Category: December 2021

By Lincoln Arneal

When Merritt Beason entered the transfer portal a little more than a week ago, she had no idea what to expect. 

What she got was a whirlwind. 

In the span of a week, the former Florida Gator talked to 10 schools, visited three campuses and then decided to continue her career at Nebraska. Beason called the NU coaches Friday morning to tell them she was committing to the Huskers. 

Upon entering the portal, Nebraska was the first call Beason took. After that, things progressed quickly and by 7:30 a.m. the next day, she was on a flight to Lincoln. 

“I didn’t necessarily plan to move that fast,” Beason said. “But as soon as I had that first phone call with them, I knew that Nebraska was going to be one of the places that I wanted to visit. So if that meant tomorrow, or the next day, whatever it may have meant, I knew that I wanted to go.”

During her sprint recruitment, Beason also visited Wisconsin and Auburn before pledging to join the Huskers. She said her No. 1 requirement for her new school was a good relationship with the players and coaches. She felt a great connection during her first call with NU coach John Cook and assistant coach Jaylen Reyes.

In a statement about Beason’s commitment, Cook said Nebraska’s roster underwent “adjustments” since the season ended, which allowed them to recruit the 6-foot-3 opposite hitter.

“She will fill a huge need for our team and her personality on and off the court will create an instant connection with Husker Nation,” Cook said. “‘MB3’ is a true six-rotation player and can do it all.”

While on her official visit, Beason said she felt at peace. She grew up in Gardendale, Alabama, just north of Birmingham, and said Lincoln had a lot of similarities to her hometown. She was also impressed with how much the fans support volleyball. 

“Being from the South and going to an SEC school, as you can imagine, it’s very much football based. Everything’s all for football,” Beason said. “Volleyball is such a big thing up there and it’s so supported. I wanted to be a part of that.”

She also tried her hand at roping Cook’s practice steer on her visit – and got it on her first try. 

“We knew it was meant to be,” Cook said 

Beason also toured the facilities and downtown Lincoln. She talked to the support staff, academic advisors as well as several of the players who were still around campus. 

Last summer, Beason was a member of the U21 national team with sophomore middle blocker Bekka Allick and junior Lexi Rodriguez, who was the captain of the U.S. team. They won the Pan Am Cup with Beason earning tournament MVP honors. 

Even though she wasn’t thinking about leaving Florida at the time, Beason was impressed with Allick and Rodriguez and how they represented Nebraska. 

“They’re just great people all around, on and off the court,” Beason said. “They’re great teammates. They push you to get better, but they’re gonna have your back and you could tell that within our short two weeks that we had together that they want to win.” 

Beason will have two seasons of eligibility remaining. She said she will be on scholarship at Nebraska and will start attending classes in January. In a matter of weeks, she will move to Nebraska and move in with outside hitter Lindsay Krause. 

Next season, the Huskers will be without graduating senior Madi Kubik, who played every rotation for NU for the past four years. Sophomore Ally Batenhorst also played back-row after NU lost Kenzie Knuckles to an injury in late November. 

At Florida, Beason played all six rotations and was a captain. She averaged 3.35 kills per set with a .261 hitting percentage while adding 1.92 digs and 0.88 blocks per set. Beason also led the Gators with 38 aces. In a five-set win against Wisconsin in September, she recorded 21 kills with eight digs, three aces and a pair of blocks. 

In addition, Beason served as a captain for the Gators, which reached the regional semifinal this past year before losing to Pittsburgh in four sets. 

Even though she played at a high level, Beason said she still has room for growth.

“There’s multiple areas of my game and multiple things I can improve on and continue getting better at,” she said. “I know I’m not playing at my full capacity and full level of ability yet, and I want to at least continue to get closer and closer to that.”

With her move to Nebraska, Beason is excited to compete in the Big Ten and have a chance to play during the final weekend of the season. 

“I want to win a national championship,” she said. “So being at a program where that’s the standard – that’s ultimately the goal for next year.”

By Lincoln Arneal

The offseason has officially begun for the Nebraska volleyball team. Junior setter Anni Evans entered the transfer portal on Saturday as a graduate transfer, according to an NU athletic department spokesperson. She has two seasons of eligibility remaining. 

On Sunday morning, Evans wrote in an Instagram post she will be graduating in May, and Nebraska does not offer the graduate program she plans to pursue. She is majoring in psychology and minoring in communications.

