Husker Corner
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Nebraska Volleyball: Same starting lineup gives Huskers advantage

By Leigh Oleszczak

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - DECEMBER 13: The Nebraska Cornhuskers bench celebrates a point against the Illinois Fighting Illini during the Division I Women's Volleyball Semifinals held at the Target Center on December 13, 2018 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Jamie Schwaberow/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - DECEMBER 13: The Nebraska Cornhuskers bench celebrates a point against the Illinois Fighting Illini during the Division I Women's Volleyball Semifinals held at the Target Center on December 13, 2018 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Jamie Schwaberow/NCAA Photos via Getty Images) /
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Nebraska volleyball had zero seniors on their team in 2019, meaning they’ll have the exact same starting lineup from a season ago. That will help them, especially with COVID-19 delaying everything.

Nebraska volleyball might not have gotten to the Final Four last season (which was the first time they hadn’t made it since 2014), but make no mistake, the Huskers will be one of the teams to watch once again in 2020.

One of the biggest reasons the Huskers have a huge advantage is that they didn’t lose any of their starters from a season ago. That would be crucial no matter what, but with the nation still living through the COVID-19 pandemic and sports being delayed, the same lineup returning to Lincoln for the 2020 season is extremely important.

Here’s what the starting lineup looked like last year, and therefore will look like again 2020 with their 2020 grade in parenthesis:

  • Setter – Nicklin Hames (Junior)
  • Libero – Kenzie Knuckles (Sophomore)
  • Outside Hitter – Madi Kubik (Sophomore)
  • Outside Hitter – Lexi Sun (Senior)
  • Outside Hitter – Jazz Sweet (Senior)
  • Middle Blocker – Callie Schwarzenbach (Junior)
  • Middle Blocker – Lauren Stivrins (Senior)

The Huskers have some key seniors on their team heading into this year and their leadership and experience will be crucial, especially if fans aren’t going to be allowed for matches (which is always a huge advantage for Big Red).

Nebraska volleyball might not have lost any starters this offseason, but they did lose some key bench players, such as defensive specialist Megan Miller, middle blocker/outside hitter Anezka Szabo, and outside hitter Capri Davis. Without those three, the Huskers will have to rely on senior Hayley Densberger, sophomore Riley Zuhn, and junior transfer Kayla Coffey to fill that depth.

The bench depth will look quite different for Nebraska, but having the EXACT same starters is big and will give this time an advantage because they’ve all played together before. Finding the chemistry and gelling isn’t going to take as long for this group because they’ve already played and won together.

Hopefully there is indeed a volleyball season for Nebraska because this is going to be a big season for the Huskers. Unlike last year, there are seniors on this year’s roster and it’d really be unfortunate if they didn’t get to play their final year for the team. Stivrins has been on the team since 2016 (she redshirted that year), so even if the players were allowed to return again in 2021, would she really want to come back for a sixth season?

Next. Examining the redshirt wide recievers. dark

There hasn’t been a schedule announced yet for Nebraska, but even when it is announced, the Cornhuskers will take the same starting unit into the 2020 season and that already means they have a leg up over the rest of their competition – and the other contenders don’t want to hear that at all.

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