1997 NCAA Division I women's volleyball tournament

1997 NCAA women's Division I volleyball tournament
1997 NCAA Final Four logo
ChampionsStanford (4th title)
Runner-upPenn State (2nd title match)
Semifinalists
Winning coachDon Shaw (4th title)
Most outstanding playerTerri Zemaitis (Penn State)
Final Four All-Tournament Team
«1996  1998»

The 1997 NCAA Division I women's volleyball tournament began with 56 teams and ended on December 20, 1997, when Stanford defeated Penn State 3 games to 2 in the NCAA championship match.

Stanford won their second straight title and 4th in 6 years. After winning the first two games 15-10, 15-6, Penn State forced a fifth game as the Nittany Lions won the next two 15-2, 17-15. In the decisive fifth game, Stanford jumped out to the 12-8 lead before Kristin Folkl recorded the final three kills for the 15-9 win. Stanford finished the year 33-2, with their only two losses coming from Penn State in the early season.[1]

The 1997 NCAA tournament was the first, and would be the last, year with 56 tournament teams, as it was expanded from 48 teams (1993-1996). In 1998, the tournament would be expanded to its present-day 64 tournament teams.

  1. ^ "Stanford Captures Fourth NCAA Championship". Stanford Athletics. December 20, 1997. Archived from the original on July 24, 2011. Retrieved March 26, 2009.