Injury, illness and incredible play from third-seeded Texas A&M combined Sunday afternoon to end the season for No. 1 Nebraska volleyball short of the Final Four.

The Aggies’ aggressive serving early, offensive balance and consistent block carried Texas A&M to its first Final Four with a 25-22, 25-22, 20-25, 35-37, 15-13 win at the Devaney Center. The Big Ten champion Huskers finished the season 33-1 in Coach Dani Busboom Kelly’s first season at the helm.

“Obviously, a really awesome game by Texas A&M, and they played like they had six seniors on the court,” Busboom Kelly said. “I’m proud of the way we fought back, and we played our hearts out and had a lot of things against us this week, and we still were that close. I’m just proud of the way we finished that match, and I’m super proud of our seniors.”

Busboom Kelly emphasized the importance of her team’s depth all season long, believing reserves would play an important role if Nebraska were to win a championship. However, that depth took a massive blow this week, with back-up setter Campbell Flynn breaking a pinky prior to the Sweet 16 and senior opposite hitter Allie Sczech suffering an ankle injury stepping on a ball in warmups that knocked her out for the match.

“That has a huge effect on our team,” Busboom Kelly said. “Those of you that have been with us the whole year, we’ve been great at using our depth and use it strategically, and we did not have that today. To have that happen, literally within the last five minutes of warmups, pretty tough.”

With no other viable option and the season on the line, Bergen Reilly also played through an illness to finish with 58 assists, 13 digs, five kills, three blocks and two aces, setting Nebraska to a .270 hitting percentage.

“She’s not feeling her best whatsoever, and it’s hard to go into the locker room and see her feeling that way, because she’s such a big part of our team, and I don’t know how she did it, but she found a way to still make good decisions and get balls up on defense and set us,” Harper Murray said. “That’s not easy, it’s really not, and she’s the best setter I’ve ever played with and will probably ever play with. The fact that she could go out there feeling as sick as she does and still work her butt off and play like that is truly amazing, and I love her to death.”

While Busboom Kelly didn’t have the double-sub available, she still turned to her bench in a bold and perhaps surprising move. Andi Jackson, who was on pace to shatter the school record for single-season hitting percentage, struggled mightily throughout the match. Busboom Kelly pulled her in the first, second and fourth sets, though Jackson returned to the lineup after the first two stints on the bench. After the third sub, Busboom Kelly stuck with freshman Manaia Ogbechie the rest of the match.

Jackson finished with six kills and five errors, hitting a season-low .045. She uncharacteristically missed wide on multiple slides, and whether it be shaken confidence, a struggling connection with Reilly or the A&M block getting in her head, it seemed like she grew less aggressive as the match went on.

“Nothing was going right for her, so thought, ‘OK, let’s give Manaia a try, and she made a few plays, so we left her in there,” Busboom Kelly said.

The freshman contributed five kills on .250 hitting and three blocks.

In her final match at the Devaney Center, Lincoln native Rebekah Allick went down swinging, finishing with 15 kills on .480 hitting, four blocks and four digs. She played a significant part in Nebraska winning the marathon fourth set and put down some big kills in the fifth to keep the Huskers afloat. Her career ends without hanging a national championship banner for the program she’s been a part of since she committed prior to her freshman year of high school, but she capped a final season of tremendous growth with some of her finest volleyball.

Rebekah Allick celebrates a point in her final match at the Devaney Center. Photo by John S. Peterson.

“Bekka has put her heart and soul into this program, and you can tell by her face how much she cares,” said Murray, stepping in during the post-match press conference when the emotions welled up for Allick. “I don’t even care if we win or we lose; what I tried to tell Bekka in the locker room is that she’s going to take away the memories and the relationships that we’ve made. Winning and losing, it’s a part of volleyball, and it sucks, but she put her heart and soul into this program for four years, and she’s leaving behind a great legacy, and has so much to be proud of. We all see how much she cares”

Murray went toe to toe with A&M’s prolific pins, tying Kyndal Stowers for match-high honors with 25 kills on .255 hitting while adding nine digs, three aces and two blocks. Virginia Adriano added eight kills and three blocks but only took 12 swings. Olivia Mauch matched Reilly for team-high honors with 13 digs and didn’t allow an ace on the 20 balls served her way. Laney Choboy added 10 digs and recorded 45 reception attempts while giving up five aces.

