Nebraska Volleyball in the Husker Invitational: Preview, Breakdown

Utah Scout

Head Coach

Beth Launiere | 36th season at Utah and as Head Coach | 679-426 (.614) at Utah & Career Record | 19x NCAA Tournament Appearances, 3x MWC Regular-Season titles, 3x MWC Tournament Championships | 4x AVCA West Region Coach OTY, 3x MWC Coach  OTY, 1x Pac-12 Coach OTY | Previous assistant at Illinois and Ferris State.  

2024 Finish

L, 3-2 to Marquette in NCAA Second Round. 

2024 Record & Awards

25-6 (14-4 Big 12, T-3rd) | Third-straight Horizon League Regular Season Title | 1x AVCA Honorable Mention, 1x All-West Region First Team, 3x All-West Honorable Mention | All-Big 12: 2x First Team, 2x Second Team, 1x All-Rookie Team. 

All-Time Series

Nebraska leads 3-1-1 (Sept. 11, 2021 last matchup, 3-2 Utah) 

Returning Production 

Points: 46% | Kills: 47% | Service Aces: 41% | Blocks: 42% | Assists: 45% | Digs: 30%

Key Returners

• Kamryn Gibadlo | OH | Jr. | Team leader in points, kills, and aces en route to AVCA Honorable Mention and All-Big 12 First Team honors. 
• Emrie Moea’i | MB | Sr. | Team-leading 123 blocks; All-Big 12 Second Team selection in 2024. 
• Isabelle Marco | S | Soph. | Led all players in 2024 with 625 assists (5.68) as part of a 6-2 setter system. 

Impact Transfers/Newcomers

• Neea-Maria Joki | OH/OPP | Soph. | Transferred from Clemson after a 2024 season that saw her named to the ACC All-Freshman Team with 292.5 points and a team-high 27 aces. 
• Allie Grossenbach | OPP | Fr. | True freshman opposite that’s produced 35 points through six matches – starting in three of them. 
• Leah Wilton-LaBoy | S | Sr. | Joined the Utes 6-2 system after one season at Oklahoma in 2024; Spent first two seasons at Utah State, where she was also part of a 6-2 system.
• Katelynn Field | MB | Fr. | 6-foot-5 true freshman and Utah native has stepped up to become the Utes' second middle blocker behind all-conference performer Moea’i. 
• McKenna Payne | L/DS | Fr. | The Michigan native steps in as Utah’s main defensive specialist, producing 1.50 digs per set through her first six matches.

Key Departures

• Allie Olsen | MB | Graduated | First Team All-Big 12 after posting 99 blocks and 1.97 kills per set in her final college season. 
• Lauren Jardine | OH | Graduated | AVCA All-West Region Honorable Mention after collecting 316.5 points on 261 kills, 86 blocks, and 10 aces in 2024. 
• Claranne Fechter | DS/L | Graduated | Produced a team-high 373 digs (3.59 D/S) and 37 aces, which was second among all Utes. 
• Kamry Bailey | OH/DS | Graduated | Two-way threat that added 200 points and 274 digs (second on team) in 100 sets played last season.

Outlook

Utah only needed one year to showcase why they were a worthy addition to the Big 12 and its volleyball peers – finishing tied for third in the conference at 25-6 and making it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. 36th-year head coach Beth Launiere bounced back nicely after back-to-back seasons under .500 with a 11-19 record in 2023 and 15-16 record in 2022. 

The 2024 Utes were powered by outside hitter Kamryn Gibadlo who emerged as one of the conference’s best attackers, finishing with a team-high 435 points, 370 kills and 40 aces en route to being named an AVCA All-American, All-West Region First Team and All-Big 12 First Team honoree. The Arizona native is back for her junior season and is on pace to eclipse her career-best numbers from last season with 4.53 points per set (86 total) through the first six matches. 

She’s joined by 2024 All-Big 12 Second Team selection Emrie Moea’i who paced all Utah players with 123 blocks and and chipped in 1.97 kills per set. The six-foot senior may be undersized, but that hasn’t stopped her from racking up 29 blocks in 20 sets so far in 2025. Setter Isabelle Marco was named to the All-Big 12 Rookie Team last season as part of Utah’s 6-2 system where she averaged 5.68 assists per set. She’s been joined by Oklahoma transfer Leah Wilton-LaBoy to once again run a 6-2, but Marco hasn’t played since September 4 in a loss to Texas A&M. 

