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.