How to Watch No. 1 Nebraska Volleyball vs. Rutgers and Ohio State with Previews, Breakdowns, TV Channel

The long, grueling grind of Big Ten conference play is finally here for the No. 1 Nebraska volleyball team.

The top-ranked Huskers enter the weekend unblemished at 11-0 after storming through their non-conference slate — which was weaker than past seasons. Unafraid to leverage their depth, NU could have the opportunity to further showcase its deep lineup as the Huskers welcome in a pair of teams projected to finish near the bottom of the Big Ten.

Here's all you need to know for Nebraska volleyball this weekend.

How to Follow Along

Match 1

Matchup: No. 1 Nebraska (11-0, 0-0 B1G) vs. Rutgers (9-3, 0-0 B1G)
When: Friday, September 25
Where: John Cook Arena, Bob Devaney Sports Center, Lincoln, NE
Time: 7 p.m. CDT
Watch: Nebraska Public Media
Listen: Huskers Radio Network and Affiliates
How to Sync Husker Radio with TV Broadcast

Match 2

Matchup: No. 1 Nebraska (11-0, 0-0 B1G) vs. Ohio State (7-3, 0-0 B1G)
When: Saturday, September 26
Where: John Cook Arena, Bob Devaney Sports Center, Lincoln, NE
Time: 8 p.m. CDT
Watch: B1G Network
Listen: Huskers Radio Network and Affiliates
How to Sync Husker Radio with TV Broadcast

Rutgers Scout

Head Coach

Caitlin Schweihofer | 7th Season at Rutgers; 13th as Head Coach
59-127 (.317) at Rutgers; 132-235 (.360) as Head Coach
1x Atlantic Coach OTY (2019)
Previous Head Coach at Northeastern & La Salle
Previous assistant at Lehigh & Bucknell

2025 Finish

Did not qualify for the postseason.

2025 Record & Awards

Record: 12-20 (3-17 B1G, 17th)
All-B1G: None

All-Time Series

Nebraska leads 16-1
Oct. 4, 2025, last matchup; 3-0 NU

Rutgers middle blocker Imani Howell has enjoyed a breakout season so far with 127.5 points and a team-high 55 blocks. | Rutgers Athletics

Key Returners

Aspen Maxwell | OH/RS | Jr. | Turned in one of the best season in Rutgers program history in 2025 with 378 kills (3.38 K/S), 83 blocks and 450 points. Returned for her junior season, but is below her pace from last year with 111 points in 48 sets.
Imani Howell | MB | Soph. | The second-year middle blocker started in the final seven games of 2025 and has continued that success into 2026 with 127.5 points (2nd on team) while hitting .359 and a team-leading 55 blocks
Natalie Robinson | MB | Jr. | After impact returner that had a slow non-conference stretch, Robinson comes off a 2025 season that saw her hit .372 for the best mark by a Scarlet Knight since 2011. She's hitting above that mark now at .388 with 104.5 points.
Lily Bolen | S | Jr. | Back for her junior seasons after leading Rutgers with over nine assists per set last year, Bolen is now splitting time in the 6-2 system, but ranks second on the team with 24 aces.
Kenzie Dyrstad | L | Sr. | After starting as the team's libero in 2024, the Papillion native suffered a season-ending injury just six games into 2025. She's fully recovered and leads the Scarlet Knights with 174 digs and 3.78 per set.

Impact Transfers/Newcomers

Malia Romes | MB | Fr. | The newcomer from Ohio has fired out of the game to begin her college career by leading the Scarlett Knights with 142.5 points and 125 kills despite starting in just one of the team's first 12 contests.
Skylar George | OH | R-Jr. | The Syracuse transfer compiled 296 kills as a starter with the Orange before joining Rutgers where she's produced over two kills and digs per set as a full-time starter.
Karis Willow | OH | Gr. | A former top recruit that committed to Penn State out of high school, Willow ranks fourth on the Scarlet Knights with 115.5 points and leads the team with 25 aces. She was also part of the Nittany Lions squad that won the 2024 National Championship.
Brooke Baldwin | S | Fr. | The 2025-2026 Wisconsin Gatorade Player of the Year is the leading setter of a 6-2 system for the Scarlet Knights. She's recorded 5.50 assists per set with 10 aces and 67 digs.

