Nebraska Volleyball Preview: No. 10 Purdue and Rutgers

The No. 2 Huskers head into the third week of conference play undefeated and takes on its fifth top-10 ranked team of the season in one of the premier matchups of the week in college volleyball.

Lindsay Krause (22) celebrates an ace from Harper Murray. / Amarillo Mullen

Two weeks down, eight more to go in Big Ten play for the No. 2 Nebraska Volleyball team. The Huskers have sprinted out to a 4-0 record to begin conference play as NU stands tied with No. 3 Penn State going into the weekend. 

Nebraska has won 12 of its first 13 sets in the Big Ten with the only set loss during a four-set win over UCLA on Sep. 27. Since then the Huskers have rallied off three consecutive sweeps and seven of the last eight matches. 

NU took are of Illinois at Huff Hall in its first first conference road match of the 2024 season while beating Iowa to move to 39-0 all-time against its neighboring state. And that was all without breakout sophomore Andi Jackson who remains sidelined with an undisclosed injury. On Tuesday, Nebraska coach John Cook mentioned that Jackson, who is hitting .475 on the season, went through two-thirds of practice earlier that day, which may set her up for a return on Friday. 

Jackson’s return would prove big for an NU team who welcomes in No. 10 Purdue on Friday before facing off against Rutgers in back-to-back night matches.  

Here’s all you need to know for the Huskers’ busy weekend.   

How to Follow Along 

Matchup: No. 2 Nebraska (14-1, 4-0 B1G) vs. No. 10 Purdue (12-3, 3-1 B1G)  

Where: Devaney Sports Center, Lincoln, NE 

Time: 7:30 p.m. CDT 

Watch: Big Ten Network 

Listen: Huskers Radio Network and Affiliates

Purdue Boilermakers outside hitter Chloe Chicoine (2) spikes the ball past Penn St. Nittany Lions middle blocker Maggie Mendelson (44) Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024, during the NCAA women’s volleyball match at Holloway Gymnasium in West Lafayette, Ind. Penn St. Nittany Lions won 3-0. / Alex Martin/Journal and Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Purdue Scout

Head Coach: Dave Shondell | 22nd Season | 470-229 (.672) Purdue and Career HC record | 2021 & 2011 B1G Coach of the Year, All-Time Winningest Head Coach in Program History.

2023 Record: 23-9 (15-5 B1G, T-3rd) | Three First Team All-Big Ten selections, One Second Team All-Big Ten member, Two All-Freshman Team selections | Swept by No. 2 regional seed Oregon in Sweet 16.

All-Time Series: Nebraska leads 24-8 (2023 last matchup, Nebraska won 3-2) 

Fun Fact: Nebraska has won the last five matches between the two programs including 13 of the last 14 dating back to 2014. The Boilermakers last won in Lincoln on Oct. 19, 2013 where Purdeu beat the Huskers in both matches that season. Plus, Purdue sophomore opposite Grace Heaney is from Omaha and attended Elkhorn North where she developed into a top recruit. 

Key Returners: Raven Colvin, MB, Sr. | Eva Hudson, OH, Jr. | Chloe Chicoine, OH, Soph. | Taylor Anderson, S, Soph. | Lourdès Myers, MB, R-Sr. | Ali Hornung, DS, Sr. | Kenna Wollard, OH, Soph.  

Key Additions: None. 

Key Departures: Maddie Schermerhorn, L (Eligibility) | Emily Brown, DS (Eligibility). 

Outlook: Returning all but one starter from a team that reached the Sweet 16 a year ago, Purdue is built to win in the Big Ten and compete for its first conference title since 1985. As stable as they come, Dave Shondell always has a fierce team under his belt and that is no different in the midst of his 22nd year in West Lafayette. 

The dynamic duo of 2022 Big Ten Freshman of the Year Eva Hudson and high-flying sophomore Chloe Chicoine create plenty of headaches for opposing blockers and back-row defenders. Hudson has a career-low 4.09 kills per set average at the moment, but she’s also set to break her career highs in both digs (2.36) and blocks (0.055) per set as she rounds into an elite six-rotation player. Chicoine, the former No. 1 overall prospect, met the sky-high expectations in her debut season by being named an AVCA Third Team All-American after mustering 3.82 kills per set. That mark is lower so far in her follow up season (3.28), but similar to Hudson, she’s on pace for career marks in digs (2.62) and blocks (0.32) per set. 

Purdue Boilermakers middle blocker Raven Colvin (7) and Purdue Boilermakers defensive specialist Ryan McAleer (3) celebrate Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024, during the NCAA women’s volleyball match against the Penn St. Nittany Lions at Holloway Gymnasium in West Lafayette, Ind. Penn St. Nittany Lions won 3-0. / Alex Martin/Journal and Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

A true breakout story in the 2024 season, middle blocker Raven Colvin is on the path to becoming a First Team All-American for the first time in her career. Her 2023 numbers were still very good to earn AVCA Honorable Mention with 2.15 kills and 1.34 blocks per set. However, she’s crushed those numbers midway through her senior campaign with 2.68 kills and 1.74 blocks per set, which is second in the country and leads the Big Ten. Plus, her .439 hitting percentage is third in the conference (behind only Jackson and Leyla Blackwell) and 11th overall amongst all players nationwide. 

