How to Watch No. 1 Nebraska Volleyball in the Ameritas Players Challenge with Previews, Breakdowns, TV Channel

With the pressure of holding its undefeated streak against in-state rival Creighton now taken care of, the No. 1 Nebraska volleyball team returns to the friendly confines of John Cook Arena for the annual Ameritas Players Challenge.

Faced with a pair of programs on the rise in their respective conferences, the Huskers open up their weekend with a top-25 showdown against a vetern North Carolina team. That's followed with a Sunday battle at noon against a Florida Gulf Coast team that's built in the model similar to Georgia Tech — which pushed NU last week.

Here's all you need to know for the Ameritas Players Challenge.

How to Follow Along

Game 1

Matchup: No. 1 Nebraska (8-0, 0-0 B1G) vs. No. 25 North Carolina (4-2, 0-0 ACC)
When: Friday, September 18
Where: John Cook Arena, Bob Devaney Sports Center, Lincoln, NE
Time: 7 p.m. CDT
Watch: B1G Network
Listen: Huskers Radio Network and Affiliates
How to Sync Husker Radio with TV Broadcast

Game 2

Matchup: No. 1 Nebraska (8-0, 0-0 B1G) vs. Florida Gulf Coast (3-5, 0-0 ASUN)
When: Sunday, September 20
Where: John Cook Arena, Bob Devaney Sports Center, Lincoln, NE
Time: 12 p.m. CDT
Watch: None
Listen: Huskers Radio Network and Affiliates
How to Sync Husker Radio with TV Broadcast

North Carolina head volleyball coach Mike Schall aims to lead the Tar Heels to their third-straight NCAA Tournament. | North Carolina Athletics

No. 25 North Carolina Scout

Head Coach

Mike Schall | 4th Season at North Carolina and as Head Coach
62-33 (.653) at North Carolina and as Head Coach
2x NCAA Tournament Apps, 1x NCAA National Title (Assistant), 9x B1G titles (Assistant)
Previous assistant at North Carolina and Penn State

2025 Finish

L, 3-0 to No. 3 Wisconsin in NCAA Second Round

2025 Record & Awards

Record: 22-9 (14-6 ACC, 6th)
All-ACC: 1x First Team, 2x Second Team

All-Time Series

Series is tied 1-1
Friday, Sept. 13, 1996, at Triangle Classic last matchup, 3-2 UNC

North Carolina's Safi Hampton leads the Tar Heels in points once again after being named to the All-ACC First Team in 2025. | North Carolina Athletics

Key Returners

Safi Hampton | OH | Sr. | An AVCA All-Region and All-ACC First Team pick in 2025, the Maryland native paces the Tar Heels with 69.5 points and 65 kills as the team's biggest offensive threat.
Chelsea Thorpe | OH/OPP | Gr. | The former Ohio State transfer returns for her fifth season after earning All-ACC Second Team honors in 2025 when she recorded 318 kills, 90 blocks and 76 digs.
Bridget Malone | OH | Soph. | The Colorado recruit played part-time as a freshman last season before stepping into a bigger role this year where she's one of three players on the roster to rack up more than 60 points.
Jackie Taylor | MB | Jr. | Another returning starter that compiled 165 blocks last season for the third-most in a single season in program history. Averaging 2.48 points per set on a .371 hitting percentage with a team-high 25 blocks in the team's first six matches.
Laynie Smith | OH/OPP | Jr. | The second-year transfer from Illinois has seen action in all six matches depite coming off the bench and has posted 46.5 points on 37 kills, and 9.5 blocks.
Lauren Schutter | MB | Gr. | After defensive standout at the net, the Kansas native collected 135 blocks in 2025 and sits just behind Taylor for the team lead in blocks with 23.
Zoe Behrendt | S | Sr. | The primary setter for North Carolina, Behrendt is averaging 5.43 assists per set while splitting time.
Emily Bobbitt | S | Jr. | The former Iowa State transfer is splitting time with Behrendt in a 6-2 offensive system and has put up 5.80 assists per set with a pair of aces.
Julia Bohlinger | L/DS | Jr. | Leads all the liberos and defensive specialists for the Tar Heels with 37 digs and 1.68 per set with two aces.

