Pitt Volleyball: A Hunter’s Mindset Drives Their Historic Season
ON AN UNSEASONABLY warm October afternoon, Pitt volleyball coach Dan Fisher strolls into the Panthers’ locker room, his sandy-blonde hair neatly combed and his outfit—a light-blue shirt paired with navy dress pants—looking sharp. But Fisher, ever the detail-oriented leader, seeks a second opinion.
“What do you think of the blue on blue?” he asks, tugging at his sleeve with a curious smile. The players, lounging in their lockers, give him a collective thumbs-up. It’s a lighthearted moment, but the stakes couldn’t be higher. Fisher knows that details matter when you’re chasing history. Pitt volleyball is on the brink of joining an elite club of NCAA champions, a group that has admitted only three new members in the past 30 years. After three agonizingly close seasons, the Panthers are ranked No. 1 for the first time in program history. This year, they’re determined to finish the job.
Among the players in the room is sophomore Olivia Babcock, whose jump serve is as thunderous as her spike is lightning-quick. All-American setter Rachel Fairbanks, with hands as precise as a surgeon’s, sits nearby. And then there’s Valeria Vazquez Gomez, a sixth-year senior who has seen the program evolve from a grateful tournament invitee to a three-time national semifinalist—and now, the favorite.
In just 103 minutes, Pitt will face nine-time national champion Stanford, a team they’ve never beaten in four previous meetings. A win would be another historic first for the program. Fisher’s gaze sharpens as he addresses his team. “We need to be in hunter mindset,” he says. “We’re getting closer to the tournament—this is the kind of team we need to be able to beat if we want to go deep.”
Preparing for the Hunt
The players turn their attention to a projector screen, where clips of Stanford’s setter Kami Miner play. They pause the video each time Miner jumps, guessing her next move: “Outside.” “Slide.” “Dump.” They’re spot on. Fisher reminds them to trust their instincts. “We’ve done a lot of work, we’ve watched a lot of video this week,” he says. “The reason is so we don’t have to think in-game—just trust what you see. That’s way better than what’s on paper.”
Associate head coach Kellen Petrone then leads the team through a mental rehearsal. Players close their eyes, palms on their thighs, as Petrone guides them through visualization exercises. “Check in with your mood,” he says. “Think about where you want to be when the game starts.” The players focus: Hunter mindset, Fairbanks thinks. Georgia Tech. Feeling invincible, Babcock recalls. Bright lights. Flood of Pitt fans. The band playing ‘Hot to Go’, Vazquez Gomez envisions.
When the exercise ends, the team takes a collective inhale and bursts out of the locker room, ready to hunt. They form a circle on the court, shouting each other’s names and dancing in the center. The hunt is officially on.
The Evolution of a Program
Founded in 1974, Pitt volleyball has embraced the panther’s hunter mindset as its identity. Over the years, the team has incorporated predator-like tactics into its style of play: quick-strike offenses, high and hard swings, bold blocks, and aggressive serves. Tipping is taboo. The Panthers control the pace and emotion of the game, playing loud and unapologetically.
Players point to a pivotal moment in the 2023 regional final against Louisville. Down two sets to none, Babcock, Vazquez Gomez, and outside hitter Torrey Stafford retreated to a bathroom near the gym. They clasped hands, screamed at the top of their lungs, and returned to the court with renewed energy. Pitt went on to win the next three sets, securing their third straight final four appearance. “We looked at each other, and we’re like, there’s no way we aren’t winning this game,” Fairbanks recalls.
But the final four has been a hurdle Pitt has yet to clear. In 2023, they lost to Nebraska in straight sets. The defeat stung, but it fueled their hunger. “The anger turned to hunger,” Fairbanks says. The team returned to the gym the next day, determined to take the next step.
Building a Championship Culture
When Dan Fisher took over as head coach in 2013, Pitt volleyball was far from a powerhouse. The program had just one win in 45 games against top-10 opponents. Fisher, a former professional player and U.S. national team coach, focused on building a culture of investment and development. “If you go to another program, you’re going to be one of eight players in the same position,” he told recruits. “Or you can come here, and I’m going to [fully] invest in you as a person.”
Fisher’s approach paid off. By 2016, Pitt made the NCAA tournament for the first time in 12 years. In 2021, they reached the Elite Eight. By 2022, they were ACC champions and final four regulars. Fisher’s “hunter mindset” became a cornerstone of the program, emphasizing aggression, confidence, and team cohesion.
Fisher also introduced unique cultural elements, like visualization exercises, “team czars” responsible for locker room duties, and even a team dance inspired by the New Zealand All Blacks rugby team. He carries a spiral-bound notebook titled “The Championship DNA,” filled with principles like gratitude, stamina, and mudita—a Sanskrit word for finding joy in others’ success. “The best moments in life are when you’re not thinking about yourself,” Fisher says. “In volleyball, you can see it when someone gets so excited for someone else’s kill.”
Chasing History
This season, Pitt has been nearly unstoppable. They opened with 12 straight sweeps, including wins over USC and Penn State. After a midseason loss to SMU, they regrouped and won their final 14 regular-season games, capturing their third straight ACC championship. Now, as the overall No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament, they’re poised to make history.
In their recent sweep of Stanford, Pitt showcased their dominance. Fairbanks recorded 35 assists and nine digs, while Babcock tallied 17 kills. The Panthers controlled the match from start to finish, proving they belong among the sport’s elite. “Historically, volleyball has been [about] a group of eight teams, and we’re fighting to show that we belong,” Fairbanks says.
As the tournament looms, Fisher remains confident. “The key is to be the aggressor, to be in the hunter mindset,” he says. “We want to always feel like we’re going after somebody.”
For Pitt, the hunt continues. And this time, they’re determined to bring home the ultimate prize.
Originally Written by: Priya Desai
