The Big Ten was ready to test the No. 1 Nebraska volleyball team, but the Huskers had other plans.

Riding the improved play of star outside hitter Harper Murray, world-class setter Bergen Reilly and defensive maestro Manaia Ogbechie, the top-ranked Cornhuskers destroyed No. 15 Indiana and No. 7 Wisconsin in a pair of sweeps to remind the conference why they're the three-time defending Big Ten champions.

That trio of Huskers all took home Big Ten weekly awards, including co-Player of the Week for Murray who averaged 5.17 kills per set on a .429 hitting percentage in the two matches, including a 5.92 points per set mark that led all conference players. Murray stepped up when she was needed most by compiling a season-high 20 kills on a .471 clip with four digs and three blocks against the Badgers.

Reilly directed the offense to a combined .388 hitting percentage during the week while the South Dakota native averaged 12.33 assists per set while adding 13 digs. Ogbechie led the Big Ten with 2.17 blocks last week (13 total), including seven versus Wisconsin.

After SMU's upset of Pittsburgh, the Huskers are the only undefeated team left in Division I, which is a streak that either Northwestern or No. 13 Purdue would love to snap. Here's all you need to know for this weekend's volleyball action.

How to Follow Along 

Game 1

• Matchup: No. 1 Nebraska (17-0, 6-0 B1G) at Northwestern (7-10, 0-6 B1G)
• When: Thursday, Oct. 15
• Where: Welsh-Ryan Arena, Evanston, Ill.
• Time: 7 p.m. CDT 
• Watch: B1G+
• Listen: Huskers Radio Network and Affiliates
• How to Sync Husker Radio with TV Broadcast

Game 2

• Matchup: No. 1 Nebraska (17-0, 6-0 B1G) vs. No. 13 Purdue (10-5, 3-3 B1G)
• When: Saturday, Oct. 17
• Where: John Cook Arena, Bob Devaney Sports Center, Lincoln, NE
• Time: 4 p.m. CDT 
• Watch: B1G Network
• Listen: Huskers Radio Network and Affiliates
• How to Sync Husker Radio with TV Broadcast

Northwestern Scout

Head Coach

• Tim Nollan | 3rd Season at Northwestern; 11th as Head Coach 
• 29-48 (.377) at NW; 149-140 (.516) as Head Coach
• 1x NCAA Tournament Appearance
• 1x WAC Tournament title
• Previous Head Coach at Grand Canyon
• Previous assistant at USC & Pepperdine

2025 Finish

• Did not qualify for the postseason

2025 Record & Awards

• Record: 17-15 (7-13 B1G, 14th)
• All-B1G: 1x Second Team

All-Time Series

• Nebraska leads 22-1
• Oct. 24, 2025, last matchup; 3-0 NU

Key Returners

• Bella Bullington | OH | Soph. | The second-year attacker is on pace to surpass her freshman season kill total of 291, which already ranked third on the team. Currently sits with 195 kills for second among all Wildcats.
• Campbell Paris | OH | Sr. | The 6-foot-5 former transfer from South Carolina averages over three points per set and 2.83 kills per set as another dangerous offensive option for NW.
• Lauren Dignan | L | Soph. | Appeared in 31 matches with 184 digs last year in a DS role before becoming the starting libero in 2026. The California native has racked up 237 digs for 3.76 per set this year while adding nine aces.
• Drew Wright | L/DS | Sr. | Veteran libero and DS that's putting up over two digs per set in her final collegiate season.

Impact Transfers/Newcomers

• Mara Štiglic | OH | Jr. | The All-Mountain West transfer from Utah State leads the Wildcats in both points (250.5) and kills (226) while ranking second on the team with 31 blocks.
• Maya Stillwell | MB | Fr. | The California native has stepped into the top middle blocker role for the Wildcats by leading the team with 50 blocks while adding 1.18 kills per set on a .331 hitting percentage.
• Hayley Schaaf | MB | Fr. | Another first-year middle from Portland, Schaaf averages 1.74 points per set and is hitting .328 in her first collegiate campaign.
• Ellie Stiernagle | S | Fr. | The 6-foot-2 setter from Illinois has grabbed the starting role as a true freshman by averaging 9.68 assists per set with 11 aces (2nd on team) and 53 points.