After missing all but six games in 2025, Papillion native and Rutgers libero Kenzie Dyrstad returns to her home state. | Rutgers Athletics

Key Departures

Lexi Visintine | OH/DS | Graduated | Capped off her college career by becoming the new rally-era season leader in aces with 49 while also ranking second on the team with 309 points.
Zora Hardison | MB | Transfer | Joined Michigan State over the offseason after three seasons at Rutgers. Led the Scarlet Knights with 104 blocks and hit .312 in her final season as a junior.
Tara Garvey | OH | Graduated | The one-year transfer from Villanova averaged 2.35 kills per set in starting 24 of the team's 32 matches in 2025.

Outlook

Coming off back-to-back seasons in the Big Ten basement, expectations aren't much higher for the Rutgers volleyball team as it enters conference play in 2026. With a 4-36 record in the Big Ten over the past two campaigns, the Scarlet Knights and head coach Caitlin Schweihofer will need to pull some upsets in order to move up the standings.

Sitting at 9-3 after their non-conference slate, Rutgers doesn't appear to be in dire positions, but a season-opening loss to Purdue Fort Wayne and defeats by Vanderbilt and Penn highlights why this team was picked to finish 17th of 18 in the Big Ten preseason poll.

Although, a solid core returns to New Jersey. Former Missouri transfer Aspen Maxwell put together one of the best seasons in program history during 2025, but she's been slow to replicate that pace so far in 2026. Imani Howell started at middle blocker in the final seven games last season and has appeared to turn a corner. She's racked up a team-leading 55 blocks and ranks second with 127.5 points through the team's first 12 contests. Lily Bolen returns as one of two setters in a 6-2 system for the Scarlet Knights while middle Natalie Robinson is hitting .388 as a junior. Plus, Kenzie Dyrstad is back at libero for Rutgers. The Papillion native missed all but six matches in 2025 but has fully recovered to lead the Scarlet Knights with 3.78 digs per set.

With a trio of departures — including two transfer — the Scarlet Knights brought in a class of newcomers that have already made their impact in the starting lineup. Ohio native and freshman middle blocker Malia Romes has torn it up in her first college season by leading the Scarlet Knights in both points (142.5) and kills (125). A starter at Syracuse in 2025, outside hitter Skylar George has been a positive addition with over two kills and digs per set. Fellow pin hitter Karis Willow arrives from Penn State where she helped the Nittany Lions win the 2024 National Title. Then, freshman setter Brooke Baldwin has earned a starting role with over five assists per set and 10 aces, but she splits time with Bolen in a two-setter system.

The young talent is intriguing for the Scarlet Knights, but the journey of playing in the Big Ten can be a rough one. Put me down for a Nebraska sweep Friday night at John Cook Arena.

Ohio State Scout

Head Coach

Jen Flynn Oldenburg | Entering 7th season at Ohio State & as Head Coach
101-79 (.561) at Ohio State & as Head Coach
3x NCAA Tournament Appearances, 1x NCAA Regional Final
1x B1G Coach OTY (2020)
Previous assistant at Illinois

2025 Finish

Did not qualify for the postseason.

2025 Record & Awards

Record: 6-20 (3-17 B1G, T-16th)
All-B1G: None

All-Time Series

Nebraska leads 21-10
Nov. 29, 2025 last matchup; 3-0 NU

Ohio State outside hitter Hannah Jones leads the Buckeyes in both points and kills like she did in 2025. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Key Returners

Hannah Jones | OH | Sr. | The former Memphis transfer paced the Buckeyes and ranked 13th in the B1G last season in kills per set (3.42). She's just below that pace so far in 2026 with a 3.14 mark and a team-leading 153.5 points overall.
Mia Tuman | S | Sr. | Once a prized recruit out of high school, Tuman hasn't been able to live up to that billing, but she averaged nearly nine assists per set as the starting setter last year. However, she's been overtaken on the depth chart by freshman Bailey Nakanelua.

