The No. 2 Nebraska volleyball team is headed to conference play.

Since falling victim to the biggest setback of the college volleyball season in a straight-up loss at SMU on September 3, the Huskers have responded with eight straight wins. After a few easy sweeps, a five-set thriller is over Creighton seemed to inspire NOW. The Huskers have won 12 straight sets, including back-to-back sweeps of No. 2 Stanford at home and No. 4 Louisville in front of more than 14,000 at the KFC Yum! Arena.

As the defending conference champions, Nebraska will have a target on its back, especially with the Huskers welcoming two of the four new members from the West Coast.

Here’s everything you need to know as the Huskers open Big Ten play.

How to follow

Matchup: No. 2 Nebraska (10-1) vs. UCLA (6-3)

Where: Devaney Sports Center, Lincoln, NE

Time: 7pm CDT

Watch: Big Ten Network

Listen: Huskers Radio Network and Affiliates

UCLA scout

Head Coach: Alfee Reft | 2nd season | 24-15 (.615) career HC record | Assistant coach of the US women’s national team at Paris 2024, where he won a silver medal.

2023 record: 18-12 (10-10 Pac-12, 6th) | One honorable mention from AVCA | One All-Pac-12 selection | Did not qualify for the NCAA tournament.

Balance against Nebraska: 5-13 (last game of 2019, Nebraska won 3-0)

Fun fact: The Huskers have won four straight games against the Bruins starting in 2012. NU last lost at home to UCLA back in 2009 John Cooks daughter, Laurenswas the starting setter for the Bruins before transferring to the Huskers.

Main returns: Anna Dodson, MB, Gr. | Cheridyn Leverette, OH, Jr. | Grayce Olson, OH/OPP, Jr. | Peyton Dueck, L, Sr. | Audrey Pak, S, Gr.

Most important additions: Kiki Horne, OH, Fr. (Recruiting) | Kate Reilly, DS/L, Gr. (Stanford)

Key starting points: Iman Ndiaye, OH/OPP (Eligibility) | Desiree Becker, MB (eligibility)

Outlook: It was a mediocre debut season for new UCLA head coach Alfee Reft in 2023. A .500 conference record in the Pac-12’s final year did not yield a postseason berth despite an 18-12 record. The Bruins were one of the first eight teams not to make the dance.

However, five of the seven starters return for the 2024 season. Unfortunately, one of those departures came in as leading points scorer and opposite Iman Ndiaye. She posted a statline of 3.14 kills per set with a team-high 441 points in 118 sets. Plus, starting middle blocker and Northwestern transfer Desiree Becker graduated after leading UCLA with a total of 136 blocks complemented by 1.42 kills per set at a .342 clip.

Despite the losses, Reft and the Bruins return an intriguing core that has carried UCLA to a 6-3 record this weekend. The only impressive win for the Bruins thus far is a five-set win over No. 14 Georgia Tech in the season opener. They were later swept by No. 17 Tennessee and lost to No. 25 TCU in four sets in the other high-profile matches.

The lead was taken by breakout junior Cheridyn Leverette. After moving into a secondary role last season, Leverette was unleashed as the primary attacker, with 4.07 kills per set (6th in B1G) on a .325 hitting percentage. Additionally, she leads the team with 3.0 digs per set and has five aces. Freshman recruit Kiki Horne completes a dynamic duo for the Bruins. The North Carolina native is second on the team with 3.04 kills per set on a .218 clip with 11 blocks. She was the state’s 2022 Gatorade Player of the Year and was also VolleyballMag.com Player of the Year for North Carolina. Grayce Olson will also appear as an outside hitter and as an opponent. The 6-foot-4 hitter ranked second on the team in kills in 2023 and is on a similar pace to start 2024 with 2.48 kills per set.

Anna Dodson was named an AVCA honorable mention last season and returns for her college season after spending last summer with the USA Volleyball Collegiate Women’s National Team. Dodson stood out during her senior season with 233 kills at a .374 clip with 1.24 blocks per set. Her efficiency has dropped this year with just a .262 hitting percentage and 2.14 kills per set. She also leads the team with 31 blocks (1.11 per set). Redshirt freshman Brooklyn Briscoe fills the shoes left by Becker and lines up at second center. She recovered from injury in 2023 but brings a lot of pedigree to Hollywood, the former No. 12 overall recruit in her class, according to PrepVolleyball. She is the one who is efficient with a .352 clip on 71 swings with 34 kills and 22 blocks.