Key Departures

• Ayah Elnady | OH | Graduated | The former All-Region outside hitter at Kansas transferred to Northwestern ahead of the 2025 season and earned All-Big Ten Second Team honors after leading the Wildcats with 371 kills and 44 aces.
• Rylen Reid | OH | Graduated | Capped off her college career by leading NW with 3.33 kills per set while adding 41 aces for third best on the team.
• Bella Simkus | MB | Graduated | Appeared in 114 sets as a one of two middle blocker starters for NW in 2025 where she ranked second with 92 blocks while hitting .320 on 84 kills.
• Lauren Cater | S | Transfer | Joined the UNC Wilmington Beach team following three seasons Northwestern, including two as the Wildcats starter. Led NW with 5.95 assists per set and a team-leading 49 aces in 2025.
• Sienna Noordermeer | S | Graduated | Veteran setter graduated after supporting Carter in a 6-2 system with over four assists per set.

Outlook

After eight standout seasons at Grand Canyon, including a 95-36 stretching during his final five years, Tim Nollan moved on to this next challenge by taking over Northwestern ahead of the 2025 season. It was a slow start as the Wildcats finished 5-23 before seeing a 12-win improvement with a 17-15 final record in 2025.

That squad consisted of many veterans, who are mostly gone. That includes leading scorers Ayah Elnady (437.5 points) and Rylen Reid (418.0) who are now both competing at the professional level. Starting middle blocker Bella Simkus also graduated while starting setters Lauren Carter (UNC-Wilmington Beach) and Sienna Noordermeer each departed the program.

That led to a resurgence centered around youth for Nollan and the Wildcats. Two of the team's leading middle blockers (Maya Stillwell & Hayley Schaaf) are both freshman while starting setter Ellie Stiernagle is also in her first collegiate season. The Illinois native has done a decent job so far in 2026 with 9.68 assists per set and 11 aces, which is second on the team.

Weaker on offense after the offseason departures, Nollan brought in 2025 All-Mountain West outside hitter Mara Stiglic for production. The former Utah State attacker leads the Wildcats with 4.11 points and 3.71 kills per set while also being second on the team with 31 blocks as an all-around threat.

Sophomore Isabella Bullington is on pace to surpass the numbers from her standout freshman season in 2025. 6-foot-5 Campbell Paris also has an incresed role in her third season with NW after transferring from South Carolina. Finally, fellow sophomore Lauren Dignan owns the team high in digs with 237 total and 3.76 per set.

Banking on the continued growth and development of his young recruits, the third squad of Nollan's isn't as good as his second in 2025 when Nebraska swept the Wildcats in Lincoln. Expect the same result in 2026, but in a different venue.

No. 13 Purdue Scout

Head Coach

• Dave Shondell | 23rd Season at Purdue and as Head Coach 
• 522-244 (.681) record at Purdue and as Head Coach
• 20x NCAA Tournament Apps.
• 2x B1G coach OTY, 1x AVCA Midwest Region Coach OTY (2025), 1x AVCA Northeast Coach OTY (2021)
• Previous assistant at Ball State & USA Junior National Team

2025 Finish

• L, 3-1 to No. 1 Pittsburgh in NCAA Regional Final

2025 Record & Awards

• Record: 27-6 (15-5 B1G, 3rd)
• National Awards: AVCA Assistant Coach OTY (Kathy Jewell)
• AVCA All-Americans: 1x First Team, 2x Second Team, 1x 3rd Team
• All-B1G: 3x First Team, 2x Second Team

