CHAMPAIGN — Illinois volleyball finished eight in the Big Ten in 2024, sixth the year before that and seventh in both 2022 and 2021.
Middle of the Big Ten pack.
That’s essentially the expectation again for the Illini heading into the 2025 season. Illinois was picked to finish ninth in the Big Ten preseason poll released Thursday afternoon. The poll is voted on by the conference’s 18 head coaches.
Nebraska was voted as the preseason favorite in the Big Ten with reigning NCAA champs Penn State second. Wisconsin, Minnesota and UCLA rounded out the top five.
Zero Illinois players were among the 20 selected to the Big Ten’s preseason all-conference team. Unanimous picks included the Nebraska trio of Andi Jackson, Harper Murray and Bergen Reilly and the Penn State duo of Izzy Starck and Kennedy Martin. Just eight of 18 Big Ten teams were represented among the preseason all-conference selections.
2025 Big Ten preseason poll
- Nebraska
- Penn State
- Wisconsin
- Minnesota
- UCLA
- USC
- Purdue
- Washington
- Illinois
- Michigan
- Indiana
- Oregon
- Ohio State
- Michigan State
- Northwestern
- Maryland
- Iowa
- Rutgers
Preseason All-Big Ten
- Allison Jacobs, Michigan, Gr., OH
- Julia Hanson, Minnesota, Sr., OH
- Mckenna Wucherer, Minnesota, Sr., OH
- Rebekah Allick, Nebraska, Sr., MB
- Andi Jackson, Nebraska, Jr., MB
- Harper Murray, Nebraska, Jr., OH
- Bergen Reilly, Nebraska, Jr., S
- Gillian Grimes, Penn State, Sr., L
- Kennedy Martin, Penn State, Jr., OPP
- Izzy Stark, Penn State, So., S
- Phekran Kong, UCLA, Gr., MB
- Cheridyn Leverette, UCLA, Sr., OH
- Maggie Li, UCLA, Jr., OH
- Marianna Singletary, UCLA, RS-Jr., MB
- Adonia Faumuina, USC, Jr., OH
- Kierstyn Barton, Washington, Jr., OH
- Julia Hunt, Washington, So., MB
- Carter Booth, Wisconsin, Sr., MB
- Mimi Colyer, Wisconsin, Sr., OH
- Charlie Fuerbringer, Wisconsin, So., S