A&M served nine aces, including eight in the first two sets, as the Aggies put the Huskers in the 0-2 hole. They more than doubled up the Huskers in blocks, 17-8. Nebraska was slow to the pin defensively for much of the match, with right side Logan Lednicky and left sides Stowers and Emily Hellmuth combining for 149 of A&M’s 178 attacks and 62 of its 75 kills. The Aggies hit .275, the highest of any opponent against Nebraska this season.

“Honestly, I just feel like they move the ball really well,” Allick said. “They have a pretty well-balanced offense. They can fire on all cylinders, and they did that. I think as a middle, it makes it harder to close. If we were one step off, they found that space, and they just crushed it. They were relentless in what they saw.”

Nebraska couldn’t have asked for a better start to the match, terminating on seven of its first eight swings with a block and an ace to race out to a 10-3 lead. That included one of the highlights of the postseason with Teraya Sigler toppling over the bench chairs after making a save on a point the Huskers eventually won.

However, the Aggies weathered the storm, completely turning the tables with a 10-0 run. A&M middle blocker Ifenna Cos-Akpalla served rockets, including a pair of aces, and Nebraska couldn’t find any openings in the Aggie defense.

“I think it started with our serving and passing … Their middle, she has a great serve, and she caught us on that for that run,” Murray said. “I think we worked all season on being first to five, first to 10, first to 15 and so on, and we weren’t able to do that with her serve. Credit to her.”

After a pair of errant attacks from Jackson and having burned both timeouts already, Busboom Kelly turned to the bench and Ogbechie. Reilly went to the freshman on the slide right away and she found the floor, sparking a 5-1 run including another Ogbechie kill to pull Nebraska within one at 21-20.

“She’s mature,” Allick said of the freshman. “I think she’s very mature for her age and as a competitor, and she listens well. We told her just to hit everything, and she did that. I think it’s a testament to her maturity.”

However, the Huskers couldn’t hold serve, trading sideouts until Maddie Waak dropped an ace on set point to seal it.

Nebraska out-hit Texas A&M .355 to .297 but kills and errors were identical. Aces were the difference, 4-1 in A&M’s favor. Allick had 4 kills on four swings, but Stowers went 6-for-7.

Nebraska’s struggles continued into the second set. The teams traded runs early, but A&M surged ahead midway through with a 4-0 run including two more aces from Waak. The Aggie block came alive and Nebraska couldn’t find an answer. Busboom Kelly subbed Ogbechie in for Jackson again at 19-15, but the Aggies held on.

A&M out-hit Nebraska .286 to .211, out-blocked the Huskers six to zero and doubled them in aces, four to two. Murray recorded six kills on 10 swings, but the rest of the Huskers only managed nine kills on .107 hitting.

Nebraska threw the first punch in set three, using a 5-1 run to build a 10-5 lead. The Aggies fired back, pulling within one four times, but Nebraska answered every push. The Huskers won seven of the last 10 rallies to extend the match.

Nebraska out-hit A&M .462 to .312 and limited the Aggies to one ace while benefitting from three errors. Murray terminated on six of her eight swings, including the final point.

The teams went back and forth early in set four, but four straight Nebraska errors allowed the Aggies to pull ahead 11-7, and three straight Lednicky kills extended the advantage to 16-10. Ogbechie checked in again with the Huskers down 18-11 and teamed up with Reilly for a block, sparking a 3-0 run. Reilly served a 5-0 run after that to tie it up at 19-all — which only proved to be the halfway point of the set.

Sixteen more ties and five more lead changes followed. Texas A&M saved nine set points and Nebraska saved three match points, leading to a 35-all score. Murray gave Nebraska’s a 10th chanced to end it with a kill, and that’s what Adriano did, drawing a touch call off the block.