Impact Transfers/Newcomers

None

Key Departures

Maddy May | L/DS | Graduated | Racked up a team-leading 454 digs and 3.88 per set in her final college season while leaving the program with the third-most career digs. She also earned 2025 AVCA All-Region and All-ACC Second Team accolades.

Outlook

An alumni and former men's volleyball player at Penn State, current North Carolina head coach Mike Schall started his coaching career with one of the sports' best in legendary Nittany Lion women's volleyball head coach Russ Rose. An assistant from 1994 through 2005, Schall was there for one of many dominant periods for Rose and Penn State as the program recorded a 447-67 (.870) record with nine Big Ten titles and the 1999 National Championship with Schall as an assistant.

Schall then took an extended break from the college coaching scene, serving in adminstrative roles for Triangle Volleyball Club in North Carolina for 13 years before returning to the sidelines as an assitant for the Tar Heels.

He was then promoted to head coach prior to the 2023 season where he's quickly stabilized success for the program. After a 13-14 debut campaign, Schall led the Tar Heels to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances where they both fell in the second round. Now, after returning most of the roster for 2026, he hopes to break through with a deeper postseason run.

Libero Maddy May was the only major departure for North Carolina over the offseason after she tallied 454 digs as a senior. | North Carolina Athletics

That starts with star outside hitter Safi Hampton, who leads North Carolina in points (69.5) after making an AVCA All-Region team and being named to the All-ACC First Team in 2025. She's supported by outside hitter and opposite Chelsea Thorpe who's right up against her teammate for the team lead in points with 64. Sophomore Bridget Malone was a part-time starter as a freshman last year, but she's joined that duo as one of three players with more than 60 points.

Both middle blockers are back in Jackie Taylor and Lauren Schutter. Taylor collected 165 blocks last year and leads the team with 25 so far in 2026. It's a similar story for Schutter who posted 135 last year and has 23 through the team's first six matches.

The setters are an interesting bunch for the Tar Heels. Serving as the starter last year, Zoe Behrendt has put up a team-high 5.43 assists per set, but she's splitting time in a 6-2 offense with junior and former Iowa State transfer Emily Bobbitt (5.80 A/S).

The only major loss from last year's team was starting libero Maddy May. She was an All-Region and All-ACC pick and departed the program with the third-most career digs. Julia Bohlinger has taken up the mantle, but her 1.68 digs per set doesn't stand out as you could see her or Carly Markham (1.55) take reps at libero.

Overall, this is an experienced team with thump around the lineup, but the lack of star power at setter will likely limit their ceiling when it comes to the NCAA Tournament and taking on better teams. Give me Nebraska in a sweep for Friday night.

FGCU Scout

Head Coach

Thais Baziquetto-Allen | 2nd Season at FGCU; 11th as Head Coach
22-14 (.611) at FGCU; 253-67 (.791) as Head Coach
3x NJCAA National titles, 3x NJCAA Coach OTY, 1x ASUN Regular Season title
Previous Head Coach at Florida SouthWestern State College (JUCO) & Seward County CC (KS)
Previous assistant at Lamar CC

2025 Finish

Did not qualify for the postseason.

2025 Record & Awards

Record: 19-9 (13-3 ASUN, 1st)
Conference: ASUN Regular Season Champions
All-ASUN: 1x First Team, 1x Second Team, 1x Freshman Team

All-Time Series

First Meeting

FGCU outside hitter Julija Grubisic Cabo leads the Eagles offense after making the All-ASUN First Team in 2025. | FGCU Athletics

Key Returners

Julija Grubisic Cabo | OH | Sr. | Following Baziquetto-Allen from FSW, the Slovenian was part of the All-ASUN First Team in 2025 after averaging over three kills per set and is on similar pace so far in 2026.
Abby Toeniskoetter | MB | Sr. | Spent her first two seasons with Baziquetto-Allen at FSW where she led the NJCAA in hitting percentage and blocks per set in 2024. Continued that success at the Division I level with a .364 clip with 172 kills and 74 blocks in 2025.
Eliska Vytiskova | S | Sr. | Appeared in all 115 sets last year for FGCU after transferring from Akron. Splitting time with Sabitova as part of a two-setter system with 5.14 per set.
Anna Marzella | L | Sr. | Another player that came with Baziquetto-Allen from FSW, the Italian collected 195 digs last season, but is well on pace to surpass that number as the team's starting libero with 93 digs (3.00 D/S) in the team's first eight matches and 31 sets played.
Erica Muhizi | MB | Soph. | The Swede totaled 127 kills on a .320 hitting percentage with 108 blocks to earn a spot on the ASUN All-Freshman Team in 2025, but she's been limited so far in 2026 with only 10 sets played across four matches.

