Nebraska volleyball is the Big Ten preseason favorite heading into Dani Busboom Kelly’s first season in charge.
The conference released its preseason coaches poll and all-conference team on Thursday ahead of next week’s Big Ten Media Days in Chicago. Four Huskers made the 20-player all-conference team: setter Bergen Reilly, outside hitter Harper Murray and middle blockers Andi Jackson and Rebekah Allick. The first three were unanimous picks.
The Huskers went 33-3 overall last season including 19-1 in Big Ten play, falling in the national semifinals. The Huskers return most of their starters but lost legendary head coach John Cook to retirement following the season. Despite the coaching change, the program didn’t see a single player transfer out or decommit, giving Busboom Kelly a loaded roster to begin her head coaching career in Lincoln.
Penn State, who won the national championship and tied Nebraska for first in the Big Ten last season, is second. Wisconsin, Minnesota and UCLA round out the preseason top five.
Besides the three Huskers, only two others were unanimous all-conference selections and both are Nittany Lions: sophomore setter Izzy Starck and junior opposite hitter Kennedy Martin, a high-profile transfer from Florida. Nebraska four selections tied for the most with UCLA. Penn State and Wisconsin each placed three representatives on the team.
Reilly is a two-time Big Ten Setter of the Year. The 6-foot-1 junior from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, was second in the Big Ten (and 10th nationally) with 11.08 assists per set last season. She led the Huskers to their highest hitting percentage since 2016 at .284. Reilly was a second-team AVCA All-American and a first-team All-Big Ten selection, setting a record by earning Big Ten Setter of the Week five times in one season.
Murray was also a second-team All-American and first-team ALl-Big Ten performer last season after leading the Husker attack at 3.4 kills per set on .257 hitting. She averaged 2.43 digs per set and recorded nine double-doubles while leading Nebraska with 39 service aces. The 6-foot-2 junior from Ann Arbor, Michigan, will represent Nebraska in Chicago next week.
Jackson was a first-team All-America and Big Ten selection last year after one of the most efficient seasons in program history. The 6-foot-3 middle blocker from Brighton, Colorado, averaged 2.62 kills per set on a blistering .439 hitting, sixth in the country and fourth in Nebraska history. She also averaged 1.18 blocks per set.
Allick, who will join Murray and Busboom Kelly in Chicago for Big Ten Media Days, is the longest-tenured Husker alongside fellow senior Maisie Boesiger. A three-year starter, the 6-foot-4 Lincoln native has been a dominant blocker throughout her career and took a step forward offensively as well last year. She averaged 1.82 kills per set on a career-high .357 hitting to go with her team-leading 1.43 blocks per set, 14th in the nation and third in the Big Ten.
Busboom Kelly, Murray and Allick will speak at Big Ten Media Days on Monday. Fan will get a look at the Huskers during the team’s Red-White Scrimmage on Aug. 9 and Alumni Match on Aug. 16 before they open the season at the AVCA First Serve Showcase at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Aug. 22.