WVU Volleyball (15-15, 3-15) wrapped up its 2025 season at the end of November. The Mountaineers had a successful non-conference season before struggling in Big 12 Conference action. Read more: Season in review: WVU Volleyball
Strong non-conference start
West Virginia opened the season with one of its best starts in program history. The Mountaineers went undefeated through the Quest for the Crown tournament and the West Virginia Invitational, building a 9–0 record. They added three more wins to reach 12–0. Early on, WVU leaned on consistent offense to find success against opponents.
Matches during this stretch featured several standout performances, including multiple double-digit kill nights from Nina Horning and Trinity Sheridan, along with efficient blocking numbers from Laila Ibrahim and Maddy McGath. The first month showed a confident group that handled momentum well and executed in long rallies.
Big 12 reality check
The undefeated run came to an end once conference play began. WVU dropped its Big 12 opener and then its home opener, but quickly responded with the program’s highlight win of the year. WVU took a four-set victory over BYU at Hope Coliseum. The match featured one of WVU’s strongest defensive efforts of the season and marked a major turning point in their ability to compete with ranked-caliber teams.
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Head coach Jen Greeny explained the team’s focus at this stage of the season:
“We are building a foundation that will pay off. The effort is there. Now it’s about learning how to compete at this level.”
Midseason battles
The middle stretch of the season featured road losses to Cincinnati, UCF, Iowa State, and Colorado. Many of these matches showed promising first sets or strong late pushes but lacked the offensive consistency needed to close out full matches. Sheridan became a major offensive leader here, posting a 23-kill performance against Texas Tech and following it with 14 kills in the next outing. Horning added multiple double-digit kill matches as well.
Defensively, libero LonDynn Betts was a steady anchor with double-digit dig nights throughout conference play, while setter Alexis Finnvold repeatedly put up big assist totals, including 43 and 24 in consecutive matches.
Five-set tests and a major comeback
The Homecoming match against Utah was one of the most competitive of the season. WVU forced a fifth set behind strong hitting from Horning and improved blocking but ultimately fell in the final frame.
The best comeback of the year came soon after. Down two sets to Houston, WVU pulled off a reverse sweep with improved with pressure and breakout offensive stretches from Sheridan and McGath. It was the type of win that showed the composure Greeny emphasized all season.
Ranked opponents and final road trip
The final weeks included matchups against No. 21 Colorado, No. 22 Iowa State, and a road series against Arizona and Arizona State. WVU managed strong individual performances in these matches, including several double-digit dig efforts from Betts and efficient hitting nights in isolated sets, but could not convert these spurts into full-match wins.
Season outlook
West Virginia closed the season with a .500 overall record and several key performances from its core group. Sheridan held a career-best 25 kills vs Texas Tech, and had more than 2o points in multiple matches. Horning recorded consistent early season scoring and career best performances during non-conference play.
Finnvold added multiple double-doubles, a strong assist production, and four service aces in a single match. Betts was a team leader in digs in most matches.
McGath and Ibrahim were reliable in blocking and had efficient hitting percentages.
The Mountaineers began the year as one of the hottest teams in the country. They finished as a group with a clear identity and an understanding of what competing in the Big 12 requires. The strong non-conference run, the win over BYU, and the reverse sweep at Houston all point to what this team is capable of moving forward.