“I think that set showed that we weren’t going to just let them take it from us on our home court and in our gym,” Murray said. “It obviously didn’t turn out the way we wanted, but I think we showed a lot of fight, and that’s something to be proud of.”

The set saw 43 kills — including eight apiece for Murray and Lednicky — as Nebraska hit .250 and A&M .226. Both teams ran out of subs in the set, and Nebraska played through the grueling finish without any timeouts or challenges.

The Cornhuskers show their appreciation to the fans at the Devaney Center following their season-ending five-set loss to Texas A&M. Photo by John S. Peterson.

“Honestly, I had a lot of confidence that we were going to win that,” Busboom Kelly said. “We train all the time, everybody to do everything. I had a lot of trust Virginia could go back there and hit a serve, and it’s Teraya in the front row, and it wasn’t like a panic moment when we ran out of subs. It was like, ‘well, this crew is good enough to win this set,’ and I kept telling myself that, and it was pretty great to see us make it two times through with no subs. I thought they were just really confident, even though they hadn’t done that all year.”

In the fifth set, the teams battled to a draw through the first 10 rallies, but Nebraska never found a way to get its offense clicking and the Aggies gradually began to pull away, winning seven of the next nine rallies to build a 12-7 edge.

Nebraska made one more push, pulling within one at 13-12 with a 5-1 run including two kills from Allick and an ace from Choboy, but two kills from A&M’s star, Lednicky, sandwiched a Murray kill to end the match and Nebraska’s season.

Nebraska only managed six kills on a .050 hitting percentage in the final game. A&M hit .286 with 10 kills, including four from Stowers and three from Lednicky.

Lednicky earned Regional Most Outstanding Player honors, headlining an all-tournament team also including Waak, Stowers, A&M libero Ava Underwood, Louisville outside hitter Chloe Chicoine, Murray and Allick.

The Aggies punched their ticket to Kansas City, where they will face 1-seed Pittsburgh in the national semifinals.

SPOKANE, WA – Jedidiah Barnaby highlighted the season opener for LC State Track and Field on Saturday at the Spokane Invitational. The senior shattered his own record in the 60m dash with the fastest time this season in the NAIA, and multiple newcomers etched their name in the record book in the meet at The Podium.

“A real nice start to our indoor season,” coach Mike Collins said. “Definitely highlighted by Jed shattering of our indoor 60m record, and last I checked, this was the No. 1 time in the nation. Might have a shot at conference and national runner of the week with a performance like that. Although overshadowed a little bit, freshman Collin Wimer made a big splash today etching his name no less than three times onto the record board.”

Wimer put himself in the top five at LC State in the triple jump, 100m and 200m in his collegiate debut, and transfer Reid Thomas did so in the weight throw and shot put.

“A bit of a rust buster, generally speaking, but from a coach’s perspective an opportunity to see where we are at, gauge some strengths and weaknesses and make adjustments to our training where it seems appropriate,” Collins added. “Tough to compete at this time as I know all of these kids have come off a tough week of finals that are very draining, but they really stepped up.”

TRACK

Barnaby solidified his title as the fastest Warrior in school history with the fastest time in the NAIA this season at 6.70. The time is more than one-tenth of a second faster than his previous personal best and had him at the top of the leaderboard in the prelims. He clocked 6.79 in the final to finish second.

Preston Cooper placed 14^th in the prelim (6.95) and Collin Wimer joined the LC State top five with his time of 7.08 to place 27^th. Camden Koerner was 35^th (7.14), Jordan Castillo was 39^th (7.19), Bryan Kinene placed 40^th (7.19), Avery Seal finished 48^th (7.29), James Bogdanowicz was 49^th (7.30), Isahi Salinas was 53^rd (7.33) and Brandon Decker placed 66^th (7.66).

