Friday Five: Nebraska volleyball’s gauntlet begins (and more, of course)
This weekend marks the official start of the season for the No. 1 Nebraska volleyball team. That and more in the Friday Five.
This weekend marks the official start of the season for the No. 1 Nebraska volleyball team.
While most teams would prefer a soft landing, the Huskers are diving headfirst into a brutal three-match stretch. Add in a major NIL deal for Harper Murray, football updates from camp, a new hire in gymnastics and what fans can expect from concessions this fall, and it’s another busy week in Lincoln.
Let’s get into it.
Dani Busboom Kelly gets no favors from Cook’s schedule
When Dani Busboom Kelly took the Nebraska job in February, she inherited a roster stacked with talent and sky-high expectations. What she didn’t expect was quite how tough John Cook had made her non-conference slate.
“Shortly after I got the schedule when I got hired, it was like, really John, are we really going Pitt, Stanford and Kentucky out of the gate?” Busboom Kelly said. “I’m excited and have tons of respect for Pitt and their staff. It is a huge challenge for us.”
That challenge begins tonight at Pinnacle Bank Arena against No. 3 Pittsburgh, continues Sunday against No. 6 Stanford and rolls into Nashville next weekend against No. 7 Kentucky. It’s the kind of schedule designed with seeding in mind. You play the best early and build the resume for December.
For Busboom Kelly, there’s relief in finally getting to play matches that count.
“Just excited,” she said. “It feels like we have had a lot of dress rehearsals. It is finally the real thing. Our team feels like we are ready and just hoping that what we do in practice translates into the match tomorrow.”
The first opponent presents plenty to prepare for. Pitt finished top-15 nationally in aces last year and returns several tough jump servers.
“I’ve been beating into these guys that we have to be ready for a great serving team that is super great and makes it very difficult to kill balls,” Busboom Kelly said.
And then there’s reigning national player of the year Olivia Babcock. She’ll get her kills but Nebraska wants to make her work.
“Everyone wants the big, flashy block, but at the end of the day if you just do your job, naturally the ball will find you,” Rebekah Allick said. “She can only hit it so far, so if you take care of your space, naturally your defense will fill around it. Just don’t do too much.”
This weekend also carries a bit of program history. Tonight marks the first time Nebraska volleyball will play at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Busboom Kelly joked it was one box even Cook never got to check.
“It feels like the Final Four environment, which is cool,” Bergen Reilly said. “It will be really exciting, and exciting to be the first ones to play volleyball here.”
How to follow along:
Friday, Aug. 22: No. 1 Nebraska vs. No. 3 Pittsburgh, 6 p.m. CT at Pinnacle Bank Arena (FOX, Huskers Radio Network)
Sunday, Aug. 24: No. 1 Nebraska vs. No. 6 Stanford, 2:30 p.m. CT at Pinnacle Bank Arena (ESPN, Huskers Radio Network)
Harper Murray joins Adidas
Nebraska’s biggest volleyball star has a new platform. Harper Murray signed a name, image and likeness deal this week with Adidas, the Huskers’ longtime apparel partner.
The rollout was loud too. Her image was projected onto the side of Love Library and fans could get her favorite drink—an ice chai with whole milk—at The Mill. Projections popped up again on downtown Lincoln buildings later in the week.
“You don’t always have to speak loud to be heard,” Murray said in an Adidas video. “The work, the pressure, the pause before the serve...that’s where I live. I carry the calm and the chaos all at once. Watch close. This is how I show up.”
Murray becomes the third Nebraska athlete to sign directly with Adidas, joining quarterback Dylan Raiola and former libero Lexi Rodriguez.
“After competing as an Adidas athlete these last two years at Nebraska, I’m excited to partner with Adidas in a bigger way as we work together to elevate the sport we both love,” Murray said. “The way they’ve invested in women’s volleyball and women’s sports more broadly makes me proud to join the Three-Stripe family and more motivated than ever to bring a national championship to Lincoln.”
Football positions coming into focus
Nebraska football’s opener is less than a week away and the coaching staff continues to evaluate depth charts. Running backs coach EJ Barthel and tight ends coach Marcus Satterfield highlighted development across their rooms on Wednesday when they met with the media.
For Barthel, the story starts with Emmett Johnson, who’s gone through “the three-year carwash” and is now a steady 203-205 pounds. Younger backs like Isaiah Mozee are earning praise for their natural ability.
“Pretty special when he gets the ball in space,” Barthel said.
The tight end room is healthy again after Carter Nelson’s offseason surgery. Satterfield said Nelson is “moving around really, really well right now,” while Heinrich Haarberg has embraced the transition from quarterback.
“He’s a totally different tight end (since spring),” Satterfield said.
And don’t forget about Luke Lindenmeyer, whom Satterfield called “the leader of our room.” With Lindenmeyer’s versatility, Haarberg’s IQ and Nelson’s athleticism, the Huskers have options.
Nebraska still has questions to answer, of course, but depth and competition are what’s driving the conversation.
A new face for gymnastics
Nebraska women’s gymnastics has a new assistant coach. Head coach Heather Brink announced the hiring of Montana Rall, a Nebraska native and former Kentucky gymnast.
Rall has spent the past three years with Omaha Gymnastics Academy as a choreographer and beam coach. She’s also worked at multiple clubs in Nebraska and Texas.
“We are thrilled to welcome Montana to the coaching staff,” Brink said. “Her enthusiasm and passion for Nebraska Gymnastics will undoubtedly shine. I cannot wait to see the impact she will have on our team and family.”
Rall, a Lincoln Southwest graduate, competed for Kentucky from 2013-16, becoming a key member of their bars and beam lineups. She called the chance to come home a dream.
“Nebraska is more than where I live—it’s my home, my community and the place that shaped me into the person I am today,” Rall said.
Her primary responsibilities will be leading on floor, assisting on vault, and overseeing strength and conditioning.
What’s new at the concession stand
A new concessions contract means fans will see different—and in some cases, bolder—options at Nebraska athletic events this fall. Aramark Sports and Entertainment rolled out items this week that range from expanded nacho stands to a chili cinnamon roll cone.
The classics remain. Runza, Valentino’s pizza and Fairbury hot dogs aren’t going anywhere. But alongside them you’ll find stands for Blackshirt BBQ, Tunnel Walk Tacos, and Cornhuskers Crunch Nachos, among others.
Local craft beer also keeps its place, with Kros Strain’s Cornhusker Crusher joining Zipline’s Dear Ol’ Nebraska Brew as official Husker pours.
And for fans looking for something adventurous? The chili cinnamon roll cone1 takes a Nebraska tradition and reimagines it. High-risk, high-reward.
Also (and this is a little self promotional of me, I’m not sorry), you can see a little from the media day on both my Instagram and TikTok.
The Nebraska fall sports season is here, and Husker volleyball gets the spotlight with matches against two top-10 opponents at Pinnacle Bank Arena. But there’s plenty else happening, as this newsletter continues to highlight.2
By this time next week, we’ll have actual results to talk about. And that, finally, is the best news of all.
That is chili inside a cinnamon donut cone, if you were curious.
You’re welcome.