Overall, Utah had to reload in the offseason after losing four of its top six scorers, which includes Lauren Jardine (316.5 points), All-Big 12 performer Allie Olsen (263) and two-way threat Kamry Bailey (200). 

As a result, the Utes brought in nine newcomers with sophomore attacker and Finland native Neea-Maria Joki making the biggest impact. An ACC All-Freshman pick at Clemson in 2024, Joki is third on the team with 51.5 points in 18 sets. True freshman Allie Grossenbach (35 points) has seen some action as an attacker while Katelynn Field has earned her way to the second middle blocker spot behind Moea’i – adding 13 blocks and 19 kills through five matches. 

Claranne Fechter graduated after being the team’s starting libero in 2024 and Utah shifted to Swiss Army knife Levani Key-Powell who can also play as an outside hitter. Another true freshman, McKenna Payne has averaged 1.50 digs per set as the defensive specialist. 

After losing a lot of firepower over the offseason, Launiere and her staff did well to reload. While that doesn’t put them in a great position to win the conference, it gives them the tools to compete for that third-place finish like they did a year ago. This shouldn’t be a repeat of Utah’s 2021 upset of the Huskers in 2021, but don’t be shocked if the Utes push NU in a set or two.  

Grand Canyon Scout

Head Coach

Kendra Potts | 2nd Season at Grand Canyon; 7th as Head Coach | 25-12 (.676) at GCU; 149-36 (.805) as Head Coach | NCAA DII National Championship (2022), DII Runner-Up (2023), 4x DII NCAA Tournament Appearances, 3x LSC Tournament Championships, 2x LSC Regular Season titles | 2022 AVCA DII Coach of the Year | Previous head coach at West Texas A&M (DII) | Previous Assistant at West Texas A&M and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.    

2024 Finish

L, 3-2 to No. 1 UT Arlington in WAC Tournament Championship; Did not qualify for the postseason. 

2024 Record & Awards

20-11 (11-5 WAC, 2nd) | All-WAC: 1x First Team, 2x Second Team, 2x All-Freshman Team, 2x Honorable Mentions. 

All-Time Series

Nebraska leads 1-0 (Aug. 29, 2015 last matchup, 3-0 NU). 

Returning Production 

Points: 26% | Kills: 24% | Service Aces: 37% | Blocks: 31% | Assists: 59% | Digs: 29%

Key Returners

• Taylor Kubacak | S | Soph. | Appeared in all 31 matches as a freshman, dishing out 786 assists and 48 aces en route to WAC All-Freshman Team honors. 
• Bella Anderson | L | Jr. | Tallied 23 aces as a sophomore, but now takes over as the team’s libero for 2025. 
• Anaelena Ramirez | OH | Sr. | Collected a career-high 222 kills alongside 62 blocks and 52 digs across 111 sets in 2024. 
• Aubrey Goodere | MB | Soph. | Played her way to the M2 spot as a true freshman, racking up 89 blocks (2nd on team) with 109 kills; Joined Kubacak on the All-WAC Freshman Team. 

Impact Transfers/Newcomers

• Sophia Parlanti | OH | Gr. | Recorded 557 kills in two seasons at Indianapolis; OH2 for the Lopes in 2025 with 62.5 points through 21 sets and six matches played. 
• Bella Nunez | S | Fr. | True freshman teaming up with Kubacak to form a 6-2 system; Prolific attacker as she’s tallied 62 points (3rd on team) in all six starts. 
• Hayden Goodman | MB | Gr. | A two-time transfer (San Francisco & Santa Clara), Goodman has emerged as another standout middle blocker alongside the returning Goodere. 
• Macey Hughes | OPP | Fr. | Comes to GCU as the No. 2 right-side hitter out of Texas; 31 points on 26 kills and five blocks through 21 sets. 
• Natalie Guerrero | DS | Soph. | Spent her freshman season at Stephen F. Austin and takes over as the primary DS for GCU with 2.05 digs per set early on in 2025. 