Cooper had a career-best run in the 200m where he clocked the third-best time in program history. His time of 22.10 earned fourth place and Wimer claimed the fifth spot in the record book with his 14^th-palce finish (22.51). Luke Siler was 16^th (22.84), Aiden Grenier was 17^th (22.85), Bogdanowicz placed 22^nd with a PR of 23.38, Salinas finished 25^th (23.66), Milo Kunnap was 31^st (24.03) and Decker placed 36^th (25.56).

Grenier had a strong collegiate debut in the 60m hurdles with the fourth fastest time in LC State history (8.59). He finished 12^th overall, Cameron Carrara was 20^th with a personal best time of 9.24 and Perry Severijnse was 22^nd (9.44).

Transfer junior Avery Seal ran the fifth-best 400m in program history to earn a 13^th-place finish (51.29). Freshman Luke Siler was just behind in 14^th with a time of 51.33. Kobe Wessels finished 20^th in the 3,000m with a time of 8:55.78.

FIELD

Senior Trenton Johnson led a trio of Warriors in the triple jump. He placed fourth overall with a mark of 13.93 and a pair of freshmen made their mark on the record book. Wimer cleared the second-best distance ever by a Warrior (13.37m) to place 10^th and Kinene was 13^th with the third-best mark in school history (13.20m).

Johnson placed seventh in the long jump with a mark of 6.71m, Koerner placed 12^th (6.31m), Kinene was 14^th (6.20m) and Milo Kunnap finished 23^rd (5.59m). Kinene found success in the high jump where he was the top LC State finisher in 13^th (1.80m). Carrara and Isahi Salinas cleared the same height, and Severijnse was 18^th in his first attempt in the event (1.65m).

Reid Thomas and Ian Roeber made their LC State debuts and placed in the top 20 of the weight throw. Thomas hot a mark of 15.84m, which ranks second in school history, to place seventh and Roeber was 19^th (12.61m). Thomas went on to throw the second-best shot put in Warrior history at 14.89m to place eighth overall.

Decker competed in the open pole vault and finished ninth (4.05m).

UP NEXT

LC State is back in action at the Lauren McCluskey Memorial Open in Moscow Jan. 23-25.

Stay up to date with all things Warrior Athletics at lcwarriors.com and on social media @LCWarriors.

The Wisconsin Badgers are facing off against the Texas Longhorns in the Elite 8 on Sunday evening, looking to make their way back to the Final Four in Kansas City next week.

Wisconsin pulled off an impressive win over the No. 2 Stanford Cardinal on Friday, as it out-hit the latter in a thriller behind strong efforts from Mimi Colyer (27 kills) and Charlie Fuerbringer (61 assists).

Now, they’re facing a team that they were swept by earlier in the season, as the Longhorns thrived off Badger errors during their first matchup.

Texas has cruised through its competition so far in the NCAA Tournament, beating Florida A&M, Penn State, and Indiana en route to the Elite 8.

If Wisconsin can win, it would face the No. 1 Kentucky Wildcats on Thursday in the Final Four, with the No. 3 Texas A&M Aggies and No. 1 Pittsburgh Panthers being the other two teams still left in the field.

Can the Badgers get a huge upset and break the Texas streak of wins on Sunday? Join us as our game thread is officially active.

The Georgia track and cross country programs have added 21 athletes from the United States and abroad. The incoming class includes sprinters, distance runners, hurdlers, jumpers, throwers and multi-event athletes, each bringing experience and versatility. Together, they strengthen Georgia’s depth for both cross country and track seasons.

Sophie Rambo

Sophie Rambo, from Chesapeake, Virginia, excelled at Grassfield High School as a sprinter in the 200 and 400 meters. She posted personal bests of 23.49 seconds in the 200 and 52.47 in the 400, showing both speed and endurance. Rambo’s competitiveness and relay potential will make her an asset to Georgia’s women’s sprint group.

Kendrick Joshua

Kendrick Joshua, from Richmond Hill, Georgia, dominated the 400-meter hurdles at Richmond Hill High School with a 50.53 personal best. His combination of speed and technical hurdling ability gives him the tools to contribute immediately to Georgia’s hurdles and relay squads. Joshua’s strong curve running and finishing kick mark him as a top SEC prospect.