The Waverly graduate won the NCAA Elite 90 Award at the 2021 Final Four for the highest grade point average of all participating student-athletes. Evans was also Nebraska’s recipient of the Big Ten Sportsmanship award for 2022. 

Evans said playing for Nebraska was a dream come true, especially after growing up nearby.

“It has truly been such an honor to wear the Nebraska jersey these past three years and is something I will cherish forever,” she wrote. “Playing in the Bob (Devaney Sports Center) is so special and am so grateful I got to do it with my best friends.” 

With Evans’ departure and Nicklin Hames finishing her eligibility, Kennedi Orr is the only returning setter. Bergen Reilly, the No. 4 overall 2023 prospect, will join the Huskers in January. Because Evans was a walk-on, the Huskers are currently at the scholarship limit for the 2023 season.

Evans appeared in 89 sets this season over 27 matches for the Huskers. She averaged 4.37 assists per set and was often the second setter in the Huskers’ 6-2 system. 

Evans recorded a season-high 36 assists against Tulsa in the second match of the year as she ran a one-setter offense. She also finished with five double-doubles this year, averaging 1.76 digs per set. As a sophomore, Evans was primarily used as a serving specialist and recorded 10 aces. 

Evans was one of three Waverly graduates on the Huskers’ roster with freshman middle blocker Bekka Allick and sophomore opposite Whitney Lauenstein. 

The 5-foot-9 Evans initially committed to Colorado State in high school but switched her pledge before her senior year and accepted a walk-on offer from Nebraska. She was placed on scholarship for the 2022 spring semester. Her brothers, Tyler and Erik, each played football at Nebraska.

In her post, Evans thanked the NU staff and teammates for their time together. 

“It has been an honor to (have) been able to play by all of you. I am so grateful that Nebraska volleyball has given me so many lifelong friends,” she wrote. “I will forever be a Husker.”

By Lincoln Arneal

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — As they huddled in the middle of the court, tears began to well in their eyes. 

Moments before, Kiari Robey slammed home a kill that ended Nebraska’s 2022 season at the KFC Yum! Center in the regional semifinal. 

For those Huskers in the huddle, they cherished the ride they had been on and the connections they made, and NU coach John Cook came in and praised them for the fight they displayed the entire match. 

“Our seniors talked a little bit about how much our relationships mean to one another and how much playing on this team has meant to everyone,” sophomore outside hitter Lindsay Krause said as she fought through tears in the postgame press conference. “Developing those close relationships are most of the reason why a lot of girls play athletics.”

For the players, coaches and fans, the season ended sooner than many expected. Nebraska had grand hopes of making the Final Four in Omaha – up the road from its home arena – playing in front of more than 17,000 people at the CHI Health Center Arena. 

With the year’s final loss, Nebraska says goodbye to four seniors. Three of them — outside hitter Madi Kubik, defensive specialist Kenzie Knuckles and setter Nicklin Hames combined to play in 373 matches during their career. 

“It’s hard to believe they’re not going to be here anymore. That’s the first thing I’m trying to wrap my head around,” Cook said on Thursday. “(I saw) Madi on the way over here, and it just seems like she just got here as a freshman. It goes by really fast. But they’re gonna have their master’s degrees. They’ve had great careers.”

The fourth senior class member, Kaitlyn Hord, wrapped up her career at NU after four years at Penn State. When she announced her intention to transfer to Nebraska earlier this season, Hord spoke about rediscovering her love for volleyball. 

In the press conference before the Oregon match, Hord talked about the joy she experienced with her teammates and how much she appreciated how they cared about her as a person and not just a volleyball team. She didn’t have any regrets as the Huskers entered the portion of their schedule where any game could be their last. 

“I wouldn’t have rather done that with anybody else than these girls because it’s just so fun here, and the vibes are amazing,” she said. “We are really playing like every match is a championship match. We’re not taking anything for granted. We’re giving our all and stepping out on the court with each other and playing for each other.”

Kubik and Hord will head overseas to play professionally. Knuckles has a job lined up with the 1890 Initiative, a name-image-likeness collective in Lincoln. Hames will start her coaching career as she returns to NU as a graduate manager. 

Now, Nebraska will transition into the offseason. The future for the Huskers remains full of possibilities. The roster might look slightly different as transfers in and out are possible. The coaching staff should remain stable, but Jaylen Reyes could be a candidate to take over as a head coach. The Huskers could also add a volunteer coach to help the program. 

