Nebraska Volleyball's Andi Jackson Voted 'Most Likely' Big Ten Player of the Year

Andi Jackson may need to start clearing out more room early for her postseason honors.

The Nebraska volleyball middle blocker was voted on by her Big Ten peers as the "most likely to win Big Ten Player of the Year," as announced by the Big Ten Network on Wednesday. According to the social media announcement, the vote was conducted anonymously during Big Ten Media Days in late July.

Jackson edged out Penn State volleyball setter Izzy Starck and right side Kennedy Martin, garnering 10 total votes to Starck's nine and Martin's seven. Wisconsin outside hitter Mimi Colyer finished tied for third with Martin, earning seven votes as well.

Andi Jackson (15) collected eight kills against the Flyers. | Amarillo Mullen

Jackson returns to Nebraska for her junior season following a standout 2024 season, culminating in an AVCA All-American First Team nod along with an All-Big Ten First Team finish. The middle was named an All-Big Ten Second Team pick in her freshman season and has also been awarded back-to-back AVCA All-Region Team honors in 2023 and 2024. Jackson was placed on the All-Big Ten Freshman Team in 2022 and has two conference weekly honors: a Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week in 2024 and a Freshman of the Week nod in 2023.

Jackson played in 34 matches, averaging 2.62 kills per set as a sophomore, hitting at a .439 percentage - the sixth highest in the nation in 2024 and the fourth-best in program history. She garnered 134 total blocks on the season for an average of 1.18 per set. Jackson had a career-high 19 kills while hitting .630 with five blocks in the NCAA Semifinal against No.2 Penn State.

Earlier this summer, Jackson, along with teammates Harper Murray and Bergen Reilly, were named unanimous preseason All-Big Ten selections heading into the 2025 season. Jackson was also added to the AVCA Watch List in June. She was also named a team captain for the 2025 season, as announced on Wednesday morning.

Nebraska volleyball middle blocker Andi Jackson and coach Dani Busboom Kelly at practice ahead of the 2025 season. | Kenny Larabee, KLIN

“[Andi Jackson] is always great,” Nebraska coach Dani Busboom Kelly said following Saturday's Alumni Match. “She was great last year and has really improved on her defense, especially blocking, from what I saw last year. She is really confident there and just more of a confident attacker, knowing she will probably see a lot of blocks. She has to score regardless. That’s what we need from her, so she is embracing that and just becoming a more well-rounded player.”

Jackson has also added more elements to her game through the offseason, working on improving her serve to become a well-rounded threat for the Big Red.

“You saw her serve in the alumni game, really consistent and tough,” Busboom Kelly said Tuesday night on her appearance with Huskers Radio Network. “Just proud of the progress she has made, and I think there is a lot left in the tank for her, which is rare to say about a player of that caliber.”

Nebraska middle blocker Andi Jackson and DS/Libero Olivia Mauch get fired up before the Red-White Scrimmage on Saturday. | Kenny Larabee, KLIN

Jackson and Nebraska volleyball begin their 2025 campaign on Friday in the AVCA First Serve at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln. The No. 1 Huskers will battle No. 3 Pittsburgh at 6 p.m. CDT Friday, then face No. 6 Stanford at 2:30 p.m. CDT Sunday.

Nebraska Volleyball 2025 Schedule

Aug. 9 Red 3, White 1
Aug. 16 Nebraska 3, Alumni 1
Aug. 22 vs. Pittsburgh (AVCA First Serve Showcase at Pinnacle Bank Arena) 6 p.m. FOX
Aug. 24 vs. Stanford (AVCA First Serve Showcase at Pinnacle Bank Arena) 2:30 p.m. ESPN
Aug. 29 at Lipscomb 6 p.m. ESPN+
Aug. 31 vs. Kentucky (Broadway Block Party in Nashville) 11 a.m. ABC
Sept. 5 vs. Wright State 7 p.m.
Sept. 7 vs. California 1 p.m. BTN
Sept. 12 vs. Utah 6 p.m. FS1
Sept. 13 vs. Grand Canyon 6 p.m. NPM
Sept. 16 at Creighton 6:30 p.m. FS1
Sept. 20 vs. Arizona BTN
Sept. 24 vs Michigan 6 p.m. BTN
Sept. 27 vs. Maryland 3 p.m. NPM
Oct. 3 at Penn State 7 p.m. FOX
Oct. 4 at Rutgers
Oct. 10 vs. Washington 8 p.m. BTN
Oct. 12 at Purdue
Oct. 17 at Michigan State
Oct. 19 at Michigan 1 p.m.
Oct. 24 vs. Northwestern NPM
Oct. 25 vs. Michigan State 7:30 p.m. BTN
Oct. 31 at Wisconsin 8 p.m. BTN
Nov. 2 vs. Oregon 1 p.m. BTN
Nov. 6 vs. Illinois 7 p.m. FS1
Nov. 8 at Minnesota 2:30 p.m. NBC
Nov. 14 at UCLA BTN
Nov. 16 at USC 2 p.m. B1G+
Nov. 20 vs. Iowa FS1
Nov. 22 at Indiana
Nov. 28 vs. Penn State 5:30 p.m. BTN
Nov. 29 vs. Ohio State BTN

Home matches are bolded. All times central.

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