Key Departures

• Tatum Parrott | OH | Transfer (Arizona State) | Left GCU after three seasons and as the program’s Division I-era record holder for career kills with 1,233. 
• Magdalena Juric | OPP | Transfer (Ohio State) | Transferred to Ohio State for her seventh college season; Posted 92 kills and 61 blocks in 81 sets played. 
• Trista Strasser | MB | Graduated | Claimed All-WAC Second Team honors after leading the Lopes with 159 blocks and a career-best 181 kills. 
• Ashley Lifgren | OH | Graduated | Also named to the All-WAC Second Team after putting down a career-high 239 kills in 27 matches. 
• Mykenna Nelson | L | Graduated | Tallied a team-leading 457 digs (3.87 D/S), eclipsing 2,000 career digs (2,032) after one season at GCU and four years at Utah Tech. 

Outlook

A private, four-year university in Arizona, Grand Canyon has steadily risen up the ranks in college athletics, which was highlighted by GCU’s invitation to the Mountain West Conference starting in 2025 to help replace six departing schools to the rebuilt Pac-12. 

However, the Lopes volleyball program became a victim of the scandel invovling Northwestern and Shane Davis – who the Wildcats left go after the 2023 season. Limited in candidates, Northwestern poached then GCU head coach Tim Nollan who had previously led the program for eight season and their first NCAA Tournament appearance in 2023. As a result, the Lopes had a to scramble, but eventually settled on Kendra Potts, who made West Texas A&M a Divison II volleyball power. She led the program to a national title in 2022, a national runner-up finish in 2023 and another national semifinal finish. 

Due to how late in the cycle both hires were made, Potts took over a roster recruited and built by Nollan. To no surprise, a mass exodus occurred after the Lopes’ 20-11 2024 season that saw GCU lose in five sets to UT Arlington in the WAC Tournament Championship – which wouldn’ve sent the program to its second-straight NCAA Tournament. 

Potts went to work in the offseason, bringing in 15 newcomers with a mix of freshman recruits and transfer portal additions. Despite the lack of returners, four of the five bring major contributions from the 2024 squad. 

Anaelena Ramirez was one of three starting attackers last season and has stepped up to become the main threat in 2025 with 75.5 points in 21 sets. Taylor Kubacak took the most reps at setter as a true freshman last season with 6.66 assists per set and a team-high 48 aces. GCU has leaned into a 6-2 system this year, but she has a team-high 118 assists, nine aces and 47 digs. Aubrey Goodere battled her way to the starting lineup as a midde blocker last year with 89 blocks while eventually being named to the WAC All-Freshman Team alongside Kubacak. 

Bella Anderson recorded 23 aces in her sophomore season as the team’s DS, but now takes over as libero, tallying a team-high 3.21 digs per set. Expect to see Stephen F. Austin transfer Natalie Guerrero as GCU’s main defensive specialist in the match – she’s averaging 2.05 digs per set. 

A holdover from the Nollan regime, Tatum Parrott transferred to Arizona State and left the Lopes as the program’s Division I-era leader in career kills with 1,233 in three seasons. Potts added graduate student Sophia Parlanti to help replace that production. She put down 557 kills in two seasons at Indianapolis before moving to Arizona. True freshman Macey Hughes has locked down the right side. She comes out of Texas where she was ranked as the No. 2 opposite in the state. 

Hayden Goodman is spending her final season with GCU after past stops at San Francisco and Santa Clara. She’s collected a team-high 30 blocks (1.5 B/S) and 22 kills early in her Lopes career. Freshman setter Bella Nunez offers a different playing style to Kubacak, which has resulted in GCU running a 6-2. She isn’t afraid to attack as shown by her 62 points made up of 47 kills, nine blocks and six aces. 

It will be fascinating to see if Potts can get Grand Canyon humming like Nollan did over his eight seasons. Forming the program in her vision will take a big longer due to the circumstances around her hiring, but the 2025 Lopes squad will truly be the first roster built by the DII national champion. I’d expect Nebraska to sweep, but it’ll be interesting to see if GCU can surprise and do better than their eighth place prediction in the MWC preseason poll.