Nebraska volleyball is no stranger to tough competition during the regular season, and that will be the case again during Dani Busboom Kelly’s first year at the helm of the No. 1 Huskers.
From two top-ten opponents in the season-opening AVCA First Serve Showcase to a Final Four rematch in the final week of the regular season, there will be no shortage of quality competition this season. Here’s a look at some of the top teams and players the Huskers will face this season.
AVCA First Serve Showcase (Pinnacle Bank Arena)
>> Aug. 22 vs. No. 3 Pittsburgh @ 6 p.m.
>> Aug. 24 vs. No. 6 Stanford @ 2:30 p.m.
The Huskers open the season with a bang at the AVCA First Serve Showcase. The four-day event features three days of double-headers at Pinnacle Bank Arena, including matches for the top-ranked Huskers against two other top-10 teams.
Nebraska opens the season against No. 3 Pittsburgh and the reigning AVCA National Player of the Year, Olivia Babcock. The prolific opposite hitter averaged 4.72 kills per set on .323 hitting and 0.62 aces per set as a sophomore last season. She returns alongside 6-foot-4 junior middle blocker Bre Kelley (1.88 kills per set on .492 hitting and 1.49 blocks per set) to form one of the most talented one-two punches in the country.
The Huskers get a day off before returning to the Vault to face No. 6 Stanford. The two volleyball titans will square off for the seventh time in the last eight years, with the COVID-altered spring season the only exception.
The Cardinal had to replace All-American setter Kami Miner and two-time Pac-12 Libero of the Year Elena Oglivie but returned their top three point-scorers in senior outside Elia Rubin (3.93 kills per set on .283 hitting and 2.53 digs per set), sophomore outside Ipar Kurt (3.28 kills per set on .294 hitting) and junior opposite Jordyn Harvey (2.73 kills per set on .290 hitting).
“I knew that Pitt and Nebraska were in this event, long ago when talks were happening, but it didn’t really dawn on me that I would be coaching at Nebraska and playing Pitt in my first match,” Busboom Kelly said about the start to the season. “But when I got the schedule after I got hired, it was like, ‘Really, John? Are we really going Pitt, Stanford and Kentucky out the gate?’ It was just a pretty interesting setup, but I’m excited. I have a tons of respect for Pitt and their staff, and I think it’s a huge challenge for us. Like I’ve been telling these guys, the way they play makes it even more challenging and exciting to learn a lot about this team and our personality early on.”
AUG. 31 vs. No. 7 Kentucky @ 11 a.m. (Bridgestone Arena; Nashville, TN)
The frequent nonconference foes will face off once again in 2025, this time in a neutral site as part of the Broadway Block Party, a triple-header in Nashville pitting the Big Ten against the SEC.
Kentucky returns one of the most prolific outside hitters in the country in junior Brooklyn DeLeye (4.87 kills per set on .294 hitting on 0.51 aces per set) and hit big in the transfer portal, landing former Purdue pin hitter Eva Hudson (4.81 kills per set on .287 hitting as a junior) to form a fearsome duo on the left side.
Coach Craig Skinner had to replace All-America setter Emma Grome but returned his defensive leader in libero Molly Tuozzo (3.85 digs per set).
Sept. 12 vs. No. 23 Utah @ 6 p.m. (Devaney Center)
Utah was one of the breakout teams last season, turning a sub-.500 2023 into a 25-6 2024 campaign. Coach Beth Launiere returns her top hitter in junior Kamryn Gibadlo (3.33 kills per set on .259 hitting) and top middle blocker in senior Emrie Moea’i (2.26 kills per set on .353 hitting and 1.15 blocks per set). The Utes will visit Lincoln for the Husker Invitational.
Sept. 16 vs. No. 12 Creighton @ 6:30 p.m. (CHI Health Center Omaha)
The annual in-state clash shifts back to Omaha and the CHI Health Center this season, and this year it will pit two coaches in their first season at the helm against each other as Creighton also saw its legendary coach step down after the 2024 season. Brian Rosen is replacing Kirsten Bernthal Booth after spending three seasons on her staff, the last as associate head coach.
