How to Watch No. 1 Nebraska Volleyball vs. No. 16 Penn State & Maryland with Previews, Breakdowns, TV Channel

The first Big Ten conference matches of the 2026 season proved to be no tall task for the No. 1 Nebraska volleyball team.

Unlike some of their Big Ten counterparts — such as No. 16 Penn State and No. 20 Minnesota — the Huskers avoided any upset by storming past confernece basement dwellers Ohio State and Rutgers. Senior middle blocker Andi Jackson was rewarded for her efforts by being named national and Big Ten Player of the Week.

The Colorado native averaged 3.33 kills and 1.56 blocks per set in NU's three victories last week, which included the rescheduled Wrigley Field match against Missouri. In total, Jackson racked up 30 kills on a .578 hitting percentage with 14 blocks.

Now, the Huskers venture to play outside of Lincoln for the first time since Labor Day weekend when they begin a stretch of four road contests in the span of five matches. The trip begins in one of college volleyball’s most intimidating venues, where Nebraska’s senior class suffered one of its only handful of losses in nearly four seasons.

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

How to Follow Along

Game 1

Matchup: No. 1 Nebraska (13-0, 2-0 B1G) at No. 16 Penn State (9-3, 1-1 B1G)
When: Thursday, Oct. 1
Where: Rec Hall, University, Park, Pa.
Time: 6 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 (13-0, 2-0 B1G) at Maryland (10-3, 0-2 B1G)
When: Saturday, Oct. 3
Where: Xfinity Center, College Park, Md.
Time: 6 p.m. CDT
Watch: B1G+
Listen: Huskers Radio Network and Affiliates
How to Sync Husker Radio with TV Broadcast

No. 16 Penn State Scout

Head Coach

Katie Schumacher-Cawley | 5th Season at Penn State; 14th as Head Coach
112-35 (.762) at Penn State; 237-181 (.567) as Head Coach
2024 NCAA National Championship
4x NCAA Tournament Apps, 1x B1G title
1x VB Magazine Coach OTY, 1x B1G Coach OTY
Previous Head Coach at Penn & UIC
Previous assistant at Penn State, UIC & Illinois

2025 Finish

L, 3-0 to No. 1 Texas in NCAA Second Round

2025 Record & Awards

Record: 19-13 (12-8 B1G, T-6th)
AVCA All-Americans: 1x First Team, 1x Honorable Mention
Conference Awards: B1G Libero OTY
All-B1G: 2x First Team, 1x Second Team

All-Time Series

Nebraska leads 30-13
Nov. 28, 2025, last matchup; 3-0 NU

Penn State right side Kennedy Martin (18) remains as one of the best players in the country despite a slower start to 2026. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Key Returners

Kennedy Martin | OPP | Sr. | The 6-foot-6 right side is one of the country's best offensive players. The former Florida transfer enters Friday averaging 4.60 points and four kills per set, which is both top five in the Big Ten.
Gabrielle Nichols | MB | Soph. | After playing in most matches last year, the North Carolina native is the leading middle for PSU this season with 1.93 kills per set on a team-high .383 hitting percentage as well as a team-leading 49 blocks.
Ava Falduto | L | Jr. | After being one of the country's top defensive specialists in the last couple of years, the junior finally steps into the starting libero role for the Nittany Lions and has produced 3.72 digs per set.
Caroline Jurevicius | OH/RS | R-Jr. | The former Husker played a huge role in PSU's national title run in 2024, but has been limited to 12 sets in seven matches so far in 2026.
Emmi Sellman | OH | Jr. | The 6-foot-4 former Ohio State transfer played in 119 sets across 32 matches last season with 257 kills, but she's been relegated to a bench role after the import of an impressive freshman class.

Impact Transfers/Newcomers

Whitney Lauenstein | OH | Gr. | The Cornhusker played two seasons in Lincoln (2022, 2021) and Austin (2025, 2024) before arriving in Happy Valley where she's a starting outside hitter for the Nittany Lions by ranking second on the team with 125.5 points (3.49 P/S) and 107 kills (2.97 K/S).
Ryla Jones | MB | Jr. | The AVCA All-Region transfer from Pittsburgh is as lethal offensively as Nichols with a .381 clip while ranking just behind her teammate with 45 blocks for second on the Nittany Lions.
Haley Burgdorf | OH | Fr. | The first-year freshman has started in all 12 games this season for PSU and averages 1.26 kills per set.
Alexis Stucky | S | R-Sr. | A former All-American at Florida, Stucky transferred over the offseason to join her former Gators teammate Martin. The Wyoming native has collected 9.53 assists per set and ranks third on the team with 83 digs.

