After one of the most dominant runs through the Big Ten last year, the league’s coaches expect the Nebraska volleyball team to do much of the same this season. In fact, the latest preseason rankings show that even while the Cornhuskers have fallen short from time to time, many, many people expect Dani Busboom Kelly’s squad to continue to be easily the best in the conference.
Nebraska was the unanimous selection to win the conference in the preseason poll released on Thursday. That’s not really a surprise considering that the Huskers won their third straight Big Ten title with a 20-0 record and dropped only one set to a league opponent against the UCLA Bruins.
Much of the rest of the top of the poll is also something that has been that way for the last few years in the Big Ten. Wisconsin was picked second behind NU, the same spot it finished in 2025. The coaches expect Penn State to bounce back after the Nittany Lions fell to a tie for sixth place after losing setter Izzy Starck in the season.
In addition to the team recognition, three Huskers picked up individual honors on Thursday. Setter Bergen Reilly, outside hitter Harper Murray and middle blocker Andi Jackson were all unanimous selections for the All-Big Ten preseason team. The level of dominance demonstrated by the Cornhuskers was underlined by the fact that the only other unanimous selection on the 19-member team was Penn State opposite Kennedi Martin.
Nebraska volleyball unanimously picked to win Big Ten championship in 2026
Reilly and Murray have both made the Big Ten end-of-season first team all three years of their careers. Reilly was the Big Ten Player of the Year last year and has been named the league’s top setter three times and is seeking to become the first four-time honoree this year. Jackson was named to the Big Ten first team the past two years and was a second-team selection her freshman season.
Jackson, Reilly and Murray were also recognized on Wednesday as three of 30 players placed on the AVCA National Player of the Year watch list. Reilly was a finalist for the award last year, and all three were first-team All-Americans. The AVCA also recognized Jackson and Reilly as the top players in their position. Only Kentucky had more players honored, with four Wildcats on the list.
While the focus this week has been the Nebraska football team with Big Ten Media Days, the volleyball team’s season is getting closer and closer. When it does finally get started, the Huskers are expected to be dominant once again.
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