2026 Nebraska Volleyball Position Previews: Setter

Nebraska volleyball is back and gearing up for the 2026 season. The Huskers will head into year two under Dani Busboom Kelly ranked No.1 in the AVCA and looking to put on a show every time they take the court.

To get you ready for the season, Hail Varsity is going through the deep and talented roster position by position, highlighting the returning stars and up-and-comers alike that will make an impact this season. First up is the group that sets the table for everyone else: the setters.

Bergen Reilly

6-foot-1 senior; Sioux Falls, S.D. (O’Gorman)

Reilly is as decorated as any player in the country. The three-time AVCA All-American and All-Big Ten performer is coming off a junior season that saw her win Big Ten Setter of the Year (for the third straight season), Big Ten Player of the Year, AVCA West Region Player of the Year and AVCA Setter of the Year and receive her first first-team AVCA All-America nod. She also got it done in the classroom, earning First-Team Academic All-America for the second straight year and Academic All-America Team Member of the Year.

The Sioux Falls native was the first setter to win the Big Ten’s top award since Samantha Seliger-Swenson in 2018, and she’s the first Husker setter to win a conference player of the year award since Greichaly Cepero in 2002. She’s only the second Husker to win Big Ten Player of the Year, joining Kelsey Robinson from 2013.

Reilly averaged 10.47 assists, 2.69 digs and 0.64 blocks per set while chipping in 0.69 kills per set on .390 hitting. She set Nebraska to a school record .351 hitting percentage, shattering the previous record of .331 that had stood since 1986. On top of her ability to run a top-tier offense, teammates also rave about Reilly’s defensive abilities. So what does the next step look like as Reilly heads into her fourth season? It starts at the service line.

“We all have been really working on serving, and we want to be the best serving team in the country,” Reilly said. “And we really haven’t even been close to that the last couple years. So, really been a big focus for me, but also the team.”

With Reilly, the Huskers will have a preseason AVCA National Player of the Year Watch List selection (and a 2025 finalist for the award) running the show. Whether that is true for just one more year or two is up in the air with the new age-based eligibility model in the NCAA, as all four of Nebraska’s seniors have said they’re focused on making the most of this season for now and will determine their future plans at a later date.

Campbell Flynn

6-foot-3 sophomore; Oakland, Mich. (Mercy)

The 2024 Gatorade National Player of the Year spent the 2025 season learning from and backing up one of the best in the country in Reilly. She played in 18 matches with one start, averaging 4.50 assists and 1.1 digs per set with nine kills, two blocks and two aces.

In the lone start, a mid-September sweep over Grand Canyon, she totaled 37 assists, nine digs and five kills on six errorless swings while setting Nebraska to a .364 hitting percentage.

Flynn suffered a broken pinky that prematurely ended her season during the NCAA Tournament, but she was back in time for the beach and spring indoor seasons.

While she got a taste of playing college volleyball here and there, Flynn said the focus of her freshman season was rounding out her game. Getting to see Reilly work up close aided in that endeavor.

“It’s very nice seeing Bergen play defense, because she’s obviously amazing at defense … I came in being pretty good at setting, but I wasn’t very good at defense or blocking,” Flynn said. “My serving was decent. That was my goal last year, to just strive to become a better overall player, and I think my defense has gotten a lot better, and also my blocking is getting there too. So I think seeing that, just especially my defense go from being meh to a lot better is a lot of confidence in me too that I can make more plays when I get into a game or in practice.”

Flynn was the top-ranked setter in her class and the fourth-ranked player overall by PrepDig.com. There likely aren’t many programs in the country where she’d have to wait too long to get her chance to start. She’s admitted watching from the sidelines hasn’t been easy, but her coach believes this experience will serve her in the long run in multiple ways.

“Campbell and I talk a lot, just that this is going to pay off for her, being behind somebody who is arguably the best setter in the country and getting to learn from her, but also being able to take risk and figure out her own game without that added pressure,” Busboom Kelly said. “It’s just going to help her in the long run. I think she’s very confident that she’s going to lead this program and be great here for many years, even if it just doesn’t come right now.”

While the five-for-five could allow Reilly to return for a fifth season, it also alters the plan for Flynn this season. Busboom Kelly said she was planning to redshirt the talented setter this season to maintain a year of eligibility while Reilly completed her career. However, with redshirts now a thing of the past, Flynn will be part of the active roster, and Busboom Kelly showed last year that she puts a premium on giving reserves an opportunity to see the court.

“I’m excited because redshirting was the goal, but then I wouldn’t be able to play,” Flynn said. “I think getting reps, even if it’s just a little bit, in games will help too, just boost my confidence on the court too, and I’m excited.”

Final Word

“The setters are great,” Busboom Kelly said. “Campbell is so much improved from last year when it comes to her all-around game. She’s always been a great setter. I think her blocking and defense have drastically improved. But Bergen’s continuing to get better. A player of that caliber, there’s challenges, and you might see them in a smaller rate, but she’s playing great. So we have two great setters that I think we could win a national championship with either of them on the court.”