Less than a week after the football team left Pasadena with a win, the Nebraska volleyball team is waking up Friday morning with the same goal in mind.
It’s a welcome, lengthy road trip for a Husker volleyball team that’s looking to keep things fresh as they continue to dominate team after team…after team.
For those keeping track of that dominance, top-ranked Nebraska is the only undefeated team left in major college volleyball. NU is 24-0 for just the second time since joining the Big Ten in 2011, and we all know about the set and sweep streaks, which stand at 46 and 15, respectively. It is important to note that even with two more sweeps this weekend, Nebraska will still not have caught up to the dominance of the 1995 volleyball team – at least not yet.
Harper Murray expects a good test from UCLA and USC this weekend. / Nebraska Athletics
Ironically enough, Nebraska outside hitter Harper Murray said if they are going to drop some sets soon, this may be the weekend it could happen, given what she called the “California style” of volleyball they expect to see from UCLA and USC over the next few days.
However, they also expect to see a lot of red, and we’re not talking USC Trojan red.
“There’ll be a lot of Husker fans, but I’m guessing it’s a lot of just volleyball general fans, too, that aren’t necessarily diehard,” Nebraska coach Dani Busboom said during her weekly press conference. “That’s always a good thing, too.”
Nebraska’s accustomed to sold-out home crowds, but they’re experiencing plenty of sellouts on the road this season as well. / Amarillo Mullen
It’s no secret that Nebraska volleyball has been the hottest ticket in town, not just in Lincoln, but across the country. The Huskers have been met with sellout crowds at venues like Penn State and Wisconsin, but they’re also helping programs like Rutgers set new attendance records.
To this point, it’s been 24 up and 24 down for a Husker volleyball team that still has a tough stretch ahead of it before postseason play gets underway. This weekend, it’s a California two-step as NU takes on UCLA Friday night before a Sunday match at No. 17 USC.
“You’re two time zones away – way longer flight,” Busboom Kelly said of playing on the west coast this weekend. “I don’t know if anybody on our team’s ever played in these arenas, so I think there’s a lot of new challenges. Getting out of town to a nice climate is always good in the middle of the season. We’ll get to do some extra things.”
Out ‘n about 🌴
sweet dreams from LA! #gbr pic.twitter.com/cpmgT2ReeD
— Nebraska Volleyball (@HuskerVB) November 14, 2025
The Huskers flew down a day earlier than they usually do to give the team an extra day of practice, but also an extra day of bonding in the sun. The trick might be on them, though, as the weather looks phenomenal in Lincoln with a high of 78 degrees forecasted for Friday and 70 on Saturday. The cold and possible rain will arrive about the same time the team plane does, Sunday night into Monday.
Regardless, it’s not dampening the excitement for the Huskers.
“We’re excited to go to UCLA and USC,” NU outside hitter Harper Murray said during Nebraska’s weekly press conference. “I think those will be some good games, and I think if anything, those will be two teams that out of the past few weeks could test us and take a set potentially. I mean, obviously, that’s not the goal. We want to finish that in three per usual.”
it’s been an overpass party at Galen tonight 🎊
📺 @BigTenPlus pic.twitter.com/AB8hjUiXv5
— USC Women’s Volleyball (@uscwomensvolley) November 7, 2025
The reason Murray thinks Nebraska could see its streaks threatened is due to the style of play they expect out of the Bruins and Trojans. Simply put, she says they grew up on a different brand of volleyball than many players on Nebraska’s roster did.
“A lot of those girls have been playing for a while, and California kind of has a different style of play, and I think that’s just something for us to adjust to,” Murray said.
That different style derives from the fact that UCLA and USC players were raised on beach volleyball rather than the hardwood variety you’d expect across the Midwest. In turn, Nebraska is gearing up for a lot of out-of-system volleyball over the weekend, which Busboom Kelly says is just fine.
After all, Nebraska’s hitting around the .400 mark when teams get them out of system.
Even when taken out of system, Nebraska’s been able to hit around the .400 mark this season. / Kenny Larabee, KLIN
“We’re not making as many errors,” Busboom Kelly said. “I also think our attackers are doing a great job of recycling plays, and they’re keeping the ball in play when they can’t take a swing, and when they do have a great set, they rip it. I just think they’re making great decisions. Then, our setting’s gotten better, too.”
When the Huskers take the court against the Bruins Friday night and the Trojans Sunday afternoon, they won’t be caught off guard by a few “Go Big Red” chants. They know the sellout crowds on the road are in part due to them being in town, but they also recognize it as a celebration for the overall growth of volleyball.
The popularity of the sport has been soaring over the past few seasons, and Nebraska’s been a major catalyst for it.
“Two sold-out crowds, I believe, and that’s always going to be fun, and that’s nerve-racking just going to an away game in away gyms and playing against teams that have sold-out crowds,” Murray said. “It’s going to be exciting. I do think that those are two really good teams.”
Stay up to date on all things Huskers by bookmarking Nebraska Cornhuskers On SI, subscribing to HuskerMax on YouTube, and visiting HuskerMax.com daily.