Leah O’Brien

Leah O’Brien comes from Perth, Australia, where she competed at Perth College and internationally. She boasts personal bests of 11.14 in the 100 and 23.37 in the 200, combining top-end speed with racing experience. O’Brien is expected to bolster the Bulldogs’ women’s sprint events quickly.

Will Batley

Ottawa, Canada’s Will Batley posted times of 10.35 in the 100 and 20.57 in the 200 while at West Carleton Secondary School. Known for his quick acceleration and competitive consistency, Batley adds depth to Georgia’s men’s sprint and relay rotations. His international racing experience enhances the Bulldogs’ short-distance squad.

Ava Kitchings

Ava Kitchings, from Braselton, Georgia, will enroll in January 2026 after excelling at Greater Atlanta Christian School. She recorded 11.34 in the 100, 23.93 in the 200, and 6.47 meters (21 feet, 2¾ inches) in the long jump, demonstrating her versatility. Kitchings brings both speed and leaping ability to Georgia’s sprint and horizontal jump events.

Ryan Buskey

Ryan Buskey, a high jumper from Albany, New York, cleared 2.21m (7 feet, 3 inches) while at Colonie High School. His competitive focus and vertical ability provide an immediate boost to the Bulldogs’ men’s field events. Buskey is known for his consistency in high-pressure meets.

Marley Derringer

Marley Derringer, from Bremen, Georgia, excelled in the high jump, clearing 1.83 meters (6 feet) at Bremen High School. She brings technical skill and competitive experience to Georgia’s women’s field events. Derringer’s consistency and athleticism make her a strong addition to the jumps squad.

Jordon Randall

Jordon Randall, from Warsaw, Indiana, posted 2.19 meters (7 feet, 2¼ inches) in the high jump at Warsaw Community High School. His size and jumping technique mark him as a top national prospect. Randall adds depth and competition to Georgia’s men’s field events.

Piper Brown

Piper Brown, from Tunnel Hill, Georgia, cleared 1.83 meters (6 feet) in the high jump at Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe High School. She combines technical skill with competitive experience. Brown strengthens the Bulldogs’ women’s field event roster.

Chiora Enyinna‑Okeigbo

Chiora Enyinna‑Okeigbo, from Addison, Texas, scored 5,244 points in the heptathlon at Sunnyvale High School, including 13.83 in the 100-meter hurdles and 5.92 meters (19 feet, 5¼ inches) in the long jump. Her versatility allows her to contribute in multi-events and horizontal jumps. Enyinna‑Okeigbo adds breadth and competitiveness to Georgia’s women’s program.

James “JD” Daniel

James “JD” Daniel, a local from Athens, Georgia, excelled at Clarke Central High School with 1:53.70 in the 800 and 9:19 in the 3,200. His endurance and tactical racing will bolster Georgia’s cross country and track distance teams. Daniel’s local roots provide experience in state and regional competitions.

Nancy Taylor

Nancy Taylor, from Dorset, England, ran 2:12.56 in the 800 and 9:58 in the 3,000 at Talbot Heath School. Her international racing experience gives Georgia added depth in distance events. Taylor is expected to contribute in both cross country and track.

Alex Lennon

Alex Lennon, from Wallington, England, won the English Schools Cross Country Championships while posting 3:48 in the 1,500 at Wilson’s School. He brings tactical intelligence and endurance to Georgia’s distance teams. Lennon’s international experience strengthens the Bulldogs’ cross country and middle-distance squads.

Bertold Kalász

Bertold Kalász, from Budapest, Hungary, ran 8:08 in the 3,000 and 14:14 in the 5,000, showing international-level distance capability. He brings discipline and competitive experience from European meets. Kalász adds depth to Georgia’s long-distance program.

Isold Saevarsdottir

Isold Saevarsdottir, from Gardabaer, Iceland, scored 5,490 points in the heptathlon, including 2:13.96 in the 800, 43.84 meters (143 feet, 10 inches) in the javelin and 6.10 meters (19 feet, 8¾ inches) in the long jump. Her versatility provides options across multi-events and jumps. Saevarsdottir adds international experience to Georgia’s women’s program.