Impact Transfers/Newcomers

Maju Hildebrand | OPP | Fr. | The Brazil import has clicked instantly with the Eagles by racking up a team-high 110 points and 99 kills (3.19 K/S) while ranking third on the team with 14 blocks.
Shay Heaney | OH | Soph. | The Elkhorn native and Elkhorn North graduate joined FGCU after spending her freshman season at Grand Canyon. Has started in all six of her appearances so far in 2026 with 57 points (4th on team) and six aces.
Dinara Sabitova | S | Sr. | The FSW transfer is a native of Russia and is the leading setter of a 6-2 offensive system with a team-leading 6.81 assists per set, six aces and 49 digs.

Brazilian opposite Maju Hildebrand leads FGCU in points early in her college career as a freshman. | FGCU Athletics

Key Departures

Barbara Koehler | OH | Graduated | The former Wichita State transfer ranked second on FGCU in points last season with 373 while making the All-ASUN Second Team in her final collegiate season.
Ava Smith | OH | Transfer | Earned starts in 17 of her 21 appearances during the 2025 season where she averaged 2.33 points and 2.08 kills per set before transferring to Ball State over the offseason.
Hanna Borer | S | Graduated | The former Texas Tech and Virginia transfer played her final college season with the Eagles and led the team with 713 assists and 6.09 per set. Started her coaching career as an assiant at Robert Morris in 2026.

Outlook

The Florida Gulf Coast volleyball program may have a star in the making with head coach Thais Baziquetto-Allen. Heralding from Brazil, Baziquetto-Allen arrived on the FGCU campus last fall with a stacked resume. After compiling an 86-28 record as the head coach for Seward County Community College in Kansas, Baziquetto-Allen made her way to Florida SouthWestern State College where she became the first head coach in NJCAA history to lead her program to three-straight national titles (2022-2024). By the time she left, FSW went 145-25 in six seasons and saw three players win National Player of the Year awards.

An AVCA Thirty Under 30 Award winner, Baziquetto-Allen led FGCU to a 19-9 record in her first season as the Eagles captured the ASUN Regular Season Championship before falling in the first round of the conference tournament. The 2026 squad is led by all-conference first team player and outside hitter Julija Grubisic Cabo. The Serbian is one of two players on the roster to have over 100 points in just eight matches as she's joined by Brazilian opposite and true freshman Maju Hildebrand.

Abby Toeniskoetter leads the middle blocker group. Playing for Baziquetto-Allen at FSW before transferring to FGCU, she was the NJCAA leader in both hitting percentage and blocks per set during the 2024 season. She's joined by Sweden native Erica Muhizi, who's coming off a season that saw her named to the ASUN All-Freshman team, but she's been limited to only half of the Eagles' first eight matches.

Russian transfer Dinara Sabitova will split time at setter with returner Eliska Vytiskova. Anna Marzella was only a part-time starter in 2025 at libero with 195 digs, but she's taken over the role and is on pace to exceed that number with 93 digs in 31 sets. The Eagles also have a Nebraska native on its roster in outside hitter Shay Heaney. The Elkhorn North graduated joined FGCU after spending her freshman season at Grand Canyon. She's started in all six of her appearances so far in 2026 with 57 points (4th on team) and six aces.

As a Brazilian, Baziquetto-Allen has been smart to attack the rising use of foreign talent in college volleyball. With most other volleyball countries better in developing youth athletes as all-around players, the emphasis on foreign talent has its upside. Tabbed as the preseason favorites to win the ASUN for the second-straight season, I'd expect to see the Eagles in the NCAA Tournament, but give me Nebraska in a sweep for Sunday.

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