Ogbechie Shines During Nebraska's Sweep at Rutgers

Manaia Ogbechie has the talent to be a full-time starter for top-ranked Nebraska.

The only issue is she is third on the Huskers’ depth chart behind two of the eight middle blockers on the AVCA National Player of the Year watch list — Andi Jackson and Rebekah Allick.

Ogbechie got a rare start Saturday night as she filled in for Allick against Rutgers on the back half of a back-to-back road trip. The 6-foot-3 freshman made the most of the opportunity and finished with five kills on 10 errorless swings and a career-best eight blocks.

Behind her play, the Huskers (14-0, 4-0 Big Ten) earned a 25-17, 25-15, 25-16 sweep in front of 8,000 fans at Jersey Mike’s Arena, the largest crowd ever to watch a volleyball match in New Jersey.

NU coach Dani Busboom Kelly said she has the best pair of middle blockers in the nation in Allick and Jackson.

“Then you throw in Manaia too? That’s our third middle? Are you kidding me?” she said during her post-match radio interview.

Ogebechie has appeared in only 13 sets this season across six matches. When she’s gotten a chance to settle in and play more than one set, Ogbechie has recorded 28 kills on a .542 hitting percentage along with 17 blocks.

Manaia Ogbechie celebrates with Allie Sczech in the third set against Rutgers | Photo Courtsey Nebraska Athletics

She quickly made an impact against Rutgers. With the score tied at 5-all in the first set, Ogbechie recorded kills on back-to-back rallies. Then she added a trio of blocks that helped extend the Huskers’ lead to 13-6. Despite her limited playing time, she leads the Huskers with 1.46 blocks per set.

Busboom Kelly said having Ogbechie give either Jackson or Allick the night off will pay off during the long season and help the entire position group stay fresh and ready.

”She’s so fast off the ground. She’s a great blocker. Every single time we’ve played her, she’s delivered,” Busboom Kelly said. “We do need to find some ways to get her block a little more involved. I think she can make a difference.”

Behind Ogbechie’s block, NU put up 14 blocks in the match and limited the Scarlet Knights to a .061 hitting percentage. Aspen Maxwell entered the match fifth in the Big Ten with 4.13 kills per set. She finished with 11 kills and a .185 hitting percentage.

Ogbechie wasn’t the only lineup change for the Huskers the day after an emotionally charged match against Penn State, where the Nittany Lions scored only 34 points over three sets. Junior Laney Choboy started at libero, and redshirt freshman Skyler Pierce played in the front row in Taylor Landfair’s spot.

Laney Choboy, left, and Skyler Pierce celebrate a point against Rutgers on Saturday. Choboy got her first start at libero in three weeks while Pierce tied a career-best with six kills. | Courtesy Nebraska Athletics

Choboy recorded a team-high 10 digs while Pierce tied her season best with six kills, and she hit .417. Junior Harper Murray led the offense with 11 kills on a .333 hitting percentage to go with three solo blocks. Jackson also tallied six kills and added three blocks.

With Nebraska in control in the second set at 18-11, Busboom Kelly inserted freshman setter Campbell Flynn and senior opposite Allie Sczech to the lineup.

Flynn helped the Huskers hit .500 in the third set as she finished with 13 assists and two kills.

After sweeping Penn State on Friday, the Huskers stayed late at Rec Hall to sign autographs before flying to New Jersey. Busboom Kelly used their depth to keep everyone fresh and get a solid performance against an improved Rutgers (10-6, 1-3).

“It’s a lot harder to do than people realize, coming off a really late flight, late night, turn around and play the next day, get used to a completely new gym,” she said. “All things considered, I’m pretty satisfied that we played a lot of people and we didn’t miss a beat when people were in and out of the lineup.”

The new attendance record broke the old mark of 6,757, which was set when Nebraska visited in 2023.

What a scene in Piscataway for No. 1 Nebraska vs. Rutgers 🤩

Subscribe/watch on B1G+ https://t.co/alUNDrGJxW pic.twitter.com/vb5GpUwGEf
— Big Ten Volleyball (@B1GVolleyball) October 4, 2025

Many in the crowd were cheering for the Huskers, and they once again were mobbed by fans seeking autographs and selfies after the match. Busboom Kelly said she greeted one young fan, who became emotional after the interaction.

She said she was impressed by all the Nebraska supporters who showed up during her first Big Ten road trip.

“When we go places like tonight, it felt almost like a home game, and it was really fun,” Busboom Kelly said. “Every time we did something good, everybody freaked out, like, ‘Oh my God,’ because they’re so excited to see us and to be here. It warmed your heart, and it was a really fun atmosphere.”

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