Impact Transfers/Newcomers

Kalli Jioshvili-Ravva | OH | Fr. | The French attacker was the best player for Texas Tech in 2025 after leading the Red Raiders in kills (303), attempts (909) and points (335.5). Currently ranks second in points (135.5) during her first season with the Buckeyes after transferring over the offseason.
Alia Schoonover | MB/RS | Fr. | The in-state native is the breakout star for the Buckeyes in her first college season. She owns a staggering .410 hitting percentage with 3.19 points per set while also leading Ohio State with 35 blocks and 17 aces.
Naomy Govou | OH | Jr. | Another native of France, Govou is a member of the French National Team and is the last of four players for Ohio State with over 100 points. However, she leads the team with 3.75 points and 3.41 kills per set.
Bailey Nakanelua | S | Fr. | The first-year setter from Hawaii has earned the trust of Oldenburg to be the starter for the last few matches. She's been averaging over 10 assists per set so far this season, including 61 in a five-set win over Youngstown State last week.
Emily Avshalomov | L | Fr. | The Israli grabbed the starting libero role after fall camp and has compiled 3.93 digs per set and 165 total.

Ohio State breakout star Alia Schoonover leads OSU with a .411 hitting percentage, 17 aces and 35 blocks as a freshman. | Ohio State Athletics

Key Departures

Reese Wuebker | OH | Transfer | Recorded 260 kills, 11 blocks, 157 digs and 14 aces as a starter for Ohio State last season before transferring to Virignia over the offseason.
Kaia Castle | MB | Transfer | Appeared in 103 sets last season for the Buckeyes while adding 253 points (third on team) and leading the OSU defense with 91 blocks. Transferred to Texas A&M over the offseason.
Olivia Hasbrook | L | Transfer | Was one of only two players in 2025 to play in all 107 sets for OSU while ranking 8th in the conference with 3.38 digs per set. Now at Kansas after two seasons in Columbus.

Outlook

Ohio State volleyball and head coach Jen Flynn Oldenburg were soaring in their first three seasons together. From 2020 through 2022, the Buckeyes went a combined 65-20 with three NCAA Tournament appearances — including an NCAA Regional Final in 2022. Then came the introduction of NIL and the infamous roster crunch that forced Oldenburg to say goodbye to multiple All-Americans for her new recruiting class. Unfortunately for her and OSU, it has been a disaster since.

The Buckeyes are 30-54 over the last three seasons with the program bottoming out in 2025 when they finished 6-20 and tied for 16th in the conference with a 3-17 mark. That led to the transfer of a talented trio in Reese Wuebker (Virginia), Kaia Castle (Texas A&M) and Olivia Hasbrook (Kansas).

Tasked with remaking the roster for a pivotal 2026 season, Oldenburg secured the return of 2025 point and kill leader Hannah Jones, who ranked 13th in the Big Ten with 3.42 kills per set after transferring from Memphis. Setter Mia Tuman was once the crown of that 2022 recruiting class, but she hasn't developed to the heights some thoughts. However, she averaged nearly nine assists per set last year as the starter, but she's been overtaken by a freshman after the first few matches of the 2026 campaign.

Ohio State's Kalli Jioshvili-Ravva was a star at Texas Tech in 2025 before arriving in Columbus. — Ohio State's Kalli Jioshvili-Ravva was a star at Texas Tech in 2025 before arriving in Columbus where she's second on the team in points. | Texas Tech Athletics

Hawaii native Bailey Nakanelua overcame Tuman and has shined in her first few collegiate contests by averaging over 10 assists per set. Fellow true freshman Alia Schoonover has been the breakout star for the Buckeyes. She leads OSU in hitting percentage (.410), blocks (35) and aces (17) while averaging over three points per set. Oldenburg also brought in reinforcements with a pair of French attackers. Kalli Jioshvili-Ravva was the best player for Texas Tech last season and ranks second in points for Ohio State so far in 2026. Naomy Govou begins her college career as a junior and already leads OSU with 3.75 points and 3.41 kills per set. Finally, Israli libero Emily Avshalomov has locked down the starting role with 3.93 digs per set as another freshman in the lineup.

It's a decent group for Oldenburg and the Buckeyes, but the dropoff in talent from where they once were is substantial. Put me down for a Nebraska sweep, but Ohio State will be a team to keep an eye on as Oldenburg looks to coach her way off the hot seat.

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