Those three create a nucleus that any team would envy, but let’s not forget a strong supporting cast. Sophomore hitter Kenna Willard has developed nicely on the right side with 2.10 kills per set with 27 blocks. Gone is All-Big Ten libero Maddie Schernerhorn, but returning senior Ali Hornung has filled those shoes with 4.11 digs per set which is third in the Big Ten. Taylor Anderson grabbed the starting setter spot for the Boilermakers as a freshman last year with 9.88 assists per set as the team hit .253 overall. At 6-foot-1 and ranked as the No. 1 setter in her recruiting class, Anderson has taken a massive step by dishing out 11 assists per set and on pace to set career highs in nearly every statistical category. Plus, Purdue is hitting at an improved clip of .277 through 53 sets. 

Don’t be fooled, this Purdue team is elite and has aspirations to reach its first Final Four in school history. With experience on the big stage and impact players at every position, Friday will be a war between two top-echelon teams vying for a conference crown. 

How to Follow Along 

Matchup: No. 2 Nebraska (14-1, 4-0 B1G) vs. Rutgers (5-10, 0-3 B1G)  

Where: Devaney Sports Center, Lincoln, NE 

Time: 7 p.m. CDT 

Watch: B1G+

Listen: Huskers Radio Network and Affiliates

Rutgers Scout

Head Coach: Caitlin Schweihofer | 5th Season | 37-89 (.294) at Rutgers; 110-197 (.358) Career HC Record | Previous HC stops at Northeastern and La Salle University | 2018 Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year. 

2023 Record: 10-20 (2-18 B1G, 13th) | One Second Team All-Big Ten member, One B1G Sportsmanship Honoree | Did not qualify for the postseason. 

All-Time Series: Nebraska leads 14-1 (2023 last matchup, Nebraska won 3-0) 

Fun Fact: Rutgers lone win against the Huskers came in the first-ever matchup between the two schools in 1978. The series resumed in 2014 when Rutgers joined the Big Ten. Nebraska has won 13-straight in the series with the only non-sweep being a four-set win in the spring of 2021. Scarlet Knights sophomore libero and defensive specialist Kenzie Dyrstad heralds from Nebraska where she graduated from Papillion-La Vista South High School. 

Key Returners: Alissa Kinkela, OH, R-Jr. |  Kenzie Dyrstad, L/DS, Soph. | Lexi Visintine, OH/DS, Jr. | Rebekah Williams, OH, Jr.

Key Additions: Aly Borellis, S, Jr (Ole Miss) | Natalie Robinson, MB, Fr. (Recruit) | Lily Bolen, S, Fr. (Recruit) | Avery Jesewitz, OH, Fr. (Recruit) |  

Key Departures: Madyson Chitty, L/DS (Western Kentucky) | Rikki Williams, MB, R-Jr. | Alyssa Nayar, S (Eligibility) | Taylor Humphrey, OH (Texas A&M) | Tina Grkovic, MB (Wake Forest).

Outlook: 2023 was a banner year for Rutgers under coach Caitlin Schweihofer. Despite the 10-20 overall record and 2-18 in Big Ten play, the Scarlet Knights secured its first All-Big Ten attacker while capturing the most wins and best non-conference record since 2012. Overall, the 2023 squad placed 12 entries into the rally-era individual season top 10 records, 13 entries into the rally-era team top 10 records while collecting the most sets played, kills, assists, assists per set, digs and solo blocks by a team in conference play since joining the Big Ten in 2014. 

Unfortunately, it’s looking like a tough task to match the 2023 success for Rutgers in Schweihofer’s fifth season. A difficult job as it is, the Scarlet Knights lost four of its starters to the transfer portal including its starting libero, setter, outside hitter and leading middle blocker. 

However, Alissa Kinkela stayed for her junior season after being named to the All-Big Ten Second Team last year following a season with 2.99 kills per set on a .240 hitting percentage with 1.79 digs per set, 79 blocks and a team-high 29 aces. She’s increased those numbers halfway through 2024 with 3.62 kills and 1.83 digs per set along with 38 blocks and 12 aces. She’s on pace to secure more conference honors by season’s end. 

Nebraska native and Papillion-La Vista South graduate Kenzie Dyrstad is the starting libero and has a 2.96 digs per set mark as a sophomore. Depleted by transfers, Schweihofer has leaned on freshman and returning players to take a step. Freshman Avery Jesewitz is second on the team with 2.07 kills per set while returning junior Lexi Visintine is third on Rutgers with 88 kills. 

It’s new setters for Rutgers this season after losing Alyssa Nayar to eligibility over the offseason. Ole Miss transfer Aly Borellis has taken over the reins, but has been spotty with 6.55 assists per set with freshman Lily Bolen stepping in as well with a 3.5 assists per set mark. Another fellow freshman, Natalie Robinson leads the block up front with 65 while being aided by sophomore Zora Hardison with 42. 

With numerous freshmen gaining valuable playing time this season, it’s clear that Rutgers is in rebuilding mode following its best season in over a decade. Rutgers is a really tough job and the Scarlet Knights administration should be proud of the momentum Schweihofer has built, but 2024 will act as growing pains as the freshman build towards better days.

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