No. 1 Nebraska Volleyball vs. Missouri: Preview, Breakdown

Key Returners

• Paige Felder | OH | Soph. | Played part-time in 2025 as a freshman, but has stepped up to deliver a team-leading 123.5 points — including 102 kills — and 12 aces as a sophomore.
• Maca Lobaglio | RS | Soph. | Another underclassman that's developed over the offseason, the right-side attacker from Argentina has posted 51.5 points on 42 kills and 9.5 blocks.
• Nina Mandovic | S | Jr. | The Serbian distributor steps into a starting role with the Tigers in 2026, but she's missed nearly half their matches despite averaging over seven assists per set.
• Grace O'Reilly | RS | Sr. | The former Long Beach State transfer has only started in five of her 10 appearances this season, but she's been productive with 2.80 points per set for second-highest on Mizzou.

Impact Transfers/Newcomers

• Lauren Larkin | MB | Jr. | The Utah State transfer didn't appear in the team's first two matches, but she's become the team's leading middle blocker with 2.37 points per set on a .443 hitting percentage and 23 blocks.
• Ceylin Kuyan | OH | Fr. | True freshman from Turkey that was a two-time best outside hitter and one-time best opposite with the Turkey U19 Girls' National Team.
• Eva Smith | MB | Fr. | The North Carolina native has emerged as one of the team's best weapons with 87 points (third on team) on a .337 hitting percentage while leading the Tigers with 45 blocks and 1.13 per set.
• Ainoah Cruz | L | Sr. | Transferred to Mizzou after three seasons at Evansville where she collected 1,384 career digs, 337 assists and 60 aces; takes over the starting libero spot for MU and has tallied 198 digs and 4.71 per set.

Key Departures

• Caylen Alexander | OH | Graduated | Spent her last college season in Columbus and earned All-SEC Second Team honors after racking up a team-high 422 kills (4.22 K/S) while also adding 193 digs (1.93 D/S) and 25 aces.
• Tyrah Ariail | MB | Graduated | Another one-year transfer, Ariail was second on the team with 353.5 points and 258 kills on a .364 hitting percentage. Plus, she anchored the Tiger's blocking effort with 112 and 1.08 per set.
• Maya Sands | L | Graduated | Turned pro after her final college season in which she delivered 507 digs and 4.65 per set to earn AVCA All-America Third Team honors and winning the 2025 SEC Libero of the Year award.
• Janet DeMarrais | OH | Graduated | Team captain and second outside hitter in 2025 for Mizzou. She finished her college career with 926 kills and 127 blocks across102 matches in four years.
• Regan Haith | MB | Graduated | The Lincoln native and Pius X graduated posted 151 kills and totaled 103 blocks (1.07 B/S) in her final college season.
• Marina Crownover | S | Transfer | Tallied more than 2,100 career assists and 24 double-doubles in her two seasons at Missouri before transferring to Oregon over the offseason.

Outlook

Mentored by former Nebraska volleyball player Christy Johnson-Lynch at Iowa State for over a decade, Dawn Sullivan finally got her shot to run a program. Taking over UNLV in 2018, the Kansas State graduate guided the Rebels to a pair of NCAA Tournament berths, two Mountain West conference titles and one NIVC Championship. Posting a 109-38 record in five seasons, Sullivan leveraged her success into the head coaching role at Missouri prior to the 2023 campaign.

Sullivan immediately matched her best postseason finish at UNLV with an NCAA Tournament Second Round appearance before leading the Tigers to a Sweet 16 berth in 2024. That led to a contract extension, which will keep her in Columbus through the 2029 campaign. However, 2025 proved to be a step back for a program on the rise under Sullivan. The Tigers went 17-11, but missed the postseason entirely after being upset by No. 14 seed Ole Miss in the opening round of the SEC Tournament.

That makes 2026 an important season for Sullivan, who has to replace essentially the whole starting lineup. Nearly all major contributors are gone, including AVCA Third Team All-American libero Maya Sands and All-SEC Second Team outside hitter Caylen Alexander. One-year transfer Tyrah Ariail led the Tigers in blocking, but she left alongside fellow middle starter and Lincoln native Regan Haith after exhausting their eligiblity. Second outside hitter Janet deMarrais also graduated while starting setter Marina Crownover transferred to Oregon after racking up over 2,100 career assists in two seasons with Mizzou.

With the roster attrition, Sullivan went shopping in the portal. Utah State transfer Lauren Larkin didn't play in the team's first couple of games, but she's become a steady performer by hitting .443 on 115 attacks with 2.37 points per set. A pair of freshman locked down starting roles after fall camp in Turkish outside hitter Ceylin Kuyan and middle Eva Smith, who are both among the team leaders in points and kills. Ainoah Cruz has the tall task of replacing Sands, but she's been very effective so far with 198 digs and 4.71 per set.

Playing part-time in 2025, sophomore Paige Felder has stepped up to become the top outside hitter for the Tigers as the Utah native leads the team with 123.5 points — 34 more than second place and starting right-side hitter Grace O'Reilly. Serbian setter Nina Mandovic has missed over half of the team's matches despite leading the Tigers with over seven assists per set, leading to Sierra Dudley taking starting reps where she's compiled 177 assists and nine aces.

There's a lot of youth on this roster, which makes you think that Sullivan is anticipating a transition year as her team gains experience in a growing volleyball conference. The Tigers were slotted ninth in the SEC preseason poll and that feels right for a team replacing its entire starting lineup with over half being underclassmen.

I actually think the Tigers are better equiped to face the Huskers in a typical volleyball environment, but it won't make a different for a Nebraska team that should sweep the Tigers Wednesday night.