A glance at the final stats against Oregon provides a glimpse into next season. Krause led the Huskers with 16 kills, while fellow sophomores Ally Batenhorst and Whitney Lauenstein finished with 15 and 12 kills, respectively. Sophomore libero Lexi Rodriguez recorded 18 digs and should add another All-American award during the Final Four. Setter Kennedi Orr struggled with consistency but provided depth at setter as she tried to regain her form. 

“ As sophomores, there’s five of us, and I think that we know that we’re going to play a really big role next year,” Krause said. “We’re looking forward to that, but also, we really want to get this one for the seniors. So that really sucks.”

In addition, freshman Bekka Allick proved to be a force at the middle blocker, and classmate Maggie Mendelson held her own in limited action. 

On top of the solid group of returning players, Nebraska will add the No. 1 recruiting class that features elite prospects at each position, including setter Bergen Reilly, who played with the women’s senior national team. With all the talent on next year’s roster, NU should be in position to make a deep tournament run next year. 

“This team should have a great opportunity to be great next year,” Cook said. “We’ve got to get a setter that is going to run it. And, of course, we got some freshmen coming in. Those freshmen will all compete. I guarantee that. They will all complete.”

By Lincoln Arneal

Louisville, KY. Nebraska won’t be playing in the regional finals for the first time in more than a decade. 

The Huskers’ streak of 10 straight Elite Eight appearances ended on Thursday with a five-set loss to Oregon. The last time NU didn’t make a regional final came in 2011 when it lost to Kansas State in the second round. 

It’s only the fourth time in John Cook’s 23 seasons at Nebraska that the Huskers have missed a regional final. 

Even though the season ended earlier than usual, Cook said they should be proud of the season. The Huskers’ six losses were to all Top 10 ranked teams, and they battled many forms of adversity this year. 

“All year long, they show up every match. They didn’t take any matches off and you see all the upsets in college volleyball now,” Cook said. “That’s a reflection of our training, our program, our culture, how we approach each match and season. So to do it 10 straight years, I think, is something to be proud of because it just shows the consistency and the high level of play that we’re after.”

WIN THE CROWD — With the sweep over Baylor on Thursday, Louisville moved to one match from a return trip to the Final Four. Advancing to the national semifinals would mean a little more this year for Cardinals coach Dani Busboom Kelly with the tournament ending at the CHI Health Center Arena in Omaha. 

The former Nebraska player and assistant coach hopes to win over fans now that the Huskers have been eliminated. 

“I feel like I need to represent now that Nebraska got knocked out,” Busboom Kelly said. “I would hope that Nebraska fans would be cheering for us if we happen to make it.”

OPPOSITE SWITCH — Late in the first set, Oregon subbed in junior opposite Morgan Lewis for Gloria Mutiri. When she left the match, Mutiri had just one kill and one error on nine attacks. 

After amassing four kills in her first two full sets, Lewis went off for eight kills in the fourth. She finished with a season-high 13 kills for just her second match this year with double-digit kills. 

While Mutiri is more consistent, Oregon coach Matt Ulmer said they needed more scoring. 

“Morgan is just a little more terminal than Gloria,” he said. “I thought (setter) Hannah (Pukis) did a nice job of going to her. It took her a little time to get that trust back – they haven’t played a ton together. I thought Morgan just made some huge plays for us, and that was really important, to spread the floor, because it was just really left-side dominant early, so to be able to get that separation was important.”

SPREAD IT OUT — Even when the crowd filled in for the Louisville-Baylor match, the attendance at the two regional semifinals was 5,002 at the KFC Yum! Center. 

After all the work that the Big Ten did to feature the sport this season from the first-ever volleyball media days to regularly televised matches, Cook said he was disappointed with the start time and logistics around the Sweet Sixteen. He said his preferred method is to spread the regional matches over four days and all play in the evening. 

“The NCAA needs to do a better job promoting volleyball,” Cook said. 

CAREER MARKS — After breaking the Nebraska school record earlier this season, senior setter Nicklin Hames finished her career with 5,084 assists, 260 more than Fiona Nepo. 

The fifth-year senior also finished third in career digs at 1,587, passing Jennifer Saleaumua during the second-round match against Kansas, and is 10th all-time with 128 aces. 

Senior outside hitter Madi Kubik finished 13th in school history with 1,264 kills. She barely missed out on becoming the fourth player with 1,000 kills and digs. She finished with 983 career digs. 

