Big Ten Volleyball Preview – Part 2

2024 record: 19-12 (9-11 Big-10/9th place)

Head coach Leslie Gabriel was in her second season with the Huskies in 2024. UW improved modestly over their 2023 record of 16-15 (7-13 Pac-12). Their signature win during the season was a five-set victory over Oregon. They made it into the NCAA tournament, and lost in the first round, in five sets, to LMU.

The Huskies lose three of their four best offensive weapons. Klune Fletcher and Madi Endsley graduated, and Jr. Emoji Bush transferred to Oklahoma. 6-1 Jr. OH Kierstyn Barton returns this season, and Washington brought in an OH from Penn State, 6-2 Sr. Alexa Markley . Their primary setter, Alexsis Haury, was a freshman last year and she will be back, and the Huskies brought in a senior setter, Taylor Simpson, from Colorado. UW’s defense is untested coming into 2025, as all of their primary liberos have moved on.

Washington doesn’t really challenge themselves with their non-conference schedule, but in a conference as tough as the B1G, they don’t need to. They are likely to be in the middle of the standings at season’s end, again.

2024 record: 18-13 (10-10 Big-10/8th place)

The Fighting Illini will enter their ninth season under the direction of head coach Chris Tamas. Tamas has taken Illinois to the NCAA tournament five times, including a first-round loss to Northern Iowa last year. Their only win during the regular season against a top-25 team was against #22 USC.

UI loses their best offensive weapon, 6-3 OH Terry Raina, who knocked down 504 kills in ‘24. They keep their next best hitter in 6-2 Sr. OH Averie Hernandez, but 6-3 OH So. standout Laynie Smith transferred to North Carolina. Illinois also loses their R-Sr. S Brooke Mosher, who transferred to Pitt. Their top digs leader, Gr-Sr. Christina Martinez Mundo.

The Illini brought in some portal help at the setter position with Jr. Kenna Phelan from Florida State.

They also appear to have done well in bringing in a 6-5 R-So. OPP, Auburn Tomkinson, from Texas.

Illinois is in a rebuilding year in 2025. 12 of their roster of 18 are underclassmen, with seven being true freshmen. They have placed 6th-8th in the B1G rankings since 2019, and that likely will not change.

2024 record: 22-10 (13-7 Big-10/T-6th place

Brad Keller will be entering his sixth season leading the Trojans this year. His teams have reached the NCAA tournament for the past three seasons in a row. They won two matches against top-25 teams, with home wins against #25 Minnesota and #17 Oregon.

Their best hitter, 6-5 OH Ally Batenhorst, graduated. They keep 6-1 R-Jr. OH Adonia Faumuina, while 6-1 Fr. OH Jadyn Livings transferred to SMU. Sr. S Mia Tuaniga graduated, and Jr. Allie Hazelwood is likely next in line at the position, as USC brought in no setter transfers. Libero Gala Trubint also returns in ‘25. The Trojans brought in 6-1 So. MB Mia Tvrdy from Nebraska.

USC is also a fairly young team, with 11 of their roster of 18 being underclassmen; however, they have veteran leaders where it counts, and I do not foresee much of a dropoff, if any, in the 2025 season.

2024 record: 21-11 (13-7 Big-10/T-6th place)

Head coach Keegan Cook’s second season with the Golden Gophers was quite successful, with a second consecutive trip to the NCAA tournament. Last season featured wins over #9 Texas and #7 Wisconsin. Minnesota advanced to the second sound of the NCAA tournament, losing in four sets to #8 Kentucky.

The ball was spread well last season, with six players recording 114 or more kills. Three of those six return this season, headed by 2024’s kills leader – 6-1 Sr. OH Julia Hanson. Setter Melani Shaffmaster graduated, and Jr. Georgia Lee was brought in from Rutgers to add positional depth. Jr. Libero Zeynep Palabiyik also returns to the starting lineup.

Minnesota has all the tools in place to reach the NCAA tournament again this year. Their preseason ranking reflects this, as they are ranked #11 in the AVCA preseason poll.

2024 record: 24-8 (14-6 Big-10/5th place)

When Mike White left Oregon softball for Texas in 2018, new Oregon coach Melyssa Lombardi was left with only three players from his roster and had to build the program back from scratch.

Oregon volleyball head coach Trent Kersten knows exactly what that feels like.

Matt Ulmer left for Kansas after Oregon’s playoff run, and a diaspora of Oregon players ensued. The only player remaining from last year’s team is L/DS Maya De Los Reyes. We’re going to find out this season what kind of skill Kersten has at building a college team from scratch.