Graduate student Audrey Pak returns to run the offense as the starting setter. She split time with freshman Ashley Mullen through the first half of 2023 before making the final 15 starts. She has improved her numbers as a starter this season with 9.03 assists and 2.45 digs per set. Returning senior Peyton Dueck is back at libero and is averaging 3.0 digs per set in nine matches. Kate Reilly came over from Stanford and has provided valuable playing time as a defensive specialist with 2.52 digs per set.

The Bruins appear to be on the rise under Reft, who was part of the 2022 Final Four San Diego team that played in Omaha. The Bruins should aim for a spot in the top half of the Big Ten, but it will be difficult to break Nebraska’s 31-game winning streak on Friday.

How to follow

Matchup: No. 2 Nebraska (10-1) vs. No. 20 USC (8-2)

Where: Devaney Sports Center, Lincoln, NE

Time: 6:30 PM CDT

Watch: Big Ten Network

Listen: Huskers Radio Network and Affiliates

USC Scout

Head Coach: Brad Keller | 5th season | 71-49 (.592) USC record | Former assistant women’s and men’s volleyball coach at UCLA

2023 record: 19-13 (12-8 Pac-12, 5th) | AVCA First Team All-American | Two All-Pac-12 selections, one Pac-12 All-Freshman Team selection | 3-1 loss to No. 4 Pittsburgh in round 32.

Record against Nebraska: 7-2 (last game 2008, Nebraska won 3-1)

Fun fact: Nebraska has only played USC at home once in a regular season setting, losing in four sets in 1985. This will also be the first game between the two schools since 1997 that is part of the regular season. The past three games all came in the postseason, with the Trojans winning two of those three.

Main returns: Lindsey Miller, MB, Sr. | London Wijay, OH, Soph. | Gala Trubint, L, Jr. | Mia Tuaniga, S, Sr. | Tyrah Ariail, MB, R-Jr.

Most important additions: Ally Batenhorst, OH, Gr. (Nebraska) | Grae Gosnell, OH, Gr. (Indiana)

Key starting points: Skylar Fields, OH (eligibility) | Kalyah Williams, OPP (eligible) Ellie Snook, DS (eligible)

Outlook: USC enters its first season in the Big Ten and is looking to improve on its 19-13 campaign in 2023. Head coach Brad Keller lost one of the program’s best players in history in Skylar Fields, who earned AVCA First Team All-American honors in her senior season after averaging more than five kills per set and 666.5 points. The former No. 1 overall recruit excelled after transferring from Texas, leaving a big hole for Keller and the Trojans to fill.

That’s where Nebraska is going Ally Batenhorst comes in. Unable to secure consistent playing time during her time in Lincoln, Batenhorst has become the main option for the Women of Troy. The Houston native leads the team with a career-high 3.84 kills per set at a .219 clip with 2.18 digs per set and 32 blocks. She is joined by Adonia Faumuina (2.14 K/S) and the combination of London Wijay (2.29 K/S) and true freshman Jadyn Livings (3.29 K/S) who has the kills, but is not yet efficient with a . 188 hitting percentage.

However, setter Mia Tuaniga is perhaps the best player on the court for the Trojans. She is averaging 10.39 assists and 2.34 digs per set, along with a team-leading 18 aces in just 10 matches played. The senior wears the distinctive number 91 and was a two-time All-Pac 12 all-conference team selection. In addition, she received an honorable mention from the AVCA in 2022. Junior libero Gala Trubint provides a veteran presence, leading the team with 3.53 digs per set.

Tyrah Ariail returns as the leading middle blocker with a team-high 42 blocks and 1.6 kills per set at a .325 clip. The second middle blocker has been somewhat of a revolving door, as freshman Leah Ford (1.64 B/S) and freshman Favor Anyanwu (1.83 K/S) have seen playing time. Lindsey Miller was absent despite producing 107 blocks and 1.59 kills per set at a .335 clip last season.

The Trojans are almost halfway to their 2023 win total, but reaching 11 wins in the Big Ten to match that total will be a challenge. USC’s only two losses have come to two of the nation’s top teams, with a four-set loss to No. 6 Creighton and a sweep by No. 1 Pittsburgh at home. The return of Batenhorst and former assistant coach Tyler Hildebrand will cause some emotion on Sunday night, but Nebraska is the favorite for a reason.

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