Nebraska No. 1 in volleyball Coaches Poll, Creighton No. 13

The Nebraska volleyball team will start the year at No. 1.

NU scooped up 57 first-place votes out of the 63 available in the American Volleyball Coaches Association poll released Monday. Creighton is ranked No. 13.

Dani Busboom Kelly’s second Husker team will face 11 regular season opponents ranked in the top 25. Texas checks in at No. 2 and will face Nebraska in the first full weekend of the regular season on Aug. 30, setting up a likely No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup right off the bat. That match will be played in Las Vegas.

NU is one of four teams to collect a first-place vote. Texas received one, No. 3 Kentucky earned four and defending national champion and No. 8 ranked Texas A&M received one. A wide gap in first-place votes reflects confidence in a roster returning seven of its top contributors from last year, including seniors Harper Murray, Andi Jackson, Bergen Reilly and Laney Choboy.

Jackson acknowledged there’s a target on her team’s back this season, during Big Ten Volleyball Media Day last week.

“The pressure is definitely there, but I think we've earned the right to be in that position,” Jackson said. “And we've worked really hard these last three seasons. And we know what it takes to win a Big Ten championship. It's not easy. It's a really tough volleyball conference, and every game is going to be a dogfight.”

Seven other Big Ten conference programs will start the season ranked: No. 6 Wisconsin, No. 9 Purdue, No. 10 Penn State, No. 14 Minnesota, No. 16 Indiana, No. 20 USC and No. 25 Oregon.

For its part, Creighton will compete against six ranked teams in the regular season. The Bluejays will also face No. 15 Kansas in an exhibition on Aug. 22. Brian Rosen’s program will play against an additional six schools in the “receiving votes” category. Creighton is the only Big East conference team ranked in the top 25. Marquette and Villanova received votes.

Creighton officially serves up its regular season Aug. 28 against Purdue. That contest is part of the State Farm Women’s Volleyball Showcase in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Purdue and Creighton will be televised on Fox. Continuing in the showcase, Rosen’s Bluejays will hit the court against Minnesota and USC on Aug. 29 and 30, respectively.

The Huskers start their season against No. 17 Florida in an exhibition tournament, called Spikes Under The Lights, played at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. That match will air on TNT. The winner will advance to the championship for a chance at $1 million against either Penn State and No. 11 SMU. Nebraska officially starts its regular season against UNLV in Las Vegas on Aug. 29. NU and UNLV will be televised on Fox Sports One.