All-Time Series

• Nebraska leads 26-8
• Oct. 12, 2025, last matchup; 3-0 NU

Key Returners

• Kenna Wollard | OH | Sr. | The star outside hitter was a preseason National Player of the Year candidate but is experiencing an "unexpected health issue" that's kept her out so far in 2026, but hopes to return at some point.
• Grace Heaney | OPP | R-Jr. | The Omaha native and Elkhorn North graduate was named an AVCA Third Team All-American and All-Big Ten First Team member last season, but she has not seen the same success as a redshirt junior.
• Dior Charles | MB | Sr. | The former transfer from Wake Forest led the Boilermakers with 1.15 blocks per set and is on a similar pace this season while hitting over .300.
• Taylor Anderson | S | Sr. | Emerged as one of the country's top setters in 2025 after finishing the year No. 1 nationally in total assists (1,420) and second in the Big Ten in assists per set (10.84). Eventually named AVCA Second Team All-America and First Team All-Big Ten.
• Ryan McAleer | L/DS | Jr. | Returns at libero for the Boilermakers after earning Second Team All-Big Ten honors last season. Paces the team with 199 digs and 3.75 per set, which is above pace than her 2025 campaign.

Impact Transfers/Newcomers

• Addy Tindall | OH | R-Fr. | Coming out of high school as the top ranked player in Indiana, the Roanoke native redshirted in 2025 before emerging as Purdue's star in 2026 with a team-high 218 points (4.11 P/S) and 201 kills (3.79).
• Lameen Mambu | OH | Soph. | The native of Virginia led Georgia Tech's offense as a true freshman before transferring to the Boilermakers where she's the second lead attacker behind Tindeall.
• Kate Hansen | MB | Sr. | The Clemson transfer has been a match for Charles with 2.11 points per set on a .287 clip with 49 blocks.

Key Departures

• Akasha Anderson | OH | Graduated | The former Michigan State star produced 398.5 points (3rd on team) while hitting .282 and 52 blocks in her final college season before turning pro.
• Lindsey Miller | MB | Graduated | The former USC Trojan hit .317 with 1.63 kills and 0.91 blocks per set in her final college season as the second middle blocker for the Boilermakers.

Outlook

After falling short in the fifth-straight NCAA Regional Final under head coach Dave Shondell, Purdue seemed to be set for another stellar season entering 2026. The core of the 2025 squad returned to West Lafayette for another season, but Purdue was hit with massive news when star outside hitter Kenna Wollard announced her indefinite absecne after having to deal with an "unexpected health issue" that's kept her out the whole season. A preseason National Player of the Year candidate, Wollard hopes to return sometime this season.

That's allowed for the emergence of redshirt freshman outside hitter Addy Tindall to take center stage. The top player from Indiana coming out of high school, Tindall redshirted in 2025 before running off with her opportunity in 2026. She leads the Boilermakers in both points (218) and kills (201) this season. After seeing Michigan State transfer Akasha Anderson turn pro, Shondell brought over Georgia Tech transfer Lameen Mambu. After leading the Yellow Jackets in most offensive categories as a freshman, Mambu is second behind Tindall with 172 points and 159 kills.

An AVCA Third Team All-American in 2025, Omaha native Grace Heaney is matching her numbers from last season, but the opposite can still be a dangerous offensive force. Joining Purdue from Wake Forest, leading middle blocker Dior Charles is back again for the Boilermakers after leading the team in blocks. Clemson transfer kate Hansen has come in to fill the spot behind Charles and she's been competitive with 2.11 points per set and 49 blocks.

Emerging as one of the country's top setters last season, Taylor Anderson is matching her numbers from last season when she was an AVCA Second Team All-American. Plus, starting libero Ryan McAleer is exceeding the totals that made her a Second Team All-Big Ten selection last year as a sophomore.

Shondell has built up the reputation as always being able to field a team that ranks inside the country's top 20, but he has yet to find that breakout season to reach the National Semifinals. The hopes for that achievement would be a lot higher if Wollard was in the lineup, but her abscense lowers the overall ceiling of this team despite the breakout campaign of Tindall. The same could be said for Heaney, who's hitting .225 after finishing 2025 with a .319 clip on 945 attacks. With that said, this is still a great time, but I don't see them challenging the Huskers. Put me down for another Nebraska sweep.

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