Kubik also had nine kills in the match and finished her career in 13th place on Nebraska’s all-time kills list (1,264).

By Lincoln Arneal

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The match and a trip to the regional finals was there for the taking. 

However, Nebraska couldn’t score the final point as it failed to convert four match points in the fourth set against Oregon. 

The third-seeded Ducks won the fourth set on its fifth set point, and they jumped out to a 13-4 lead in the fifth set for a 14-25, 26-24, 22-25, 32-30, 15-11 victory over NU on Thursday afternoon at the KFC Yum! Center. 

“It was a great match. Oregon made a couple of plays to win it,” NU coach John Cook said. “We played our hearts out. Sometimes that’s how those things go. There were a couple of deuce games and they made some great plays. I told the team I don’t really feel like we lost that match. I thought Oregon won it.” 

Oregon will play Louisville, who swept Baylor, on Saturday in the regional final with a trip to Omaha on the line. 

Nebraska (26-6) dominated the first set as it broke open an 11-9 lead with an 8-2 run. The Huskers also closed out the set with the final four points while limiting the Ducks to eight kills and seven errors. 

Sophomore Ally Batenhorst said they were ready for the early 11 a.m. local start time and had a good mindset. 

“Every play, we were just gonna be like next ball no matter what happens. We’re gonna focus on the next point ahead of us,” said Batenhorst, who finished with 15 kills, three blocks, two aces and 12 digs. “We brought a lot of energy and it was a really good match.”

NU looked poised to win the second set leading 22-20, but three straight kills put Oregon in front. The Ducks (26-5) missed a serve on its first set point but forced an NU hitting error to claim the set.

The third set was another tight affair, and Nebraska rallied to take the lead behind a 6-2 run for a 16-15 advantage. Oregon kept it close but lost both of its challenges during three points. The Huskers finished strong by winning three of the final four points as the set ended on a UO service error. 

Oregon coach Matt Ulmer said while his team never lost the belief that they would win, the Huskers made them work for it. 

Freshman Mimi Colyer led the Ducks with 26 kills, while Nuneviller added 16. Setter Hannah Pukis finished with 57 assists, 20 digs, six kills and two aces. The Ducks finished with 198 attacks and hit .217. 

“Nebraska is so great. They’re a really good team,” Ulmer said. “That’s the toughest defense we played against, not even close. Their block was excellent. And they fought. They fought just as equally as hard.”

Nebraska unblocked the Ducks 14-7 and amassed 78 digs. Kaitlyn Hord led the Huskers with nine blocks to go with her seven kills at a .412 clip. 

Nicklin Hames totaled 24 assists and 12 digs, while Anni Evans chipped in 22 assists and 15 digs. The Husker hit .199. Libero Lexi Rodriguez led NU with 18 digs, while Madi Kubik added 17 digs with nine kills. 

The drama ramped up when it looked like the Huskers were on the verge of locking up a win in the fourth set. 

The Huskers led 20-18 in the fourth set with Pukis serving. The next rally finished with an NU hitter error, but an Oregon attack appeared to have not cleared the net and Cook challenged. However, the call stood and the Ducks went on a 5-0 run for a 22-20 advantage. 

Oregon had the first chance to win the set leading 24-22, but Lauenstein erased both set points with kills. After an error by the Ducks, NU earned its first match point. Morgan Lewis, who didn’t start the match but finished with 13 kills, terminated on the next play. 

With the Huskers leading 26-25, Cook used his last substitution to bring in Maisie Boesiger to serve for Bekka Allick. He said he didn’t want Allick to serve because she hadn’t attempted one all match and thought the Huskers could close it out. NU had a swing to end it, but Kubik misjudged a bump set by Boesiger and didn’t connect cleanly on the attack. 

“We had to gamble and go for it, and we lost,” Cook said.

The Huskers had another chance to close the match but failed to convert a free ball. Eventually, both teams sided out enough so the 5-foot-6 freshman had to play in the front row alongside Evans, who hadn’t played the front row since the season’s second match.

Oregon finally converted its fifth set point when Brooke Nuneviller dug an attack by Lauenstein, and the pass went over to the end and landed before any NU player could cover it. 

“When you get to that point in the game, that’s when you really just want to take the biggest swings, get the biggest digs, serve the ball the hardest,” sophomore outside hitter Lindsay Krause said. “When you’re in that situation, you want to give it your all… It was pretty evident how much we were giving at the end of that set.”

