Nebraska Volleyball vs. Arizona: Preview, Breakdown

Arizona Scout

Head Coach

Charita Stubbs | 3rd season as HC at Arizona; 7th as college HC | 38-35 (.520) at Arizona; 60-146 (.291) career record | 1x NVIC Championship (2024) | Previous head coach at NC State | Previous assistant at Arizona for 19 years. . 

2024 Finish

W, 3-2 vs. Bowling Green to win the 2024 NIVC Title. 

2024 Record & Awards

24-9 (9-9 Big 12, 7th) | AVCA Pacific Region Freshman OTY, 2x All-Region Honorable Mentions | All-Big 12: 2x First Team, 1x Second Team, 2x All-Freshman. 

All-Time Series

Nebraska leads 6-1 (Sept. 6, 2019 last matchup, 3-1 NU) 

Returning Production 

Points: 58% | Kills: 57% | Service Aces: 77% | Blocks: 52% | Assists: 98% | Digs: 81%

Key Returners

• Jordan Wilson | OH | Sr. | All-Big 12 First Team and AVCA All-Region honors in 2024 after piling up a team-leading 508.5 points on 446 kills, 60 blocks, 28 aces, and 281 digs. 
• Carlie Cisneros | OH | Soph. | Set the Arizona freshman record with 382 digs while adding 307 kills and a team-high 45 aces in 2024; Second on the team with 119 points to start 2025. 
• Journey Tucker | MB | Jr. | Broke out as a sophomore last season with 96 blocks (1st) and 98 kills on a .373 clip. 
• Avery Scoggins | S | Soph. | Named the AVCA Pacific Region Freshman of the Year after collecting 1,029 assists (10.50 A/S) and 289 digs, which ranked seventh in Arizona freshman history. 
• Haven Wray | DS/L | Gr. | Compiled 289 digs and 2.39 per set as the Wildcats’ starting libero in 2024, but has transitioned to DS behind Brenna Ginder. 
• Brenna Ginder | L/DS | Soph. | Recorded 170 digs across 120 sets as a true freshman, but has stepped up as the team’s libero in 2025 with a team-leading 103 digs (3.12 D/S). 
• Ana Heath | OPP | Sr. | Third on the team in points with 72 so far in 2025, with 62 kills on a .301 hitting percentage. 
• Adrianna Bridges | MB | Soph. | Limited action as a freshman, but has emerged as the top defensive blocker for UA with 28 total blocks and 49 kills on a .336 clip. 
• Sydnie Vanek | MB | Jr. | Second on the team with 22 blocks while chipping in 36 kills on a .316 hitting percentage. 

Impact Transfers/Newcomers

• Britt Carlson | OPP | R-Jr. | Finished with 286 kills, 73 blocks, and 51 digs across two seasons at UCF and one season at Washington State. 

Key Departures

• Jaelyn Hodge | OH | Graduated | Left the program as the all-time leader in sets played (535) and matches played (148) while ranking fourth in career kills with 1,647 in five seasons. 
• Kiari Robey | MB | Graduated | Started 29 of 33 matches in 2024 while finishing with a career .385 hitting percentage, which ranked fourth among all active DI players. 
• Alayna Johnson | MB | Graduated | Fifth on team with 103 kills while racking up 58 total blocks in her final college season. 

Outlook

Following a rough 8-23 campaign in 2023, Arizona bounced back in a big way under head coach Charita Stubbs with a 24-9 2024 season, ending with a NIVC championship after defeating Bowling Green in the final. 

That wave of momentum sets up a pivotal 2025 season for the Wildcats, who lost only a few major players from that 2024 squad. Jaelyn Hodge represents the biggest departure after a final college season that saw her make the All-Big 12 First Team and left the program as the all-time leader in sets and matches played. Kiari Robey was a starting middle blocker for AU in 2024 and left with a career .385 clip, which was top five in the nation. 

However, the returners outweigh the departures by a significant margin as five starters ventured back to Tucson. Leading the way is outside hitter Jordan Wilson, who’s led the team in points for the past two seasons while being named to the 2024 AVCA Pacific All-Region First Team. She’s aided by sophomore Carlie Cisneros, who piled up a team-high 382 digs as a true freshman while adding 307 kills and a team-leading 45 aces. Opposite Ana Heath steps into the starting right-side role after seeing playing time in 30 of the 33 matches last season. 

The trajectory of the program took a major turn with the breakout of true freshman setter Avery Scoggins, who was named the AVCA Pacific Region Freshman of the Year after 1,184 assists and 10.48 per set with 289 digs (2nd on team) as the team’s starting setter. She’s on a better pace in 2025 with 10.91 per set, but she’s elevated her attacking prowess with 24 kills in 33 sets compared to 54 kills in 113 sets in 2024. 

Journey Tucker was a standout sophomore with a team-high 96 blocks in 2024, but has been limited to action in only nine of the 33 sets so far in 2025. Taking her place is 6-foot-4 sophomore Adrianna Bridges, who’s leading the Wildcats with 28 blocks after limited action as a freshman. Junior Sydnie Vanek joins Bridges at the net as the second middle with 22 blocks. 

Haven Wray was the team’s libero last year with 289 digs, but it has been sophomore Brenna Ginder taking the reins in 2025 with 103 digs in 33 sets (3.12) early on in 2025. Wray has still appeared in all 33 sets this year, but as a defensive specialist. 

After a promising 2024 campaign that ended with a trophy, it’s hard not to think this Arizona team can compete for a spot in the NCAA Tournament, but their seventh-place prediction in the Big 12 preseason poll was lower than I would’ve thought. With a dynamic setter and multiple attacking options, this is a dangerous Arizona squad, but the Huskers are catching the Wildcats in a rut as AU has lost three straight (Washington, San Diego, UTEP) after starting the season 6-0. Put me down for Nebraska in a sweep, but I wouldn’t be shocked if Arizona can pull out a set over NU.