Nebraska junior setter Bergen Reilly is one of four finalists for the AVCA Division I Women's Volleyball Player of the Year Award. 

The other three finalists are Olivia Babcock (Pittsburgh), Mimi Colyer (Wisconsin) and Eva Hudson (Kentucky). The announcement of the Player of the Year takes place on Friday, Dec. 19 at the AVCA Awards Banquet in Kansas City. 

Reilly set the Huskers to a school-record .351 hitting percentage, as the Big Red concluded their season with a 33-1 overall record and 20-0 mark in Big Ten play en route to a third straight conference title. 

Reilly averaged 10.47 assists per set and 2.70 digs per set. She also totaled 73 kills, 67 blocks and 19 aces. 

Reilly was named Big Ten Player of the Year, as well as Big Ten Setter of the Year and All-Big Ten First Team for the third time. NU's .351 hitting percentage ranks first nationally and is the best hitting percentage by a Big Ten team since 2009 Penn State.

Reilly set Nebraska to a .400 or better hitting percentage nine times this season, a school record in the rally-scoring era. Reilly had double-doubles in all six of the Husker matches that went longer than three sets, and she had four double-doubles in sweeps.

A two-time AVCA All-American, Reilly ranks No. 3 in school history in career assists in the rally-scoring era with 3,723. Her career assists per set average of 10.70 ranks No. 4 among active Division I players and No. 2 in school history in the rally-scoring era.

Sandfort Shares Big Ten Honor

Nebraska’s Pryce Sandfort was named Big Ten Co-Player of the Week Monday afternoon following the Huskers’ 2-0 week.

The junior forward averaged 23.0 points per game on 64 percent shooting, including 47 percent from 3-point range, in the Huskers’ wins over Wisconsin and at No. 13 Illinois.  His performance helped the Huskers extend school records for wins (15) and wins to start a season (11).

Sandfort shined in the win over No. 13 Illinois, scoring a career-high 32 points on 12-of-18 shooting while matching his career high with six 3-pointers and adding three assists. He had 26 of his points in the first half, including the Huskers’ first 15 points of the contest, as his 26-point effort was the fourth-highest half total by a power conference player this season.

Sandfort also added 14 points on 6-of-10 shooting in NU’s 90-60 win over Wisconsin last Wednesday, as the 30-point margin was NU’s largest margin of victory in the series.  In addition to the Big Ten honor, Sandfort was also tabbed as Dick Vitale’s National Player of the Week.

Sandfort’s accomplishments were part of a week that saw the Huskers earn Team of the Week honors by Andy Katz as well as the Field of 68. Nebraska moved to No. 15 in both the AP and Coaches polls on Monday, marking the Huskers’ highest AP ranking since 1991.

Sandfort shared the Big Ten honor with Indiana’s Lamar Wilkerson.

Nebraska returns to action this Sunday night, as the Huskers host North Dakota. Tickets are going fast for the matchup but are still available by visiting Huskers.com/Tickets or calling 800-8-BIGRED during business hours (9 a.m.-4 p.m., Mon.-Fri.).

Johansson Tabbed National Athlete of the Week

Nebraska senior shot put thrower from Hok, Sweden, Axelina Johansson was named NCAA DI National Athlete of the Week on Monday following her record breaking performance in the season opener Husker Holiday Open.

On Friday at the Husker Holiday Open, Johansson threw for a mark of 19.72m (64’ 8.5”) to shatter her own school record. Notably, this throw set a new Swedish record and an NCAA record.

Johansson was named a Big Ten Preseason Track and Field Athlete to Watch earlier this season. She previously held the shot put school record with a throw of 19.31 (63’ 4.25”) set on March 1, 2025. 

The international student athlete placed 10th in the Olympic shot put competition in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, where she competed as a part of the Swedish team. 

Johansson adds this new record to her extensive list of accomplishments throughout her collegiate career and looks to add many more in her final year.

The Huskers will continue indoor competition on Friday, Jan. 16 and Saturday, Jan. 17 at the Graduate Classic at the Devaney Center Indoor Track.

Vanderbilt's Langston Patterson among 5 seeking injunction to play 2026 season

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Five college football players at power-conference schools asked a federal judge on Monday for a preliminary injunction to play a fifth year next season.

All five have competed four seasons in four years without taking a redshirt: Vanderbilt linebacker Langston Patterson; kicker Nathanial Vakos, tight end Lance Mason and long snapper Nick Levy of Wisconsin; and Nebraska long snapper Kevin Gallic.

U.S. District Judge William L. Campbell granted an injunction nearly a year ago that allowed Diego Pavia to play this season. Pavia finished as the Heisman Trophy runner-up leading Vanderbilt to a 10-2 record.