Nebraska Volleyball Secures Outright Big Ten Championship with Sweep of Illinois
No. 1 Nebraska volleyball clinched the outright 2026 Big Ten Volleyball Championship on Thursday night, sweeping No. 25 Illinois (25-23, 25-20, 25-12) at the Bob Devaney Sports Center. The Huskers improved to 26-0 on the season and 15-0 in conference play, capturing their 15th conference victory of the year and securing the title with two regular-season matches remaining.
The match marked the 47th meeting between the two programs, with Nebraska now holding a 37-8-1 advantage in the series. Despite a sluggish start that saw the Huskers trail 18-13 in the first set, Nebraska responded with an 8-0 run to take control. They fended off Illinois in the second set before erupting with a 13-1 run to close out the third and complete the sweep.
Teraya Sigler led the offensive effort with a match-high 13 kills on .684 hitting, while Harper Murray added 12 kills and two service aces. Manaia Ogbechie and Andi Jackson each contributed nine kills, with Ogbechie posting a match-high five blocks. Bergen Reilly orchestrated the offense with 40 set assists, and Olivia Mauch anchored the defense with 13 digs. Nebraska hit .448 as a team and forced Illinois into 16 attack errors and eight service errors.
Senior Day and Regular-Season Finale Against Iowa
The Huskers remain at home for their final two matches, beginning with a Saturday night clash against Iowa. The match is set for 6 p.m. CT and will stream on B1G+ (subscriber only). It will also serve as Nebraska’s Senior Day ceremony, honoring Harper Murray, Andi Jackson, Bergen Reilly, and Laney Choboy.
Nebraska enters the match riding a 57-match regular-season winning streak dating back to the 2024 season, the longest in program history in the NCAA era. The Huskers hold a perfect 41-0 record against Iowa in their series history and were ranked No. 1 in the latest AVCA Coaches Poll released Nov. 9—their 135th week atop the poll, the most of any program in the nation. Reilly was named Big Ten Setter of the Week for the second consecutive week after guiding Nebraska to an NCAA-leading .448 hitting percentage last week.
Context: A Season of Dominance and High Stakes
Nebraska’s run to the Big Ten title has been nothing short of dominant. The Huskers have dropped only a handful of sets all season and have not lost a regular-season match since 2024. Their 26-0 start is among the best in program history, and the outright conference championship adds to a storied legacy that includes multiple national titles.
The Big Ten is widely regarded as the toughest volleyball conference in the country, making Nebraska’s undefeated run through league play particularly impressive. Head coach Dani Busboom Kelly acknowledged the significance of the achievement after the match. "It’s obviously a huge accomplishment," she said. "The Big Ten is arguably the toughest conference in volleyball."
With the conference title secured, the Huskers now turn their attention to the postseason. The NCAA tournament selection show is less than two weeks away, and Nebraska is expected to be the top overall seed. A perfect regular season would further cement their case for home-court advantage throughout the tournament.
Perspective: What This Means for the Program and Beyond
Nebraska’s success this season extends beyond the court. The Huskers have become a national draw, with matches regularly selling out and television ratings reflecting their popularity. The program’s sustained excellence under Busboom Kelly has reinforced its status as a blue-blood in college volleyball.
The Senior Day matchup against Iowa will be an emotional send-off for a class that has never lost a regular-season match. Murray, Jackson, Reilly, and Choboy have been instrumental in maintaining Nebraska’s dominance, and their leadership will be crucial in the postseason.
Looking ahead, the Huskers are positioned to make a deep run in the NCAA tournament. A national championship would be the program’s first since 2017 and would cap off one of the most impressive seasons in recent memory. For now, Nebraska remains focused on the task at hand: finishing the regular season undefeated and honoring its seniors in style.
As the volleyball world turns its attention to the postseason, the Huskers’ pursuit of perfection continues to be the story of the season. With a target on their backs, Nebraska has embraced the pressure and delivered time and again. Saturday’s match against Iowa offers one final tune-up before the stakes rise even higher.
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