Nebraska or Wisconsin: Big Ten Volleyball Supremacy
It’s still a month away, but the countdown has already begun for one of the most anticipated volleyball matchups of the 2023 season. That takes place Oct. 21, when Nebraska vs. Wisconsin volleyball, currently the top two teams in the nation and both unbeaten, tangle for the first of two meetings. This one will take place in Lincoln, and given the state of Nebraska football, it probably wouldn’t be a stretch to say more people are anticipating the volleyball game than the Husker football game with Northwestern that day.
Before we get there, each team has several Big Ten games to survive. But with both teams still sitting undefeated going into Sunday, it’s a good time to take a look at what could be one of the most fun matchups of the year. Here’s a look at Nebraska vs. Wisconsin volleyball and which appears to be the stronger in the nation’s top volleyball conference.
Wisconsin: Resilient or Fortunate?
The Badgers’ start can be viewed in one of two ways. On one hand, Wisconsin’s won three five-set matches out of a 10-0 start, including coming back from down two sets to none at third-ranked Florida in Gainesville. The Badgers also had to respond when Tennessee won sets three and four to force them into the fifth set, and they came through that test with flying colors. That’s big, because it shows that Wisconsin isn’t going to throw in the towel when things get tough. Most teams don’t run over the competition on their way to the title; they usually have to survive a gut-it-out match to win. Wisconsin’s shown that it knows how to do that.
On the other hand, the Badgers’ mark can be viewed as a little fortunate. There’s no way to know for sure, but logic says that if Florida doesn’t lose All-American setter Alexis Stucky in the second set to an ACL injury, Wisconsin probably doesn’t come back to win in five. The Gators were in firm control of that match until that moment, and losing your setter makes it almost impossible to win against a good team, even when you have a big lead.
Wisconsin’s also gotten away with a few mistakes, especially in its service game. The Badgers have made 105 service errors compared to 52 aces, which says they’re not serving as tough as they need to serve. Eventually, those mistakes will catch up with them if they don’t clean them up.
To its credit, Wisconsin is hitting very well, boasting a hitting percentage of .300. The Badgers also are a blocking nightmare at the net, which allows it to get away with more than a few mistakes. They aren’t unbeaten by accident, but Kelly Sheffield would be lying if he said there weren’t a few things he wants to clean up in Big Ten play.
Nebraska: Will They Be Ready for the Meat Grinder?
Unlike Wisconsin, the Huskers haven’t played a close match all season. Nebraska has gone through 10 matches and hasn’t even been pushed to a fifth set once. The Huskers have barely been scratched, losing just three sets and only once all season failing to get at least 23 points in a set.
But that said, the Huskers spent the first two-thirds of the nonconference playing opponents in and around Lincoln. Out of their first seven opponents, six played in Lincoln and the exception was Kansas State. Only Creighton, Nebraska’s in-state rival, managed to take a set off the Huskers.
So far, the lack of tougher matches early on hasn’t hurt John Cook’s team. Nebraska made the journey to Stanford and beat the Cardinal in four, then handled both Kentucky and Ohio State at home. Like Wisconsin, Nebraska’s net play is outstanding. Seven girls have at least 50 attacks on the season for the Huskers, and all of them have at least a .200 hitting percentage. Given that hitting percentage only increases when you score a successful kill, that’s an impressive number.
Nebraska’s big question is whether it’s emotionally ready to handle a team who can push it to four or even five sets. Minnesota, Penn State and Wisconsin have that kind of potential, and the Huskers need to be able to respond if they face adversity.
Nebraska vs. Wisconsin Volleyball: Who’s Likely Stronger?
Both programs have looked incredible this season. The big differences between the two are how many teams have pushed them and what they have at setter. Wisconsin’s experience at the setter position is a big factor, as the Badgers have two solid setters in Izzy Ashburn and MJ Hammill, both of whom are seniors or grad students. Nebraska counters with youth at the setter position, as the Huskers have a freshman in Bergen Reilly as their only true setter. While Wisconsin can play a 6-2 if it wants, Nebraska has to play a 5-1 and has given a lot of responsibility to Reilly.
On the other side of the coin, Nebraska’s wins over Stanford and Kentucky were impressive. I’m always reluctant to trust a team with a lack of experience at setter because the position is so important, but it’s not like Cook and Nebraska haven’t done this before. I remember well when Cook chose a freshman, Rachel Holloway, while asking his experienced setter Dani Busboom to move to libero.
All the Huskers did that season was win the 2006 national championship. Cook clearly knows how to get the most out of a young setter, and if he’s willing to trust Reilly with the job, that’s enough to convince me that Nebraska can make this work.
Throw in that the Badgers have been getting pushed to five sets regularly while the Huskers’ fearsome line has dominated at the net, and it’s clear that Nebraska’s got the better combination of talent, coaching and mentality to make a run at the Big Ten title and the national championship. Both teams will likely make another deep run in November, and it’s going to be fun to watch what unfolds between them.