Nebraska Volleyball Preview: Illinois

The No. 2 Huskers play in their first conference road match of the season against a former John Cook assistant.

Nebraska volleyball will hit the road in the Big Ten for the first time in 2024 on Thursday. / Amarillo Mullen

Opening up Big Ten play couldn’t have gone much better for the No. 2 Nebraska volleyball team. Welcoming in a pair of new conference foes from the sunny shores of the west coast in UCLA and No. 20 USC, the Huskers took care of business on their home court in a pair of victories to extend their home winning streak to 33 matches.  

Former Husker hitter Ally Batenhorst and assistant coach Tyler Hildebrand both returned to the Devaney Center sporting new colors and left the arena with an unfamiliar feeling of losing. As NU sets its sight on the second week of Big Ten play, another former John Cook assistant awaits the Huskers in Champaign with Illinois. 

Here’s all you need to know for the Huskers’ first conference road match of the season.  

How to Follow Along 

Matchup: No. 2 Nebraska (12-1, 2-0 B1G) at Illinois (8-4, 0-2 B1G)  

When: Thursday, October 3

Where: Huff Hall, Champaign, IL. 

Time: 6 p.m. CDT 

Watch: FS1 

Listen: Huskers Radio Network and Affiliates

Chris Tamas hosts his former team on Thursday in Nebraska, where he was an assistant from 2014-2017. / Bruce Thorson-Imagn Images

Illinois Scout

Head Coach: Chris Tamas | 8th Season | 139-85 (.621) at Illinois.

2023 Record: 16-14 (11-9 B1G, T-6th) | One First Team All-B1G selection, One B1G Sportsmanship Honoree | Did not qualify for the NCAA Tournament.

Record Against Nebraska: 8-34-1 (2023 last matchup, Nebraska won 3-1) 

Fun Fact: Chris Tamas took the Illinois job after four seasons as a Nebraska assistant coach under John Cook. Tamas was on the coaching staff for the Huskers’ two national championships in 2015 and 2017. Plus, Reagan Reilly, older sister of Nebraska setter Bergen Reilly, plays for the Illini. 

Key Returners: Lily Barry, DS, Soph. | Kayla Burbage, OPP / OH, Sr. | Caroline Burns, L, Sr. | Cari Bohm, MB, R-Soph. | Raina Terry, OH, Gr. | Brooke Mosher, S, R-Jr. 

Key Additions: Reagan Reilly, S, Sr. (South Dakota State) | Averie Hernandez, OH / OPP, Jr. (Northwestern) | Ashlyn Philpot, MB, Fr. (Recruit) | Laynie Smith, OH / OPP, Fr. (Recruit) | Christina Martinez Mundo, L, Gr. (Eastern Illinois). 

Key Departures: Kennedy Collins, MB (Eligibility) | Jessica Nunge, OH / OPP (Eligibility) | Vanessa Pan, L / DS (Eligibility). 

Outlook: With a slew of returners and some slick work in the transfer portal, Illinois aims to return to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2021 under former Nebraska assistant Chris Tamas. In Lincoln during two of the Huskers’ five national championship runs, Tamas knows first-hand how a winning program operates. 

For the past two years, it has been sub-par play from the Illini, who have failed to replicate the Sweet 16 appearance three years, nor has the program sniffed the success of the 2018 Final Four appearance in Tamas’ second season. While that upside doesn’t look likely, fighting for a top-half finish in the conference along with an NCAA Tournament berth is. Voted 11th in the preseason conference poll, the Illini will need to do some work to find their way to the postseason. That hope dimmered with an 0-2 weekend to begin conference play as the Illini were swept by Big Ten newcomers No. 11 Oregon and unranked Washington last weekend. Standing at 8-4, Illinois doesn’t have a signature win to hang their hat on with the most impressive win most likely being a four-set victory over Western Kentucky who’s received some poll votes in the past.   

Much like she’s done in her five-year college career, 6-foot-3 outside hitter Raina Terry will lead this team both on and off the court. The Ohio native earned First Team All-Big Ten honors last season after averaging 4.69 kills per set with 74 blocks and 36 aces. She’s near that mark once again through 47 sets with a 4.11 mark. What has developed is her serving which has escalated to elite status. Terry is second in the conference in aces (32) and third in aces per set (0.68). Those numbers are seventh and sixth in the NCAA, respectively. 

Illinois' Raina Terry, center, goes up for a shot against Oregon during the third set. / Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

In order to relieve some of the load off Terry, Tamas dipped into the portal to bring over breakout Northwestern outside hitter Averie Hernandez. The Indiana native blossomed with 14 double-digit kill performances in 25 matches as a sophomore in Evanston. She’s averaging 2.49 kills per set with 14 aces as the secondary attacker. She’s joined by freshman Laynie Smith who’s emerged as an option with 2.28 kills per set and 36 blocks. 

Returning setter and redshirt junior Brooke Mosher is in her second season running the offense and has averaged 8.17 assists per set so far this season which is below her 9.22 mark last year. A graduate transfer from fellow in-state school Eastern Illinois, Christina Martinez Mundo took the starting libero job from returner Caroline Barnes. Mundo has been effective with 3.21 digs per set. Barnes still has a role and has excelled in 31 sets with 2.81 digs per set as a defensive specialist. 

The lack of offensive production from the Illini middle blockers is concerning. Returning starter Cari Bohm and true freshman Ashlyn Philpot anchor the middle. Both are averaging 0.55 and 1.51 kills per set, but that’s with .322 and .355 hitting percentages. 

The Illini are a top-15 serving team in the country and Terry will put in her offensive production, but the all-around team effort came up short in the opening weekend of conference play. Playing in front of a packed Huff Hall should help the Illini, but the Huskers have the starpower to expose the holes of Illinois. 

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