Jameson Pifer

Jameson Pifer, from Suwanee, Georgia, ran 4:05 in the mile and 8:57 in the 3,200 at Collins Hill High School. His endurance and consistent performances help Georgia’s distance teams. Pifer brings local talent with strong state-level racing experience.

Asseel Ossama

Asseel Ossama, from Alexandria, Egypt, threw 55.42 meters (181 feet, 10 inches) in the javelin, establishing herself as an international-level specialist. Her strength and technique add depth to Georgia’s throws program. Ossama is expected to compete immediately in field events.

Jasmine Robinson

Jasmine Robinson, from Kennesaw, Georgia, excelled in hurdles at North Cobb High School with 13.17 in the 100-meter hurdles and 56.73 in the 400-meter hurdles. She announced her commitment to the Bulldogs on Instagram. Robinson adds top-tier hurdling ability and SEC-level competition experience to Georgia’s women’s sprint and hurdle squads.

Ataja Stephane‑Vazquez

Ataja Stephane‑Vazquez, from Greensboro, North Carolina, posted strong sprint marks of 23.34 in the 200 and 52.33 in the 400 at Southeast Guilford High School. She announced her commitment via Instagram. Stephane‑Vazquez provides immediate impact potential to Georgia’s women’s sprint roster.

LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) – The Nebraska volleyball team was eliminated from the NCAA Tournament in shocking fashion on Sunday with a 3-2 (25-22, 25-22, 20-25, 35-37, 15-13) loss to Texas A&M. The Aggies went toe-to-toe with the undefeated Huskers, who had won 29 consecutive home games in the NCAA Tournament.

Nebraska dropped the first two sets behind a focused, aggressive approach from the 3rd-seeded Aggies. Kyndal Stowers and Logan Lednicky combined for 49 kills for Texas A&M.

Nebraska was led by Harper Murray’s 25 kills. Rebekah Allick added 15 kills on .480 hitting. National Player of the Year candidate Andi Jackson was held to six kills with five hitting errors. Jackson was benched in the match for freshman Manaia Ogbechie, who finished with five kills and three blocks.

Texas A&M advanced to the NCAA Volleyball Final Four, which is held in Kansas City next week. The Huskers will not be in the national semifinals for the first time since 2002.

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LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — For one last time, four Husker seniors played under the bright lights of the John Cook Arena.

Rebekah Allick, Maisie Boesiger, Taylor Landfair and Allie Sczech all stepping onto the court on Sunday to play against Texas A&M, marking their final game at the Bob Devaney Sports Center.

“All of these seniors, their contribution has been amazing and it’ll be sad to see them go but an exciting end to the season for these girls,” said Husker fan, Joel Sup.

SEE ALSO: Nebraska volleyball’s season ends with loss to Texas A&M in regional finals

For many Husker fans, their presence has helped put Nebraska on the map and elevate the sport.

“They just bring so much to not just the team, but the community as well,” said Dave Sutko, owner of Spikes Beach Bar and Grille. “They’re very involved in things. They’re more than just volleyball players to a lot of us. Rebekah is the heartbeat of the team, I think everyone knows that. She’s just always so positive. It’s tough to see them go.”

One of the biggest moments fans won’t forget — the team playing in front of a sold-out 92,003-person crowd at Memorial Stadium.

A game Allick and Boesiger were a part of in 2023.

“I’ve been to a lot of games at Memorial Stadium and in my opinion, that was the most impactful sporting event I have ever attended,” said Joel Sup, a Husker fan. “As a girl dad, it was amazing to see women’s sports take the big stage, and I think it really pushed Nebraska to the forefront of what women’s sports in America can be.”

Despite the Huskers losing to the Aggies, many fans agree that one thing is clear: the future for the Huskers is bright.

“They bring so much to not just the university, but the entire state. Everybody talks about Nebraska and says ‘oh you guys have the Volleyball team!’ Yep, that’s us!”