Nebraska Volleyball Team Tops Preseason Rankings
The Nebraska volleyball team begins the season ranked as the top team in the nation. The American Volleyball Coaches Association poll, released on Monday, awarded Nebraska 57 out of 63 possible first-place votes. Meanwhile, Creighton University has secured the 13th spot in the rankings.
Under the guidance of coach Dani Busboom Kelly, the Cornhuskers are set to encounter 11 teams ranked in the top 25 during their regular season schedule. A much-anticipated match against Texas, ranked No. 2, is scheduled for August 30 in Las Vegas, marking an early face-off between the top two teams.
Nebraska is among four teams that received first-place votes. Texas earned one vote, No. 3 Kentucky garnered four, and defending national champion Texas A&M, ranked No. 8, also received one. The strong support for Nebraska reflects confidence in their experienced lineup, which includes returning seniors Harper Murray, Andi Jackson, Bergen Reilly, and Laney Choboy.
During the Big Ten Volleyball Media Day, Jackson expressed awareness of the high expectations for her team this season. “The pressure is definitely there, but I think we’ve earned the right to be in that position,” Jackson said. “And we’ve worked really hard these last three seasons. And we know what it takes to win a Big Ten championship. It’s not easy. It’s a really tough volleyball conference, and every game is going to be a dogfight.”
The Big Ten Conference is well-represented in the rankings, with seven other teams making the list: No. 6 Wisconsin, No. 9 Purdue, No. 10 Penn State, No. 14 Minnesota, No. 16 Indiana, No. 20 USC, and No. 25 Oregon.
Creighton’s schedule includes matches against six ranked opponents, starting with an exhibition against No. 15 Kansas on August 22. Brian Rosen’s team will also compete against six additional teams that received votes but did not make the top 25. Notably, Creighton is the only team from the Big East Conference to be ranked, with Marquette and Villanova receiving votes.
Creighton kicks off its regular season on August 28 against Purdue at the State Farm Women’s Volleyball Showcase in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, with the game broadcast on Fox. They will continue in the showcase against Minnesota and USC on August 29 and 30, respectively.
Nebraska’s season begins with an exhibition tournament called Spikes Under The Lights, featuring a match against No. 17 Florida at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. This match will be televised on TNT. The winner will advance to a championship match for a chance to win $1 million against either Penn State or No. 11 SMU. Nebraska’s official regular season opener is against UNLV in Las Vegas on August 29, with that match airing on Fox Sports One.
