UNI volleyball will match up with the Utah Utes in the opening round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament, as announced during the NCAA Division I Volleyball Selection Show on Sunday evening. 

The Panthers, who are the six seed in the Kentucky-quadrant of the bracket, will face the Utes on Thursday, December 4, at 4:30 p.m. CT at D.J. Sokol Arena in Omaha, Nebraska. The winner of that match will play the winner of No. 3-seed Creighton and Northern Colorado on Friday at 6:30 p.m. CT.

UNI, who is making its 27th NCAA Tournament appearance, will be facing Utah for the fourth time in program history and first time in the postseason. The Panthers hold the 2-1 edge, last facing the Utes in 2013.

The Panthers earned the Missouri Valley Conference's automatic bid after winning their fourth-straight tournament title. UNI enters the postseason on a 21-match win streak, which is tied for the second-longest active winning streak in the nation. 

Utah, who earned an at-large bid out of the Big 12, enters its 20th NCAA Tournament with a 15-14 overall record, including a trio of Top-25 wins, and 7-11 mark against Conference opponents in 2025. 

Northern Iowa carries an all-time NCAA Tournament record of 17-26 into this year's field of 64 with three Sweet Sixteen appearances under its belt (1999, 2001, 2002).