Creighton's Norah Sis (2) attempts a kill over Nebraska’s Whitney Lauenstein (top right) and Callie Schwarzenbach on Sept. 8, 2021, at CHI Health Center Omaha.Â
Journal Star file photo
Nebraska and Creighton volleyball fans filled the stands during the teams' volleyball match on Sept. 8, 2021, at CHI Health Center Omaha.Â
For the second year in a row, the Nebraska volleyball team will travel to Omaha to play Creighton.
The Huskers and Bluejays will play in September. While the Nebraska-Creighton match would normally rotate between Lincoln and Omaha, Nebraska chose to go back to Omaha in back-to-back seasons.
That’s because the NCAA Final Four is in Omaha in 2022, and Nebraska hopes to be there. Playing there a few months earlier will get Nebraska some experience playing in the big arena at the CHI Health Center Omaha.
Last season, Nebraska beat Creighton in three sets in a match that had 11,279 spectators.
It's likely Creighton will come to Lincoln in back-to-back seasons in 2023 and ’24.
“That’s the deal we made, just because the Final Four is there,†Nebraska coach John Cook said. “So we thought it would be important to go up there for them, for us, for the fans.â€
While the full schedule hasn’t been announced, Cook shared a few details with reporters on Friday.
Nebraska will also host Ole Miss (coached by former Husker Kayla Banwarth) and Long Beach State (coached by former Husker assistant coach Tyler Hildebrand).
As part of the second year of a multi-year schedule agreement, Nebraska will host Stanford and travel to Kentucky.
And there will be another connection to the program with Pepperdine coming to Lincoln for a season-opening tournament. Kayleigh Hames, the younger sister of Husker super-senior Nicklin Hames, is an outside hitter for Pepperdine. The other teams in that tournament are Texas A&M Corpus Christi and Tulsa.
Cook is excited to have a schedule that includes connections to the Nebraska program.
“I think that’s what people like. I think that creates interest,†Cook said.
Orr coming back from minor injury: Kennedi Orr, who is likely to take over as the starting setter this season, had a knee injury that required a minor procedure but is back training with the team.
She wasn’t with the team when it traveled to Hawaii and California over UNL spring break to play several beach volleyball matches.
“She’s worked her way back into it, because she was basically out for two weeks,†Cook said.
Orr had a major knee injury during her senior year of high school.
Caffey decision coming: All-America middle blocker Kayla Caffey is training with the team, but her status for playing this season hasn’t been finalized. Both Caffey and Nebraska have to work with the NCAA on eligibility issues because she'd be in a college program for a seventh season. A decision should come before Nebraska’s spring match on April 23.
Practice player: After last season ended, middle blocker Callie Schwarzenbach went into the transfer portal, and she’ll play her fifth season this fall for Hildebrand at Long Beach State. But Schwarzenbach is still at practices with the Huskers this spring while she’s finishing classes at UNL.
So Schwarzenbach still gets to practice, and it also helps because Nebraska only has two middle blockers this spring — Caffey and freshman Bekka Allick.
“(Callie is) going to school here, and she’s got nothing else to do,†Cook said. “She knows what we do, and it just gives us more bodies so we can go six-on-six.â€
This summer, Nebraska will add two more middle blockers — All-American transfer Kaitlyn Hord from Penn State and freshman Maggie Mendelson.
Spring practice in second week: After just one day off after Nebraska’s beach volleyball season ended, the Huskers were back in the gym for the spring indoor season, which includes about five weeks of practice and one match, against Kansas on April 23 in Grand Island.
“We’re building Nebraska right now,†Cook said. “We talk about a goal every day, and their individual goals are on the whiteboard. We talk about things we have to do to get better. In front of the team, I’m going to talk about, ‘Hey, here is your role on this team; here is what we need from you.’ So everybody hears it.â€
Just like last season, Nebraska won’t have a left-handed player who is a natural to play the right-side hitter spot. So returning right-side starter Lindsay Krause, along with Madi Kubik, Whitney Lauenstein and Ally Batenhorst, have each spent time training at right-side hitter.
Briefly
* Assistant coach Jaylen Reyes is back coaching the middle blockers, while new full-time assistant coach Kelly Hunter works with setters and hitters.
* Lauren Stivrins was the only former Husker playing the Athletes Unlimited pro league in Dallas this spring. But Stivrins recently suffered an injury that will keep her out for the rest of the season.
Photos: Nebraska, Creighton square off in 'celebration of the sport' in the state
Creighton's Norah Sis (2) attempts a kill over Nebraska’s Whitney Lauenstein (top right) and Callie Schwarzenbach on Sept. 8, 2021, at CHI Health Center Omaha.Â