Krause led Nebraska with 16 kills and a .324 hitting percentage to go with six blocks.

Nebraska led 2-1 in the fifth set, but Oregon grabbed the momentum by winning 12 of the following 14 points. Cook inserted Hames and Krause into the match to try to regroup. It worked temporarily as the Huskers fought off six match points before Kiari Robey ended the match. 

Cook said they got stuck in a bad rotation, and he tried to change something up. He was proud of the Huskers’ resilience to try to climb their way back into the match. 

“I also think that’s just an example that this team never quits,” he said. “I also told them that this is the grittiest team I’ve ever coached. All the stuff we’ve dealt with this year with lineup changes and players coming in and out, and all the changes – this team’s handled it great, and they never quit. They could’ve packed it in during game five there and I think we had a lot of people believing we might come back and tie that thing up.” 

By Lincoln Arneal

LOUISVILLE, Kentucky — The one constant for Nebraska this season has been change. 

The second-seeded Huskers have used 13 different lineups in 31 matches this season. Injuries, struggles with consistency and offensive experimentation caused NU to rely on an evolving combination of players, more so than any season under coach John Cook. 

As they prepare for the regional semifinal, the Huskers (26-5) will try to build a cohesive lineup with chemistry and cohesion as they take on third-seeded Oregon Thursday at 10 a.m. at the KFC Yum! Center. 

“Everybody on our team is capable of playing and everybody’s played this year, and some pretty big matches,” NU coach John Cook said. “There’s a lot of trust and so it’s made it easy for us to make those adjustments and changes. We haven’t missed a beat doing it because that’s a lot of changes we’ve made.”

Throughout all the different lineups, NU has had a few constants. Kaitlyn Hord has played every match as the Huskers’ No. 1 middle blocker, while Lexi Rodriguez anchored the defense at libero. Madi Kubik has started every match, but she switched rotation spots from L1 to L2 during the last four matches. 

However, the rest of the lineup has been a work in progress. 

The first day of the season featured two different lineup changes as the Huskers used Kennedi Orr as the setter and Lindsay Krause as outside hitter in a 5-1 system. That evening, junior setter Anni Evans and sophomore outside hitter Ally Batenhorst started. 

The next weekend, NU completely changed systems and went with a two-setter offense as senior Nicklin Hames gave up her short stint as a defensive specialist to return to setter. 

Injuries to Batenhorst and Hames plus short-term illnesses forced several changes along the way. The latest alteration was necessitated by a season-ending injury to senior Kenzie Knuckles. 

The Huskers’ most common lineup was Hames and Evans setting, Kubik and Batenhorst on the left, Whitney Lauenstein and Krause on the right, Hord and freshman Bekka Allick in the middle with Rodriguez playing libero and Knuckles at defensive specialist. That group played nine matches together. 

The second most-common group, used six times, moved Orr in for an injured Hames, Krause was on the left for Batenhorst and Maggie Mendelson played as the second opposite. 

No other lineup was used by NU for more than two matches.

Batenhorst said they kept adjusting and adapting to whatever group of players is on the court by keeping their mindset focused on the team’s success. 

“We’ve done a great job of just handling it with resilience and just working as hard as we can, in every aspect no matter where you are on the court,” Batenhorst said. “It’s allowed us to develop that resilience and just be able to push through and it helps us when we are competing and (in) matches when things aren’t always going away. It’s not perfect. Nothing’s ever going to be perfect.”

All the changes haven’t impacted the on-court performance too much. The Huskers are hitting .246 this season, which is 24 points better than last year’s national runner-up finish. NU also leads the country in opponent hitting percentage at .123. 

Earlier this year, Krause talked about how important the team-first attitude from the Huskers is after she had bounced from left pin to right pin. 

“I will do whatever we can to win,” she said at the start of the Big Ten season. “I just want to be on a winning team and if that means I’m playing right side, cool. If that means playing outside, cool. If that means I’m not in the lineup, that sucks for me, but cool. I want to be on a team that’s gonna win.”

EARLY RISERS — Earlier this week, Cook voiced his displeasure at the 10 a.m. local start time for the regional semifinal, which will be broadcast on ESPNU. For the Ducks, their body clock will think the match will begin at 8 a.m. However, Oregon should have no problem with the early match as it regularly practices at 8:30 a.m. 

Junior setter Hannah Pukis said she likes morning practices, which start even earlier with treatment and stretching. 

