Panthers fall to Preseason Favorites in Conference USA Finals

The FIU Panthers finished their postseason run, falling just short in the Conference USA Championship round to the UTEP Miners.

Entering the Post-Season

The Panthers entered the Conference USA tourney earning the 4-seed in a challenging conference – arguably the toughest among the ‘Group of Five’. There was a 2-way-tie for first place in the conference, with UTEP edging WKU for the one seed. This allowed Kennessaw State to sneak in front of the Panthers as a result of the UTEP sweep in the previous week.

Round One saw the Panthers facing off against the 5-seed Liberty Flames. Earlier this season, the Panthers swept the Flames and followed suit in this match. Registering 10 blocks and 46 assists, alongside 19 LU errors, it was more than enough to extinguish the Flames in the opening round.

In the quarterfinal match, the Panthers faced the Missouri State Bears, who had just upset the 1-seed UTEP Miners. This was the cleanest match the Panthers played this season, only committing 13 errors in the entire set. Savannah Cook had an outstanding game as she tallied 38 assists, lifting the Panthers over the Bears in three sets..

Not Enough In The Final Round

The final match was against the preseason favorite and two-time defending champion, the #26 WKU Lady Toppers. This game went to five sets, with WKU taking the first, 25-18. The Lady Toppers had 19 kills in set one, which propelled them to an early lead. The FIU Panthers would respond by winning the following two sets, 20-25 and 28-26, respectively.

Set Four was when the momentum shifted. In a tough, gritty set, it was the Lady Toppers who came out on top. Set Four was the cleanest, with both teams committing six errors apiece.

The crucial turning point came when outside hitter Alivia Skidmore scored a late kill, putting the match at a set point, 24-23 WKU. An attack error by Savannah Cook gave WKU the Conference Title, and gave the Lady Toppers the last point they needed to clinch the CUSA Title. As a result, they secured the Automatic qualifier ticket into the NCAA Tournament. 

What’s Next For The Panthers?

I believe that the NCAA tournament will feature TWO teams from CUSA. The big question is, who would the committee select? A team that is runner-up in the postseason conference tournament, or the 1-seed that was a first-round exit?

I think the committee will look more favorably on the UTEP Miners, thus ending the 2025 FIU Panthers’ incredible run. However, there is an outside chance that on Sunday, November 30th, the NCAA committee will call the FIU Panthers’ number and welcome them further into the postseason.

About Post Author

Manyoo Brown

I’m a big sports fan with a real passion for storytelling and covering the game from every angle. For over five years, I worked in a YouTube network, where I wore a lot of hats — YouTube consultant, PR manager, social media manager, chief writer, editor, and content advisor. Each role gave me hands-on experience with creating content, building audiences, and keeping people engaged. Now, I’m excited to bring that experience to LCL and be part of a team that shares the same love for the game and commitment to great coverage.

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