Nebraska voted second in preseason poll, three Huskers named All-B1G
The Nebraska volleyball team has been voted second by the coaches in the Big Ten preseason poll. The Huskers trail defending national champion Wisconsin, which was voted as the conference's preseason favorite to earn a fourth straight Big Ten title.
Monday's release of the preseason poll also featured the announcement of the league's preseason All-Big Ten honorees as voted on by the coaches.
Three Huskers were tabbed as part of that 15-person all-conference team with outside hitter Madi Kubik, middle blocker Kaitlyn Hord and defensive specialist/libero Lexi Rodriguez all getting the honor. Wisconsin and Ohio State were the other two teams to boast three all-conference selections.
Kubik was an AVCA third-team All-American in 2021, and she received first-team AVCA North All-Region and first-team All-Big Ten honors behind a team-leading 3.49 kills per set, 2.11 digs, 21 aces and 55 blocks.
Rodriguez experienced a star-turning season in his first year on campus. She earned the National Freshman of the Year award, was a first-team AVCA All-American, a North Region Freshman of the Year and first-team North All-Region by the AVCA in 2021. She was also named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and earned first-team All-Big Ten and Big Ten All-Freshman Team honors.
Hord, a transfer from Penn State, was named an AVCA second-team All-American, and she was was a first-team All-Big Ten choice for the third time in her career last season. She averaged a career-best 2.92 kills per set while hitting .394. She recorded 1.40 blocks per set, which ranked third in the Big Ten and seventh nationally.
Wisconsin, which won its first ever national championship last December over Nebraska 3-2, will likely be the Huskers' biggest threat in their search for a Big Ten title and perhaps another national championship. The Badgers are seeking to become the first team to win four straight Big Ten titles since Penn State's domination of the conference from 2003-2010.
The Badgers lost a plethora of experience including 2021 AVCA first-team All-Americans Sydney Hilley and Dana Rettke and second-team All-American Lauren Barnes. Wisconsin went to work in the offseason bringing in one of the most impact transfers of the off season in outside hitter Sarah Franklin who came over from Michigan State.
Behind Wisconsin and Nebraska, Minnesota was voted third, Ohio State fourth and Penn State in fifth to round out the top five.
All 14 Big Ten coaches took part in the balloting and were permitted to vote for their own teams and players.
The Huskers will take the podium later this afternoon in the inaugural Big Ten Volleyball Media Days with head coach John Cook, Kubik and Kenzie Knuckles all taking podium at 3:30.