To say this is a young team is a huge understatement. There are only four of 16 players that are upperclassmen. Nine players are true freshmen, with another R-Fr. That’s 10 freshmen.

It’s not really feasible to preview this team, because I simply have no idea what kind of team Oregon volleyball has this year. To get a better sense of the players Oregon has going into this season, I will defer to Kevin Fipps’ excellent look at Kersten’s recruiting efforts since becoming head coach of the Ducks.

As is to be expected, the Ducks are not playing an especially difficult nonconference slate. That’s the value of being in the toughest volleyball conference in the country; doing well in conference play will be good enough for V1.

Oregon will likely drop in the rankings when all is said and done, but that remains to be seen. The AVCA has Oregon’s preseason ranking at #27, which – to me, anyway – appears to be a higher sign of respect for an unknown team than I would have expected.

2024 record: 27-7 (16-4 Big-10/4th place)

Last season, head coach Dave Schondell took the Boilermakers to the NCAA tournament for the 10th time in a row. Purdue had solid wins over #15 Utah, #8 Kentucky, #25 Minnesota, #22 USC, and #17 Oregon. They fell in the 3rd round of the NCAA tournament to #4 Louisville.

Purdue returns none of their five heavy hitters from last season. 6-1 Sr. OH Eva Hudson transferred to Kentucky, and 5-10 Jr. OH Chloe Chicoine left for Louisville. Jr. Setter Taylor Anderson returns in ‘25, and while libero Ali Hornung graduated, Purdue returns solid DS experience in So. Ryan McAleer.

The Boilermakers are on the younger side as a team, with 12 of 18 players being underclassmen, but coach Schondell is a coach that reloads, not rebuilds. Purdue should stay in the top four or five in the B1G. The AVCA gives them a preseason ranking of #15.

2024 record: 26-7 (17-2 Big-10/3rd place)

Head coach Kelly Sheffield is in his 13th season leading the Badgers. Every year has resulted in an NCAA Sweet Sixteen run or better, and last year Wisconsin made it to the Elite Eight, where they were felled by Nebraska. After a very shaky start to last season, where they started with a 1-3 record, the Badgers rebounded with wins over #20 Baylor, #16 Marquette, #18 Texas A&M, #17 Oregon, #13 Purdue, #22 USC, and #2 Penn State.

Wisconsin loses all three of their top offensive weapons to graduation: Anna Smrek, Julia Orzol, and Sarah Franklin. Their star So. setter, Charlie Fuerbringer, returns this season. They lose some pieces in the L/DS position as well, and brought in Gr. Jada Cerniglia from NIU.

The Badgers may have lost some of their offensive firepower, but reloaded with the addition of Sr. Mimi Colyer.

There is no reason to believe that Wisconsin will not stay in the B1G 3 in the conference, or the top-10 nationally. AVCA gives them a preseason ranking of #8.

2024 record: 35-2 (19-1 Big-10/T-1st place)

The Nittany Lions may have been #2 in the polls at the end of the season, but in her third season leading PSU, head coach Katie Schumacher-Cawley picked up the ultimate prize, winning the 2024 NCAA Championship.

PSU’s march to the championship was led by their juniors and seniors. Offensively, they lose their top three kills and points leaders. Returning is 6-2 R-So. OH Caroline Jurevicius and 6-5 Sr. MB Maggie Mendelson. They do return their outstanding setter. So. Izzy Starck. PSU also returns the majority of their defense, led by libero Gillian Grimes.

Penn State may have lost some offensive components, but they will still be battling for their place in the top of the Big-10 conference and the top-5 in the nation. PSU will start the season ranked #2 by the AVCA.

2024 record: 33-3 (19-1 Big-10/T-1st place)

Nebraska continued their winning ways in 2024 and were ranked #1 at the end of the regular season. In the Final Four of the NCAA tournament, the Huskers were upended by rival Penn State in a five-set grind. After leading PSU 2-0, the Nittany Lions came back with a reverse sweep to deliver a heartbreaking end to Nebraska’s season.

At the end of the season, head coach John Cook announced his retirement, and Nebraska selected Dani Busboom Kelly as their new head coach.

The Huskers only lose two of their seven primary scorers, including keeping 6-2 Jr. OH Harper Murray. Junior setter Bergen Reilly returns to run the show. Nebraska does lose their senior libero, Lexi Rodriquez.

Nebraska added 6-4 Sr. OH Allie Sczech from Baylor as their only incoming transfer.

The Huskers open up the 2025 season, and the new Dani Busboom Kelly era, ranked #1 by the AVCA.