Nebraska Volleyball vs. Michigan, Michigan State: Previews, Breakdowns

Michigan State Scout

Head Coach

Kristen Kelsay | 1st season at Michigan State & as HC | 14-2 (.875) at MSU & Career Record | Previous assistant at Minnesota, Northwestern and Michigan State.

2024 Finish

Did not qualify for the postseason.

2024 Record & Awards

13-18 (6-14 B1G, 14th) | 1x AVCA North Region Honorable Mention | All-B1G: 1x First Team. 

All-Time Series

Nebraska leads 28-2-2 (Oct. 18, 2024 last matchup, 3-0 NU) 

Returning Production 

Points: 38% | Kills: 34% | Service Aces: 41% | Blocks: 55% | Assists: 5% | Digs: 23%

Key Returners

• Zuzanna Kulig | MB | Jr. | Leading returner from 2024 that's dealing with an injury from the spring, but is second on MSU with 41 blocks.
• Karolina Staniszewska | OH | Jr. | Started in most matches as a true freshman before coming off the bench in 2024; has grown to become the Spartans' top attacker with 203 points and 2.85 kills per set as a junior in 2025.
• Taylah Holdem | OH | Jr. | Had a sophomore slump in 2024 after being named All-B1G Second Team in 2023; was averaging 4.66 points per set before an injury knocked her out for eight matches.
• Ky Clayton | DS/L | Jr. | Comes off the bench as a defensive specialist while leading MSU with 20 aces in 2025.
• Evie Doezema | OPP | Sr. | Michigan native that flips between opposite and middle blocker; second on the team in points (168), and kills (151), while third in blocks with 30.

Key Departures

• Akasha Anderson | OH | Transfer | Joined Purdue over the offseason after leading MSU in points (410.5) and kills (356) while adding 158 digs, 70 blocks, and 17 aces.
• Taylor Preston | OH | Transfer | Transferred to Rice for her final college season after averaging 3.24 points and 2.85 kills per set as the Spartans' secondary attacker.
• Aliyah Moore | OH | Graduated | Following former MSU head coach Leah Johnson from Illinois State, Moore collected 162.5 points in her final college season in 2024.
• Julia Bishop | S | Graduated | Joined Kristen Kelsay's staff after being one of only four players in program history to be a three-time team captain.
• Rachel Muisenga | S | Graduated | Split time with Bishop in a two-setter system, where she averaged 4.78 per set.
• Nalani Iosia | L | Graduated | Three-time team captain who was named to the All-B1G First Team after leading the conference in digs per set (4.57) and second in total digs (516).

Impact Transfers/Newcomers

• Bianca Mumcular | OH | Fr. | Turkish freshman that's stepped up in the absence of Holdem with 136.5 points and 118 kills in 14 matches.
• Breccan Scheck | MB | Soph. | One of the top players as a freshman on Washington State in 2024; leads MSU with 44 blocks as part of 87 season points.
• Malayah Long | S | R-Fr. | Lincoln native and Marquette transfer who's averaging over 10 assists per set in her first college season.
• Lia Schneider | L | Jr. | Leads the Spartans with 162 digs and 2.70 per set as the team's libero after spending her first two seasons at South Florida.
• Sarah Vellucci | DS | R-Soph. | Another defensive specialist off the bench, Vellucci joined MSU after two seasons at Long Beach State.

Outlook

After three seasons, a 43-50 overall record, and zero NCAA Tournament appearances, Michigan State fired Leah Johnson. While on the surface it appears to be a quick trigger, the Spartans needed to act quickly in bringing home one of their own, who also happened to be one of the sport's top coaching prospects.

Following a successful stint as the Associate Head Coach at Minnesota, Kristen Kelsay was hired away to take charge of her alma mater, where she also spent time as an assistant under legendary MSU coach Cathy George from 2015 through 2018.

The change has paid immediate dividends with MSU just three wins away from tying the high point of Johnson's tenure. Despite losing the top two point scorers from last season in Akasha Anderson (Purdue) and Taylor Preston (Rice), plus All-Big Ten libero Nalani Iosia (Graduation), MSU has seen rapid internal development alongside a few impact freshmen.

Holdovers from Johnson's tenure, junior outside hitter Karolina Staniszewska (203 points) and middle blocker Evie Doezema (168) lead the team in points. Junior outside Taylah Holdem was on pace for a career-best season with 4.66 points per set through seven matches, but she's been dealing with an injury since mid-September. She recently returned to play one set in MSU's upset win over No. 20 Indiana after missing eight straight matches.

That's opened the door for 6-foot-3 Turkish freshman Bianca Mumcular, who's answered the call with 136.5 points and 118 kills in 14 matches. Breccan Scheck was a top player on Washington State before transferring to East Lansing, and she now leads the team with 44 blocks as a sophomore.

After saying goodbye to its two-setter system from last season, Kelsay brought in Lincoln native and Marquette transfer Malayah Long to run the offense. In her first college playing season, the redshirt freshman is averaging over 10 assists per set and was most recently named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week after dishing out 9.38 assists per set as MSU took down No. 20 Indiana in a five-set thriller. Lia Schneider spent her first two seasons at South Florida before transferring to East Lansing, where she's averaging 2.7 digs per set as the team's libero.

