Nebraska volleyball has a loaded depth chart, even with lineup questions

For a squad that didn’t lose a single starter after reaching the national championship match, Nebraska volleyball has a lot of questions about its starting lineup.

There aren’t that many question marks — let’s be clear. The Huskers have a player with All-American potential at every position. The challenge is just figuring out who to play and what combinations.

Nebraska volleyball will take the court for the first time on Saturday for their scrimmage ahead of Tuesday’s season-opening matchup against Kentucky.

Head coach John Cook said this week that he “didn’t know” what the starting lineup will be. We can be fairly certain that Merritt Beason and Lexi Rodriguez — two captains — will be playing the role of opposite hitter and libero once again, while Bergen Reilly, who was recognized as one of the best players in the Big Ten, will be the starting setter.

Rodriguez is a three-time All-American, a two-time Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, and also a three-time All-Big Ten selection. There’s no drama about her role or that of Beason’s. The 6-foot-4 outside hitter was a first-team All-American last season after  455 kills, 248 digs, 106 blocks, and 33 service aces.

Yet, there is some question about who will start as outside hitter, as well as middle blocker.

Of course, Nebraska volleyball has no shortage of stellar options. At middle blocker, you’ve got veteran Rebekah Allick as well as sophomore Andi Jackson. She was second-team All-Big Ten after averaging 2.01 kills and 1.09 blocks per set.

Allick, a 6-foot-4 junior, is a two-time All-Big Ten second-team selection and was an elite defender last season averaging 1.5 blocks per set, which was second in the Big Ten and seventh in the nation.

On top of that, Nebraska volleyball added Leyla Blackwell as a transfer. The 6-foot-4 middle averaged 2.25 kills and 1.24 blocks per set while hitting .329 and was a three-time All-WCC selection for San Diego.

Regardless of who starts, all three will play, a lot. Sometimes, they will play alongside each other and the fact remains that the Huskers have impressive depth in the middle, just like they do at both hitter spots.

Battle at outside hitter will be intense

The battle to start at outside hitter will be a fierce battle between Taylor Landfair, a 6-foot-5 transfer from Minnesota who earned All-Big Ten honors for the third time last season and was 2022 Big Ten Player of the Year.

Harper Murray is also in the mix after averaging 3.27 kills per set last season on her way to earning Big Ten Freshman of the Year, as well as third-team All-American honors.

Murray has dealt with some off-the-court issues during the offseason but she’s “matured” according to Cook, who also said she’s come a long way. Skyler Pierce, the No. 4 recruit in the 2024 class, is also in the mix, along with veteran Lindsay Krause.

Cook will have some tough decisions to make on the starting lineup. Laney Choboy, the future libero and current starting defensive specialist should have that job locked down, although the Huskers have solid depth options there too.

This Nebraska volleyball team is loaded but all the pieces have to come together to win a national championship and it will be fun to see how that happens starting next Tuesday.

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