Nebraska’s postseason momentum continues at the NCAA Women’s Volleyball Championships, where the Huskers swept past LIU and Kansas State to secure a spot in the Round of 16. They’ll host Kansas on Dec. 12 at the Devaney Center, with the winner advancing to face either sixth-seeded Texas A&M or 2024 national runner-up Louisville.
Top Nebraska Volleyball Players This Season
Under the mentorship of player-turned-head coach Dani Busboom Kelly, Nebraska has shown all-around brilliance in both offense and defense. One of the most striking examples is the performance of co-skipper Bergen Reilly, whose all-around performance at the Big Ten Championships earned her the Big Ten Player of the Year as well as the Big Ten Setter of the Year awards.
Interestingly, the Big Red got seven players included in the AVCA West All-Region team, viz, Reilly, co-skippers Andi Jackson and Rebekah Allick, veteran outside hitter Harper Murray, and Laney Choboy. Even Virginia Adriano and Taylor Landfair made it in the honorable mentions. This is the most for any college volleyball team in the region this year.
The team is ranked number one in terms of hitting percentages, with a score of .353 and 1516 kills overall, with just 397 errors in total. They aim to repeat the invincible streak that John Cook achieved with the Huskers in 2000, eventually leading them to their second NCAA Championship title.
The Top Seeds At NCAA Championships ft. Nebraska Volleyball
Coach Busboom Kelly’s squad may have it easy till the quarterfinals, but the real game begins once they enter the final four. Last year, Nebraska had a brilliant run, until they lost by a whisker to the Penn State Nittany Lions in the semifinals.
The following are the top-seeded teams of various regions for the 2025 NCAA Volleyball Championships:
- Nebraska Cornhuskers – Nebraska Region [30-0]
- Texas Longhorns – Texas Region [23-3]
- Pittsburgh Panthers – Pittsburgh Region [26-4]
- Kentucky Wildcats – Kentucky Region [25-2]
Which Team Has A Greater Chance Of Giving a Tough Challenge To Nebraska Volleyball?
If someone can actually pose a formidable challenge to the Huskers in their road to the 2025 NCAA Championships, it is two teams: The top-seeded team from the Texas region, i.e., the Texas Longhorns, and the Kentucky Wildcats.
The Longhorns have been craving for another title after they were knocked out in the Round of 16 at the 2024 edition. They recently knocked out the defending champions, i.e., the Penn State Nittany Lions, by a comprehensive margin of 3-0.
Interestingly, this is the same team against which the five-time national champs lost in the final game of the 2023 NCAA Championships. It would be interesting to see if Busboom Kelly manages to overcome this team at the Championships or not.
On the other hand, the Wildcats may have won only one NCAA Championship title to date, but they’re far from being a pushover. They recently defeated the UCLA Bruins, one of the few teams that had managed to win a set against the Huskers in the entire Big Ten Conference season this year. If they make it to the final four, the Huskers would get a taste of some good competition.