“It’s kind of nice to start your day with your favorite thing to do and your favorite people to be around,” she said. “So we get up and I think it kind of sets the precedent for the rest of your day.”

The Huskers have modified their practice schedule shifting their usual afternoon start time to the morning. Cook said the players reacted well and continued their streak of not having a bad practice all year. 

“It doesn’t matter when we practice or when we go, they’ve been great,” he said. “Today really didn’t feel like a morning practice. Yesterday did because we started at 8, but so I think they’ve adjusted really well.”

KENTUCKY HOSPITALITY — At this point of the season, every match is tough. Cook said the Louisville region will be tough just like every other one, with one exception: the gift bags.

“The only difference in this regional is you know for gifts, you get bourbon and a baseball bat, that’s a first.”

He said they received Woodford Reserve bourbon and a mini-Louisville Slugger bat. He deferred to Hord, who is a Lexington native, on the expertise and how to navigate the 30-page bourbon menus. Hord said her family couldn’t get out of work to attend Thursday’s match, but would attend the final if the Huskers advance.

Cook was also excited to be in horse country with Churchill Downs, home of the Kentucky Derby, just a few miles away. 

While he said he won’t have any time to go on any tours while in Louisville, he’s always thinking about horses. 

“I hear (NU football coach) Matt Rhule is looking for horses – his daughter rides,” Cook said. “That’s going to be my job when our season’s over is to get her squared away.”

DUCKS FLY TOGETHER — The key to Oregon’s offensive success this year has been Pukis, a transfer from Washington State. The 5-foot-11 setter is averaging 11.6 assists per set and led the Ducks to the fourth-best attacking percentage in the nation at .298. 

Pukis said the key against a stout Huskers defense will be sticking together and playing Oregon volleyball. 

“We try to really focus on what’s happening on our side of the court,” she said. “I have the utmost faith in our passers and our passers help us create the offense we want. Our hitters are going to continue to do what they do regardless of who we play on the other side.”

The Ducks will try to attack from the outside as their middles combine to average less than 1.4 kills per set. Senior Brooke Nuneviller and freshman Mimi Colyer each average more than four kills a set. 

Cook said Oregon’s offense reminded him of Maryland and a few other nonconference opponents that ran a fast tempo. The key to it all is Pukis, who Cook called “very consistent.” 

Hord was reluctant to share too many details about her strategy to slow down Oregon, but NU needs to communicate with each other and trust their training. 

“You just have to be really disciplined because they are extremely athletic,” she said. “They’re not as big as we’re used to so that calls for just a more disciplined block.”

NO BLACKSHIRTS NECESSARY — Earlier this week, NU Athletic Director Trev Alberts rewarded two men’s basketball players, Emmanuel Bandoumel and Juwan Gary, with football Blackshirts for their outstanding defensive effort in the Huskers upset over No. 7 Creighton. 

Should members of the Nebraska volleyball team and its top-ranked defense also receive jerseys? No, Cook said, he wasn’t planning on lobbying Alberts for any special recognition. 

“We don’t need all that stuff,” he said. “We already know we can play D. We take a lot of pride in it. No, we have not had that conversation (with Alberts).”

By Lincoln Arneal

For many Nebraska volleyball fans, work productivity is going to drop precipitously. 

The second-seeded Huskers are scheduled to play No. 3 Oregon Thursday at 11 a.m. local time in Louisville. That means the match will start at 10 a.m. in Lincoln and at 8 a.m. for Duck fans. 

During his weekly radio show, NU volleyball coach John Cook voiced frustration about the start time saying basketball wouldn’t start its Sweet 16 games before noon, and football wouldn’t play the College Football Playoffs in the morning. 

“I think it’s ridiculous,” Cook said. “It makes it hard on our fans, people that work. I don’t know why they can’t figure this out and do half on one day and half on another day.”

The reason for the early start time is television. All eight regional semifinals will be televised, with six matches on ESPNU and two during the afternoon on ESPN2. (ESPN2’s evening programming will feature Rutgers-Ohio State and Colorado-Colorado State men’s basketball). 

The Huskers have proven to be a good television draw. Their match on Nov. 25 against Wisconsin drew 587,000 viewers, a regular-season record. More than 289,000 people tuned in the next day to watch the regular season finale against Minnesota. Also, last year’s national championship had 1.188 million viewers. 

Cook was skeptical that a brunch time match would result in big numbers. Instead, he said he preferred splitting the days up and playing on Thursday and Friday with matches starting in the afternoon. 

