2019 Creighton vs Nebraska | Big Ten Womens Volleyball

Big Ten Snapshots: Nebraska, Still Good And Ahead Of Schedule

Big Ten Snapshots: Nebraska, Still Good And Ahead Of Schedule

Nebraska head coach John Cook says his team is ahead of schedule compared to years past, and that is a scary thing for opponents.

Aug 29, 2019 by Megan Kaplon
Big Ten Snapshots: Nebraska, Still Good And Ahead Of Schedule

In the world of NCAA women’s volleyball, there’s no conference quite like the Big Ten. Heading into the 2019 season, seven of the 14 teams appeared in the AVCA preseason top-25 poll. Five of those seven ranked in the top 10. 

FloVolleyball will be your go-to spot to stream Big Ten matches this season. Click here for the schedule of matches.

*Schedule is subject to change. Every Big Ten's women's volleyball match available on BTN Plus also will be available live and on-demand on FloVolleyball. 

This week, we're bringing you a quick rundown of all 14 teams in the Big Ten, so you can know what to expect as teams get the season rolling this weekend.


Nebraska Cornhuskers

2018 Record: 29-7 (15-5 Big Ten)

2018 Postseason: National runner-up

AVCA National Preseason Ranking: 2

Big Ten Preseason Ranking: 2


Nebraska head coach John Cook, whose Huskers are ranked preseason No. 2 in the country and No. 2 in the Big Ten, says his team is ahead of schedule compared to years past, and that is a scary thing for opponents. 

The Huskers are coming off their second-consecutive NCAA final appearance and fourth Final Four in a row. They lost star outside hitter Mikaela Foecke and libero Kenzie Maloney to graduation, but with preseason being three days longer than previous years thanks to a quirk in the schedule and the fact that two incoming freshmen—Madi Kubik and Kenzie Knuckles—have been on campus since January and were able to join the team’s 17-day summer tour of Asia, the NU squad has already gotten into rhythm and is ready to tackle its tough preseason slate. 

Setter Nicklin Hames is now a sophomore and one of the team’s captains. She has already established good connections with returning opposite Jazz Sweet and middles Callie Schwarzenbach and co-captain Lauren Stivrins.


Cook will have plenty of outside hitters to choose from with Lexi Sun and Capri Davis returning and Kubik, an Under Armour First Team All-American and the No. 4 recruit in the Class of 2019 according to PrepVolleyball, likely to find her way to the starting lineup.


In the Red-White Scrimmage on Aug. 24, Team Red, aka the starters, defeated Team White in straight sets, hitting .345. Cook said after the scrimmage he can only remember one other team hitting about .300 in the annual intrasquad scrimmage: the 2016 team, which returned most members of the national-championship-winning group from the year before. 


Over opening weekend, Nebraska takes on No. 20 Baylor, UCLA (RV), and No. 18 Creighton, so Cook’s claim that his Huskers are ahead of schedule will be put to the test early. 

Watch Nebraska in action this season on FloVolleyball. Upcoming matches below.

*Schedule subject to change. 

Aug. 30 Nebraska vs. Creighton 8 PM ET

Aug. 31 Nebraska vs. UCLA 8 PM ET

Sept. 13 Nebraska vs. High Point 1 PM ET

Sept. 13 Nebraska vs. Denver 8:30 PM ET

Sept. 14 Nebraska vs. Loyola Marymount 2 PM ET