After Last Season’s Early Exit, Nebraska Volleyball Has Something To Prove

The Nebraska women’s volleyball team continues to dominate the Big Ten and the sport itself. But last season’s early exit in pursuit of a national championship leaves the team wanting more. 

The Cornhuskers finished the year 33-1 after an upset loss to No. 7 seed Texas A&M – who went on to win the national championship – in the Elite Eight regional finals last year. The defeat kept Nebraska out of the national semifinals for the first time since 2002. 

The early exit came as a shock to Cornhuskers’ fans, who had grown accustomed to their semifinals’ appearance for years on end. But the players responded with a second consecutive season with no outgoing transfers and key retention ahead of the 2026 season. If it’s time to prove any sort of volleyball dominance, now seems like a good time. 

Under second-year coach Dani Busboom Kelly and plenty of key pieces returning, the Cornhuskers are back in full force to reclaim volleyball dominance. 

Entering the season as the No. 1 team in the nation, Nebraska returned stars like outside hitters Harper Murray and Skyler Pierce, setter Bergen Reilly and middle blocker Andi Jackson. Reilly and Jackson finished the year with AVCA First-Team All-American honors.

Murray led the team in kills with 379 and added 34 service aces. Jackson trailed Murray with her 288 kills and 16 total service aces. 

What’s also worth noting is that Nebraska spent around $7 million on their 2026 roster – the most of any NCAA women’s volleyball program. While the Cornhuskers had zero outgoing transfers for a second season in a row, Nebraska brought in transfer opposite Allie Sczech from Baylor, who’s primed to help fill the roles of Rebekah Allick and Taylor Landfair, after exhausting their eligibility. 

The Cornhuskers have appeared in the national semifinals 18 total times, and have six appearances in the championship game. However, Nebraska has not won a national title since 2017, when it defeated Florida 3-1. 

This season, the Cornhuskers open up their season with a competitive nonconference slate as the nation’s No. 1 ranked team. On Sunday, Nebraska will face No. 2 Texas for a renewed rivalry at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The matchup marks the first time the two powerhouses have met since the 2023 national championship, when Texas defeated the Cornhuskers in straight sets.

A win over the Longhorns would be a strong start for the Cornhuskers’ 2026 campaign and their journey to a national title.