Penn State outside hitter Whitney Lauenstein (26) is starting for the first time since she played at Nebraska in 2022. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Key Departures

Maggie Mendelson | MB | Graduated | The former Nebraska middle blocker emerged as an impact player in her first two seasons at Penn State, including a 2025 seaosn that saw the Utah native put up 285 points (2nd on team) with 237 kills (3rd) on a .363 hitting percentage and a 91 blocks.
Jordan Hopp | MB | Graduated | Paced the Nittany Lions with 95 blocks as a graduate student in 2025 while recording 1.21 kills per set.
Addie Lyon | S | Gr. | Stepped up for Penn State to average 9.75 assists per set after the sudden departure of star setter Izzy Starck, who later transferred to Pittsburgh.
Gillian Grimes | L | Graduated | Capped off her college career by winning Big Ten Libero of the Year after racking up 441 digs and 3.65 per set while firing in 30 aces.

Outlook

After leading her alma mater to the NCAA National Championship in 2024 — which included a five-set win over Nebraska in the National Semifinals — the Penn State volleyball team took a step back in 2025 with a 19-13 record and a second round exit in the NCAA Tournament. The Nittany Lions hope to flip those fortunes in 2026 with an impact setter and a freshman class who's already shown that they can contribute.

Everything starts with Kennedy Martin. A 6-foot-6 right side hitter who tranferred from Florida after 2024, Martin was an AVCA First Team All-American for the second-straight season and continues to be one of the top attackers this season, despite her numbers dipping below her usual production.

At outside hitter, PSU appeared to be set with the return of former Cornhusker Caroline Jurevicious and Emmi Sellman, but both have been ovetaken on the depth chart. That's because the Nittany Lions brought in another former Nebraska player in Whitney Lauenstein. She's starting for the first time since playing in Lincoln during 2022 after two seasons at Texas where she had limited playing time. True freshman Hayley Burgdorf starts as the other outside hitter despite limited numbers (66 points in 42 sets).

A former All-American setter at Florida, Alexis Stucky transferred to Penn State over the offseason. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Following the graduation of Maggie Mendelson and Jordan Hopp, Penn State dripped into the portal reinforcements. All-ACC middle blocker Ryla Jones transferred from rival Pittsburgh while Gabrielle Nichols steps up into a starting role as a sophomore and currently leads PSU with 49 blocks.

An All-American setter at Florida, Alexis Stucky transferred to Happy Valley over the offseason and has averaged nearly 10 assists per set. Ava Falduto played behind 2025 Big Ten Libero of the Year Gillian Grimes before being elevated for 2026 where she's averaging 3.72 digs per set.

Penn State was set back in 2025 with the sudden departure of star setter Izzy Starck — who's now at Pittsburgh. It's hard to see that happening with Stucky, who joined her former Gators teammate Martin in hopes of leading PSU to another deep NCAA Tournament run. An upset loss at Michigan State last weekend proved how fickle the Nittany Lions can be, but they're still really talented. Put me down for a Nebraska victory, but in four sets.

Maryland Scout

Head Coach

Adam Hughes | 9th Season at Maryland & as Head Coach
120-134 (.472) at Maryland & as Head Coach
1x AVCA "Thirty Under 30" (2015)
Previous assistant at Maryland, Penn State & UC Irvine

2025 Finish

Did not qualify for the postseason.

2025 Record & Awards

Record: 8-22 (1-19 B1G, 18th)
All-B1G: None

All-Time Series

Nebraska leads 21-1
Sept. 27, 2025, last matchup; 3-0 NU

Maryland's Eva Rohrbach ranks seventh in the Big Ten with a .432 hitting percentage and second on the Terrapins with 116.5 points. | Maryland Athletics

Key Returners

Eva Rohrbach | MB | Sr. | Competing in her fourth season at Maryland, the San Diego native ranks seventh in the Big Ten with a .432 hitting percentage on 176 swings while adding 2.91 points per set and 37 blocks.
Haley Melby | OH | Gr. | The second-year transfer from Kentucky is in her second straight season starting for the Terrapins with 89 kills (3.30 K/S), 10 blocks and seven aces.
Sydney Bryant | OH | Sr. | The senior and Maryland native has started in seven of her 10 appearances this season with 3.28 kills per set, which ranks second on the team.
Duru Gökçen | MB | Jr. | The Turkish middle blocker led Maryland in blocks last season and ranks second so far in 2026 with 47 — just outside the conference top ten. She's also second in the Big Ten with a .462 hitting percentage on 117 swings.