“This isn’t helping boost TV ratings,” Cook said. “I guess they are going to get everything on for the whole day. It’s a challenge, but that’s how the NCAA tournament rolls.”

The Huskers were also given an 11 a.m. start time in 2016 in a regional semifinal against Penn State. NU dropped the first two sets and faced two match points in the third at 24-22 but rallied with a 4-0 run and eventually won the match in five sets.

This season, Nebraska has played a variety of start times. Its first match of the year began at 11 a.m. against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi as part of a doubleheader that day. The Huskers have played two matches at noon on Sundays and a pair of matches at 8 p.m. on Wednesdays. 

Nebraska switched its practice schedule from the afternoon to start at 10 a.m. this week in prep for the early first serve. The Huskers haven’t been sharp in some of their earlier start times this season, and Cook was sure they would come out strong in their most important match of the year. 

“We aren’t going to have a sleepy set one,” Cook said. “Our team understands what is at stake here. We’ve played some weird times this year. We are used to being out of rhythm and out of sync. Our team is fired up, and we know we’re going to have to play our best match of the year.”

ALL-REGION –  Nebraska placed five student-athletes on the AVCA North All-Region Team on Tuesday, the most all-region selections for the Huskers since earning six in 2016. 

Senior outside hitter Madi Kubik earned her fourth selection, while middle blocker Kaitlyn Hord was named to the all-region team for her fifth time. Sophomore libero Lexi Rodriguez picked up her second honor, while sophomore opposite Whitney Lauenstein and freshman middle blocker Bekka Allick were recognized for the first time. 

Being named to the all-region team makes the players eligible to earn All-American honors, which will be announced next week during the Final Four.

DUCK ATTACK — While Oregon’s outside hitters – freshman Mimi Colyer and senior Brooke Nuneviller – draw most of the attention, Cook said the best player on the Ducks’ offense is setter Hannah Pukis. 

After transferring from Washington State, Pukis averaged more than 11 assists per set and led Oregon’s offense to a .298 hitting percentage – fourth in the nation. The left-handed junior also chips in more than one kill per set. 

“Their setter is elite,” Cook said. “They run a really fast offense and she’s the one that makes it go. She puts those guys in a good position every time.”

Colyer, a 6-foot-3 freshman, averages 4.19 kills per set, while the 5-11 Nuneviller, who started at libero her freshman year, was just behind her at 4.05 kills per set. 

Cook said the key to having the Huskers and their top-ranked defense slow down Oregon is learning their hitters’ tendencies and not letting them tip or use off-speed shots for kills. 

TRANSFER TIME – With many teams’ seasons winding down, the transfer portal is starting to heat up for college volleyball. Cook talked about the culture around player movement and how many student-athletes are exploring their options. 

Most of the top teams in the sport utilize transfers. Texas added six transfers to its roster and spent most of the season at No. 1. Wisconsin added key players at outside hitter and middle blocker to replace a large departing senior class. Louisville added a transfer at setter after losing a three-year starter. 

“The whole world changed really fast,” Cook said. “When we first heard about the portal, we were like, this is not good. I don’t think everybody realized how dramatic it would be.”

Add in the extra year of eligibility granted because of the COVID pandemic and programs are in a scholarship numbers pinch. They often do not have room for players to stick around as they continue recruiting from the prep ranks. 

Cook cited Northwestern as an example: all-Big Ten outside hitter Temi Thomas-Ailara, outside hitter Hanna Lesiak and middle blocker Desiree Becker entered the portal after playing at least four years for the Wildcats. Cook said Ohio State might face that situation with six incoming freshmen who rank as the No. 5 class in 2023 by PrepVolleyball.com. 

Cook prefers not to rely on transfers. However, the Huskers are not immune from taking transfers. 

NU added middle blocker Kaitlyn Hord this offseason and some of the top players in the past decade started their careers elsewhere, including Kelsy Robinson, Briana Holman and Lexi Sun. Cook said the scholarship for Hord was made available by two medical retirements by opposite/middle blocker Riley Zuhn and middle blocker Rylee Gray. 

Cook said incoming prep players are more ready than ever to contribute, with many entering a semester early and expecting to play. 

“We are going to try to have the reputation that if we recruit you, we are going to play you,” Cook said. “If we need to go into the portal, it will be for a specific need, or we lost somebody, or we moved somebody to a different position.”

