Complacency Not an Issue for 14-0 Huskers

When all you do is win, it might be easy to take a few plays off here and there, but that couldn't be further from the truth for the Nebraska volleyball team.

Nebraska volleyball is still practicing with the mindset that they have something to prove despite their 14-0 start to the year. | Kenny Larabee, KLIN

The Nebraska volleyball team has endured an awfully challenging schedule through its first 14 matches.

Top-5 battles and an in-state rivalry highlighted Nebraska's non-conference slate, but now that NU is in Big Ten play, it's all about finding the consistent play starting from the inside and working your way out.

The approach makes sense, too, because on paper, Nebraska's schedule is getting much easier. After starting the year with wins over No. 3 Pittsburgh, No. 6 Stanford and No. 7 Kentucky, NU's seen a bit of a drop off in competition so far in Big Ten play.

It was easy for Nebraska to be emotionally driven early in the year in several highly-anticipated showdown with nationally-ranked teams. Now the task is keeping that same intensity throughout Big Ten play. | Kenny Larabee, KLIN

Through four conference matches, Nebraska hasn't dropped a set. That includes a sweep over No. 16 Penn State, which, at least for now, is a shell of the team that won the national championship last season. Nebraska wiped the floor with the Nittany Lions last weekend, winning 25-6, 25-15, 25-13.

The Huskers are now back home Friday to take on another team that hasn't lived up to the name on its jersey just yet in 2025 — Washington. Any Husker fan can remember the absolute battles these two programs have had in Final Fours and postseason runs. Now, they're members of the Big Ten, and the Big Red hopes to give them a not-so-friendly welcome to Lincoln Friday night.

To do so, though, Nebraska volleyball coach Dani Busboom Kelly is making sure the team is focusing on what it can control.

Despite being a perfect 14-0 to start the year, Nebraska is still working hard at practice to tighten things up. | Kenny Larabee, KLIN

"Our team is pretty focused on our side of the court, and I think that’s very hard to do — especially throughout a season," Busboom Kelly said. "We’re not riding the emotional highs and lows of our opponents or getting frustrated about what the opponent’s doing. We’re really being accountable with ourselves, and I think that’s been the thing that’s made it easiest to stay consistent with our play."

Consistent might be an understatement when you take into account that the top-ranked Huskers aren't just a perfect 14-0. In that stretch, they've only dropped six sets. To help you get ready for the upcoming basketball seasons in Lincoln, what Nebraska volleyball has done is the equivalent to shooting out to a 42-6 lead in the first half of a basketball game.

While there is a ball and a net in volleyball as well, it's important to note how rare this dominance is from any team in any sport, and Busboom Kelly said it's caused her to step back and appreciate what she's seeing. At the same time, she knows it's only mid-October.

Nebraska volleyball coach Dani Busboom Kelly is ecstatic with her team's 14-0 start to the year, but knows there is a lot more the team can still achieve this season. | Kenny Larabee, KLIN

"We have a long ways to go, so it feels a little bit early," Busboom Kelly said. "I think with us switching lineups some, and we’ve talked a ton about our depth, and we’ll continue to talk about it. I think that’s helped fuel a lot of it and helped us stay consistent."

Because of the Huskers' dominance in their matches to this point, Busboom Kelly has been able to add wrinkles and work in different lineups at will, and so far, it hasn't come back to bite her in an actual match.

"The way we set our middles, we’ve continued to just have a really balanced offense, and I think that’s a great sign of a good team," Busboom Kelly said. "We’re not relying on just a couple people. It’s literally everybody, every game has similar attempts, which is huge midway through the year when you see what’s happening."

Not only is working in the full roster allowing all of the key players to stay rested and healthy through this early stretch, but it's also building on-court rapport that most other teams don't have the luxury to build with as many players as Nebraska has.

Thanks to early success in matches, Nebraska's been able to really dip into their bag of players on the bench and work in different linups. | Kenny Larabee, KLIN

Busboom Kelly would be lying to you if she expected anything less than what she's getting from her team right now, but with so many players getting time on the court through the first 14 matches, it's allowing several bonds to grow.

"Sometimes you come out hot and on fire, and then as the season goes on, people get worn down or there’s some disconnection, so then the trust starts to break," Busboom Kelly said. "But this team’s continuing to get better and better offensively."

If you're Washington or Purdue this weekend, that's probably the last thing you want to hear. Washington will be in Lincoln to try to upset the Huskers Friday night, but then NU will be making a quicker than usual jump out to West Lafayette, Indiana to take on Purdue on Sunday.

Nebraska's road schedule is starting to pick up. After a road trip test at Purdue and Rutgers, they'll be hitting the road again this weekend for a trip to Purdue. | Kenny Larabee, KLIN

It's a home-and-away stretch that is a bit unusual, even at the Division I level.

"I’ve never experienced this type of turnaround, so I think it’s new, but we’ll do our normal routine here and then practice at Purdue on Saturday," Busboom Kelly said. "That's maybe a little different. I'd rather practice here, then go somewhere, but we need a chance to get in their gym."

First serve for Nebraska's match against the Huskies is set for Friday, Oct. 10, at 8 p.m. CDT and will be televised nationally. First serve for NU's Sunday match at Purdue is set for 12 p.m. CDT on B1G+.

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