Freshman outside hitter Ava Brown leads Maryland with 138 points and ranks ninth in the Big Ten with 49 blocks. | Maryland Athletics

Impact Transfers/Newcomers

Ava Brown | OH | Fr. | The freshman from Ohio leads the Terrapins with 138 points and 107 kills while hitting over .300 through. She's also top ten in the conference with 49 blocks.
Sara Toth | S | Soph. | The setter from Hungary appeared sparingly as a freshman at Georgia Tech before transferring to Maryland where she's averaging over 11 assists per set (3rd in B1G) and second on the team with 80 digs.
Raina Chwialkowski | L | Fr. | The freshman starting libero from North Dakota leads UM with 3.50 digs per set and paces the Terrapins with 14 aces.

Key Departures

Ajack Malual | OH | Graduated | The Italian transfer from Tennessee led the Terrapins with 457.5 points, 372 kills and 39 aces in her lone season on campus.
Lilly Wagner | S | Transfer | Played in all 30 matches as a starter last season for Maryland and averaged 7.38 assists per set while adding 116 points on 60 kills, 65 blocks and 22 aces. Transferred to Stanford over the offseason.
Ally Williams | L | Graduated | Earned the starting libero role in her final college campaign last year and recorded 328 digs for 2.98 per set with 16 aces.

Outlook

A member of the Russ Rose coaching tree, Maryland head coach Adam Hughes is in the midst of his ninth season with the Terrapins where he's done his best to stabilize a program that hasn't found much success in volleyball. At 10-3 to start 2026, Hughes has secured seven double-digit win seasons out of his nine season on campus. After an 8-22 record in 2025 that saw Maryland finish last in the Big Ten with a 1-19 conference mark, the flip of fortunes has rejunvenated the program.

Despite losing their leading point scorer (Ajack Malual), setter (Lilly Wagner, Stanford) and libero (Ally Williams), the Terrapins have leaned on returning talent combined with a standout freshman class. First-year outside hitter Ava Brown has stole the show so far by leading the team in points (138), kills (107) and blocks (49) which is also top ten in the Big Ten. Fellow freshman Raina Chwialkowski takes over for Williams at libero where she's averaging 3.50 digs per set and has 14 aces.

The Terrapins are stout in the middle with the return of Eva Rohrbach and Duru Gökçen — who were both starters in 2025. Rohrbach has proven to be one of the best offensive middles in the Big Ten with 2.91 points per set while hitting .432 to rank seventh in the conference. Gökçen is even better with a .462 mark that sits only behind Nebraska's Andi Jackson for the top number in the Big Ten. The Turkish middle is also second on the team with 47 blocks, which is right behind Brown and just outside the conference's top ten.

Maryland setter Sara Toth ranks third in the Big Ten with 11.15 assists per set after she transferred from Georgia Tech. | Maryland Athletics

Aside from Brown, Maryland returns a pair of veteran arms in graduate student Haley Melby and senior Sydney Bryant. Melby is the other starter next to Brown with her team-leading 3.30 kills per set, 10 blocks and seven aces. Bryant has started in seven of her 10 appearances so far this season which has seen her put up 3.28 kills per set for second on the team behind Melby.

The only impact transfer is starting setter Sara Toth. After 2025 starter Lilly Wagner parlayed her success into a roster spot with Stanford, Hughes brought in the Hungarian distributor from Georgia Tech where she was limited as a freshman. Toth has been excellent for the Terrapins by averaging 11.15 assists per set. That's third overall in the Big Ten and ahead of Bergen Reilly's 10.78 mark.

Picked to finish last once again in the 2026 Big Ten preseason poll, the Terrapins may be a harder out than once thought. They won't pose a challenge to Nebraska, but I'd be surprised if this team finished dead last for the second-straight season.

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