By Lincoln Arneal

After winning its second-round NCAA tournament match on Friday night, Nebraska had to wait an extra day to learn where it would play its next match and had to wait even longer to find out its opponent. 

With No. 1-seed Louisville defeating No. 8 Purdue, the Cardinals will host the regional round as the top seed remaining in the region. The Huskers (26-5) will take on No. 3-seed Oregon on Thursday at 10 a.m. Central. The Ducks won the last match on Saturday night. 

The early start is necessitated by a TV schedule where all eight matches will be televised on ESPNU or ESPN2. 

Nebraska last played in Louisville in 2004 when the top-seeded Huskers fell in five sets to No. 8 USC in the regional final. However, the last two postseason trips to the Bluegrass State resulted in better memories as NU earned final four trips after playing at Kentucky in 2015 and 2017. Both those seasons ended with national championships for the Huskers. 

The Huskers also played at Kentucky, the hometown of middle blocker Kaitlyn Hord, this season and earned a sweep.

This year will be the ninth time Nebraska will play Oregon. The Huskers are 6-2 all-time against the Ducks, with the losses coming early in the 2017 season and in the 2012 regional final. 

The winner between the Huskers and Ducks will play Louisville or No. 4 Baylor on Saturday at 3 p.m. This is the first year teams will get a rest day between the regional semifinal and finals. 

Before moving on to the next round, here are news and notes from the first weekend of the NCAA tournament. 

BEKKA’S WORLD — Bekka Allick looked like a seasoned veteran in her first taste of the postseason. Nebraska’s freshman middle blocker amassed 13 kills on a .521 hitting percentage to go with 8 blocks and a couple assists. 

Allick said the postseason reminded her of her time with USA volleyball against tough competition. 

“It’s survival of the fittest,” she said. “Every point is a grind. It will never ever be handed to you.”

The bright lights have never intimidated Allick. Two of her best matches this year came against Wisconsin and Purdue. She amassed more than 6 blocks against Ohio State, Kentucky and Penn State. 

The other emotion Allick was feeling was gratitude. She said she is trying to stay focused on winning a title, take everything in along the way and learn from all the new experiences. 

“I’m so curious as to the kind of person I become,” she said. “This is one of those times where I think it’s really easy for someone in my position to shy away from it, or I could grow. I could go to a whole new level and put myself in an even better position next season. So I’m just really excited.”

After her response, NU coach John Cook leaned back in his chair and gave Allick a fist bump. Cook said he’s impressed with Allick’s perspective. He’s gotten to know her over the season on the court, in practices and at their twice-weekly dinners and enjoys her company. 

“It’s just Bekka’s world, and we’re just living in it,” Cook said.

BIG TEN BACK ON TOP — The SEC claimed bragging rights on Selection Sunday by earning seven bids to the NCAA tournament, the most of any league. However, the Big Ten is the top conference after the first weekend. 

The Big Ten’s six teams went 11-1 during the first two rounds with five teams making the second weekend. However, that number is guaranteed to drop as Wisconsin and Penn State play in the regional semifinal, as do Minnesota and Ohio State. 

The SEC had a successful first round as six teams won in the first round, including Auburn’s upset of No. 4 seed Creighton. Tennessee was the only SEC team that fell on the first night, losing to Purdue. However, only Florida and Kentucky survived to the second week.

The ACC, Big 12, Pac-12 and SEC each have two teams still alive, while the American, Big East and West Coast Conference have a representative in the field.

MOSTLY CHALK — Whether it was home-court advantage or accurate seeding, the first two rounds resulted in almost all the favorites advancing. 

The only exception was No. 4-seed Creighton, which lost in the first round to Auburn in five sets. The Bluejays were without All-Big East setter Kendra Wait, who was out after taking a volleyball to the face in the Big East tournament final. 

No. 5 Houston took advantage and made its first regional appearance since 1994. The next longest absence from the Sweet 16 belongs to San Diego and Marquette, who last made the second week in 2018. Nine of the 16 teams also made the regional semifinals last year. 

In the first year the NCAA seeded 32 teams, the favorites went 26-6 in the first round. In addition to Auburn, Kansas knocked off No. 7 Miami, and Northern Iowa upset No. 7 Florida State.  

The eighth seed in each bracket had a rough opening round. Three of the four teams lost their opener as Georgia beat Towson, TCU topped Washington and LSU defeated Hawaii, all in four sets. Purdue was the only one to survive with a five-set victory over Tennessee.