Fort the ninth time in program history — and the third time in the least five years — Nebraska volleyball is the preseason No. 1 team in the country.
The AVCA released its coaches poll heading into the 2026 season on Monday and the Huskers received 57 of 63 first-place votes. Nebraska now has more preseason No. 1 rankings under its belt than any program in Division I volleyball history. The Huskers also hold the record for most weeks spent at No. 1 with 124.
Nebraska went 33-1 last season, sweeping through the Big Ten for their third-consecutive conference title before falling to eventual national champion Texas A&M in the Regional Finals. The Huskers led the country in both hitting percentage and opponent hitting percentage and returned five starters plus both liberos. Nebraska features three unanimous preseason All-Big Ten selections in Bergen Reilly, Andi Jackson and Harper Murray and was the unanimous pick to win the league again by the conference’s coaches. Reilly, Jackson and Murray were also among 30 players on the preseason AVCA Player of the Year Watch List.
Texas (one first-place vote), Kentucky (four first-place votes), Pittsburgh and Stanford rounded out the top five. Texas A&M received the other first-place vote but slots in at No. 8.
In total, the poll features eight Big Ten teams, including four in the top 10, and three more among other teams receiving votes. Wisconsin is sixth, Purdue is ninth, Penn State is 10th, Minnesota is 14th, Indiana is 16th, USC is 20th and Oregon is 35th. UCLA (29th), Michigan State (tied for 38th) and Illinois (41st) are the other teams garnering votes.
Nebraska will also face four teams in the preseason top 25 during nonconference play, starting with the second-ranked Longhorns at the Players Era Showcase. The Huskers will host No. 21 Baylor during the Ameritas Players Challenge, they’ll face No. 13 Creighton at Pinnacle Bank Arena and they’ll welcome No. 19 North Carolina for the Husker Invitational. Georgia Tech, ranked 28th, will also visit Lincoln for the Ameritas Player Challenge. Additionally, Nebraska will face No. 17 Florida in a best-of-three match at the Spikes Under the Lights exhibition tournament to open the season, with the potential to play either the Nittany Lions or No. 11 SMU in the championship match with a win.
In total, Nebraska will face 11 teams in the preseason top 25 during the regular season, including four in the top 10.
Fans will get their first look at this year’s Huskers during the annual Red-White Scrimmage on Saturday at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
NEWS: Nebraska volleyball opens the season ranked No. 1 in the AVCA Preseason Poll.
It's the ninth preseason No. 1 ranking for the Huskers, the most of any school. pic.twitter.com/Yeyn7sE2IM
— Hail Varsity (@HailVarsity) August 10, 2026