If Holdem can ramp back up and get back to playing how she was before her injury, Michigan State will be a really tough out. The Spartans have shown that they can compete without her, but their ceiling will be limited until she gets back fully healthy. With an RPI of 27, MSU will have a shot at an NCAA Tournament berth if they can keep things up into November. Don't expect a win against the Huskers, but if things fall right, then they may be able to pull a set.

How to Follow Along 

• Matchup: No. 1 Nebraska (16-0, 6-0 B1G) at Michigan (12-5, 2-4 B1G)
• When: Sunday, October 19
• Where: Crisler Center, Ann Arbor, Mich. 
• Time: 1 p.m. CDT 
• Watch: B1G+
• Listen: Huskers Radio Network and Affiliates

Michigan Scout

Head Coach

Erin Virtue | 3rd season Michigan & HC | 37-40 (.481) Career Record & at Michigan | U.S. Olympic Gold Medal | Previous head coach for Team USA Development Teams | Previous assistant at Team USA, Northwestern, Michigan, Cincinnati, and Loyola.

2024 Finish

Did not qualify for the postseason.

2024 Record & Awards

18-13 (8-12 B1G, T-10th) | 1x AVCA All-North Region Honorable Mention | All-B1G: 1x First Team, 1x Second Team. 

All-Time Series

Nebraska leads 25-3 (Sept. 24, 2025 last matchup, 3-0 NU) 

Returning Production 

Points: 53% | Kills: 54% | Service Aces: 48% | Blocks: 55% | Assists: 97% | Digs: 76%

Key Returners

• Allison Jacobs | OH | Gr. | 2024 All-Big Ten First Team selection and has exploded in 2025 with 4.89 points and 4.24 kills per set, which are both top five in the conference.
• Lydia Johnson | OPP | Jr. | Has broken out as the starting opposite with 2.61 points per set after appearing in only five matches and 12 sets as a sophomore in 2024.
• Serena Nyambio | MB | Sr. | Led Michigan in hitting percentage (.331) and blocks (114) last year as a junior; pacing the Wolverines once again with 69 blocks and a .443 clip on 219 attacks.
• Jenna Hanes | MB | Soph. | Forms the middle blocker tandem with Nyambio, compiling 124.5 points with 88 kills, 52 blocks, and five aces so far this season after five total sets in 2024.
• Ella Demetrician | OH | Soph. | Battling to be the second outside hitter behind Jacobs after limited playing time as a true freshman in 2024.
• Morgan Burke | S | Jr. | Omaha native and Skutt graduate returns as the Wolverines' starting setter after averaging 9.98 assists and 2.51 digs per set as a sophomore starter in 2024.
• Maddi Cuchran | L | Gr. | Second-year starter at libero for Michigan; On pace to match her 2024 totals, where she racked up 454 digs (3.88 D/S).
• Ellie White | S | Soph. | Appeared in 15 sets as a true freshman in 2024, but has improved enough for Virtue to go to a 6-2 system where she's split time with returning starter Morgan Burke.

Impact Transfers/Newcomers

• Jacyn Bamis | MB | Gr. | Depth player at middle blocker who spent two seasons at Clemson ('21 & '22) and Hawaii ('23 & '24) before transferring to Michigan.
•  Sydney Schnichels | OPP/OH | R-Soph. | Spent her first two college seasons at Minnesota before coming to Ann Arbor.

Key Departures

• Valentina Vaulet | OPP/OH | Transfer (Oregon) | Selected to the 2024 All-Big Ten Second Team as a sophomore, averaging 3.29 kills per set and 10th in the country with 63 aces.
• Mira Choppa | MB/OPP | Graduated | Appeared in 26 of 31 matches as a serving specialist during her senior season with 23 aces, which was third on the team.
• Jacque Boney | MB | Graduated | 6-foot-4 middle blocker that finished third on the team in points (302.5) while being second in both hitting percentage (.311) and blocks (110).

Outlook

The Wolverines marched through their non-conference schedule with a 10-1 record, but a date with Nebraska to open Big Ten play didn't go well in a Husker sweep on September 24. Nearly one month later and conference action hasn't treated Michigan as well as the non-conference slate did.

The Wolverines are 2-3 since that midweek matchup, getting swept by in-state rival Michigan State, No. 7 Wisconsin, and No. 20 Indiana. However, Michigan showed its fight in a four-set win over No. 10 Minnesota as well as a five-set victory over Iowa last time out on Oct. 11.

Allison Jacobs has continued her stellar final season, tallying 4.1 kills per set through six conference matchups alongside 11 blocks and 32 digs. Overall, she ranks third in total kills (246) while being fourth in per set (4.24) with 29 blocks and 1.83 digs per set.

Star middle Serena Nyambio is top ten in blocks with 69 and is second in hitting percentage among starting players with a .464 clip on 219 total attacks. Morgan Burke has been impressive with over seven assists per set while playing a 6-2 system for the majority of the season, while libero Maddi Cuchran averages 3.41 digs per set.

Only one win short of matching its 2024 season win total, the Wolverines' goal should be to finish inside the top half of the conference and battle for an NCAA Tournament spot. Expect another dominant victory, but the Wolverines could play a factor in the Big Ten title race if they can pull an upset or two like they did against Minnesota earlier this month.