LINCOLN, Neb. -- Preseason prognostications offer evidence of how difficult it is to separate the top teams in Big Ten women’s volleyball.

Nebraska is the No. 1 team in the American Volleyball Coaches Association poll. No. 3 Wisconsin is the Big Ten coaches’ pick to win a fourth straight conference championship.

Wisconsin beat Nebraska in a five-set thriller for the 2021 NCAA championship, and no one would be surprised to see a rematch when the national semifinals and final are held in Omaha in December.

“It was very heartbreaking to get to that point and not to walk away winning a championship,” Cornhuskers outside hitter Madi Kubik said. “But we have to look at this season as a fresh start and new year and a new group. We’re really excited for the opportunity for this group and these people to work hard to hopefully put ourselves back into a place where we can win a national championship in Omaha.”

 

No. 5 Minnesota and No. 7 Ohio State are other title contenders from the Big Ten, the deepest conference in women’s volleyball with seven teams in the top 25.

Second-ranked Texas, beaten by the Huskers in a regional final last year, has won the Big 12 all but two seasons since Nebraska moved to the Big Ten in 2011.

No. 4 Louisville, which is coached by former Husker and Cortland native Dani Busboom Kelly, No. 6 Pittsburgh and No. 9 Georgia Tech are the strongest teams in the Atlantic Coast Conference, and No. 8 Washington is favored to win a third straight Pac-12 title. No. 11 Kentucky and No. 15 Florida are the only Southeastern Conference teams in the top 25.

Nebraska was 26-8 last season after recovering from a midseason lull of three losses in four matches and is the preseason No. 1 for the first time since 2016.

Kubik averaged better than four kills per set in conference matches and Lexi Rodriguez was national freshman of the year and the Big Ten’s top defensive player. Kaitlyn Hord transferred from Penn State after being named to the All-Big Ten first team three straight years.

“Everybody says we return everybody,” Huskers coach John Cook said. “Let’s see, we’re replacing two middles, we’re replacing the setter. One-third of our team is brand new.”

The Huskers play their first eight matches in the state, including a showdown with No. 18 Creighton in Omaha on Sept. 7 and No. 14 Stanford in Lincoln on Sept. 13.