claiming a share of back-to-back conference championships. Pitt received 285 total points and 13 first place votes by ACC head coaches. 

Fairbanks had the best season of her career as a junior, being named an AVCA First Team All-American, ACC Setter of the Year, AVCA East Coast Region Player of the Year and ACC Co-Scholar Athlete of the Year for the first time. In addition, she was tabbed an All-ACC First Team, AVCA East Coast Region Team and Pittsburgh NCAA Regional All-Tournament Team member en route to the program’s third straight National Semifinal. She totaled 933 assists, 190 digs, 59 kills, 52 blocks and 22 aces.

Babcock experienced the most decorated freshman season in program history in 2023, as she was named Pitt volleyball’s first ever AVCA National Freshman of the Year and ACC Freshman of the Year and is the only rookie in program history to garner AVCA First Team All-American honors. She also notched AVCA East Coast Region Freshman of the Year honors along with being named a First Team All-ACC and All-ACC Freshman Team performer, AVCA East Coast Region Freshman of the Year, Pittsburgh NCAA Regional Most Valuable Player and six-time ACC Freshman of the Week. Babcock joined Pitt volleyball great Kayla (Lund) Thomas as the second Panther to be named the AVCA National Player of the Week. 

Stafford also enjoyed an incredible freshman campaign last season, being named a 2023 AVCA Third Team All-American and All-ACC First Team, All-ACC Freshman Team and AVCA East Coast Region Team member. She notched four ACC weekly awards and was named to the Pittsburgh NCAA Regional All-Tournament Team after her dominant performances in the Regional Semifinals and Finals. Stafford concluded her freshman season with 372 kills, 202 digs, 73 blocks, 23 assists and 15 aces as a six-rotation player. 

The Panthers open their season on Aug. 30 at 8 p.m. EST in Eugene, Ore. as they play 2023 Elite Eight participant Oregon. Pitt will wrap up the weekend taking on Long Beach State on Aug. 31 in Mathew Knight Arena at 7 p.m….