Three Huskers Named Semifinalists for AVCA Player of the Year

LINCOLN, Neb. — The University of Nebraska‘s volleyball program shines bright this season, boasting three semifinalists for the 2025 AVCA Player of the Year Award. Announced on Friday, the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) revealed that Andi Jackson, Harper Murray, and Bergen Reilly are among the 14 players still in contention for this prestigious honor.

Finalists for the award will be announced on December 15, with the winner to be unveiled during the AVCA Awards Banquet in Kansas City on December 19. Nebraska’s three nominees make it the only team with multiple semifinalists, followed closely by the University of Kentucky, which also has two players on the list.

Jackson, a junior middle blocker from Brighton, Colorado, leads the Big Ten with a remarkable .438 hitting percentage and averages 2.56 kills per set. Recently, she has been even more impressive in conference play, with an average of 2.71 kills per set and a hitting percentage of .553. Notably, her career hitting percentage of .425 stands as the highest in Nebraska’s history and places her first among active Division I players.

Murray, another junior, plays outside hitter and has recorded a team-high average of 3.62 kills per set while hitting at .310. She has also made significant contributions on defense, averaging 2.21 digs per set and leading the team with 22 service aces. With 1,059 career kills, she ranks tied for 23rd in Nebraska history and is also a two-time AVCA All-American.

Reilly serves as the team’s setter, accumulating an impressive average of 10.06 assists per set, complemented by 2.62 digs per set. Her leadership has helped position Nebraska’s offense at the top nationally, with a school-record pace of .344 hitting percentage. Reilly’s career assists total of 3,318 puts her fourth in the rally scoring era at the university.

This season, each player has garnered several accolades, showcasing their talents. Reilly has been named Big Ten Setter of the Week three times, while Jackson recently received the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week award.

The AVCA aims to celebrate the best in collegiate volleyball, and Nebraska’s playoff aspirations remain strong under the helm of new head coach Dani Busboom Kelly.