Creighton lost two of the best players in program history in setter Kendra Wait and outside hitter Norah Sis from last year’s Elite Eight team but returns star outside hitter Ava Martin (3.66 kills per set on .312 hitting) plus two other starters, and the Jays turned to the transfer portal to fill their needs at setter (former California Golden Bear Annalea Maeder and former Omaha Maverick Ivy Leuck), middle blocker (former Ohio State Buckeye Eloise Brandewie) and defensive specialist (former Wisconsin Badger Saige Damrow).
No. 2 Penn State Home-and-Home
>> Oct. 3 @ 7 p.m. (Rec Hall, University Park, PA)
>> Nov. 28 @ 5:30 p.m. (Devaney Center)
The Huskers will see the 2024 national champion twice this season, the first meeting in State College in the second week of Big Ten play. The Nittany Lions will make the return trip to Lincoln in the final week of the regular season, potentially with conference title implications on the line.
While the top-ranked Huskers received 40 first-place votes in the preseason AVCA Coaches Poll, the Nittany Lions received the other 21 despite losing last Final Four Most Outstanding Player Jess Mruzik and her pin-hitting partner Camryn Hannah.
However, Coach Katie Schumacher-Cawley returns setter Izzy Starck (10.98 assists and 2.53 digs per set), libero Gillian Grimes (3.93 digs per set) and former Huskers Caroline Jurevicius and Maggie Mendelson while adding some serious firepower on the right side in former Florida Gator Kennedy Martin (5.57 kills per set on .362 hitting).
Oct. 31 vs. No. 9 Wisconsin @ 8 p.m. (UW Field House; Madison, WI)
The Badgers lost a lot of production from their senior-laden 2024 squad, including 2023 AVCA National Player of the Year and 2024 Big Ten Player of the Year Sarah Franklin. However, Coach Kelly Sheffield returns a talented setter in Charlie Fuerbringer (10.95 assists and 2.50 digs per set) and a 6-foot-7 middle blocker in Carter Booth (1.70 kills on .327 hitting and 1.35 blocks per set).
Wisconsin also loaded up in the transfer portal, though one of the program’s prized additions, former Miami opposite hitter Grace Lopez, will miss the season with an injury. Oregon transfer Mimi Colyer (3.97 kills per set on .241 hitting for the Ducks last season) will look to shoulder a heavy load offensively after earning second-team All-America honors during her junior season.
Nov. 8 vs. No. 11 Minnesota @ 2:30 p.m. (Maturi Pavilion; Minneapolis, MN)
Minnesota outside hitter Julia Hanson was one of the breakout stars in the Big Ten last season, going from 0.64 kills per set as a sophomore to 4.01 on .268 hitting as a junior, and she’s back to lead the Golden Gophers alongside fellow senior Mckenna Wucherer (2.49 kills per set on .193 hitting).
Coach Keegan Cook has to replace longtime starting setter Melani Shaffmaster but returns his libero in Zeynep Palabiyik after the Turkey native averaged 3.86 digs per set as a sophomore.
California Trip
>> Nov. 14 vs. NO. 18 UCLA @ TBA (Pauley Pavilion; Los Angeles, CA)
>> Nov. 16 vs. NO. 21 USC @ 2 p.m. (Galen Center, Los Angeles, CA)
After hosting the California schools in their first season in the Big Ten, the Huskers will make the return trip out west this season.
UCLA returns its top attacker in Cheridyn Leverette (4.14 kills per set on .236 hitting) and added a strong transfer class featuring a familiar face for Dani Busboom Kelly in former Louisville middle blocker Phekran “PK” Kong. Former Wisconsin libero Lola Schumacher also relocated to L.A. after starting 23 matches and leading the Badgers with 3.64 digs per set as a freshman.
The Trojans are replacing a lot of firepower from last year’s team but signed one of the top recruits in the 2025 class in 6-foot-3 opposite hitter Abigail Mullen and return their top defenders in libero Gala Trubint (3.31 digs per set) and 6-foot-4 middle blocker Leah Ford (1.32 blocks per set). USC also has a pair of Nebraskans on the roster in former Skutt Catholic libero Paisley Douglas and former Papillion-La Vista middle blocker Mia Tvrdy, who transferred in after the coaching change at Oregon.
*All times Central
