You know you’re witnessing greatness when the biggest storyline from a win is finally dropping a set eight matches into Big Ten play.
That's exactly what happend with the No. 1 Nebraska volleyball team, which saw its 26-set winning streak end when No. 13 Purdue took set two from the Cornhuskers 25-20. It proved no difference in the end as NU took care of the Boilermakers 25-19 and 25-14 in the following two sets to remain unbeaten and lead the Big Ten with an 8-0 conference mark.
After star outside hitter Harper Murray exploded in the two matches against Indiana and Wisconsin, it was Teraya Sigler's turn to take home Big Ten Player of the Week honors after her pair of performances last week. The sophomore hit nearly .400 with 3.29 kills and 2.57 digs per set in the two victories, including a career-high 15 kills against Purdue and eight kills, plus eight digs, versus Northwestern.
Junior libero Olivia Mauch earned her stripes and was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week after helping the NU defense hold the Boilermakers and Wildcats to a combined .091 hitting percentage. The Bennington native compiled a career-high 21 digs against Purdue after seven versus Northwestern. In fact, she become the first Nebraska libero since Lexi Rodriguez to post at least 20 digs, eight assists and an ace in a match.
Now, the Huskers return to John Cook Arena to complete its three-match homestand, starting with a showdown against a UCLA team that's sitting at the edge of the country's top 25.
How to Follow Along
- Matchup: No. 1 Nebraska (19-0, 8-0 B1G) vs. UCLA (15-4, 6-2 B1G)
- When: Thursday, Oct. 22
- Where: John Cook Arena, Lincoln, NE
- Time: 6 p.m. CT
- Watch: FS1
- Listen: Huskers Radio Network and Affiliates
- How to Sync Husker Radio with TV Broadcast
UCLA Scout
Head Coach
- Matt Werle | 1st Season at UCLA; 10th as Head Coach
- 15-4 (.789) at UCLA; 168-97 (.634) as Head Coach
- 2x NCAA Tournament Apps., 1x NCAA National Semifinal (Men's)
- 1x AVCA National Coach OTY (2024, MVB), 1x MPSF Coach OTY (2024)
- Previous Head Coach at Grand Canyon (Men's) & Mesa CC
- Previous assistant at Kansas, Grand Canyon & USA Volleyball
2025 Finish
- L, 3-1 to No. 1 Kentucky in NCAA Second Round
2025 Record & Awards
- Record: 19-13 (12-8 B1G, T-6th)
- All-B1G: 3x First Team
All-Time Series
- Nebraska leads 15-5
- Nov. 14, 2025, last matchup; 3-1 NU
Key Returners
- Marianna Singletary | MB | Gr. | The 2025 First Team All-Big Ten selection is up there for the Big Ten's best middle blocker outside of Andi Jackson. She leads the conference in blocks (108) by over 30 while leading the Bruins in points (244) and kills (176) as well as hitting .335 on 367 swings.
- Maggie Li | OH | Sr. | The transfer from Cal is on pace to smash her 2025 season point total (210) after collecting 199.5 through 15 matches, which includes 175 kills, 17.5 blocks and nine aces.
- Eliana Urzua | OH | Soph. | Returned to UCLA after starting for the Bruins as a true freshman. Urzua averages over two kills per set and ranks fourth on the team with 175 points.
- Kate Duffey | S | Jr. | In the middle of her second year running the UCLA offense as the primary setter and is producing identical numbers from 2025 with 9.82 assists per set while adding 45 points and 2.63 digs per set.
- Lola Schumacher | L | Jr. | Received First Team All-Big Ten accolades in her first season at UCLA after transferring from Wisconsin. Putting up 3.85 digs per set, which is a long way off from her 2025 totals that saw her produce 4.4 digs per set.
Impact Transfers/Newcomers
- Brooke Harwood | MB | Fr. | Coming out of high school as the No. 20 middle blocker in the country, the Arizona native ranks third on the team with 168 kills (2.54 K/S) and 53 blocks while hitting on a team-high .359.
- Mija Bendzuite | OPP | Soph. | The 6-foot-3 right side didn't see action in 2025 after transferring from Boca Raton CC, but she's seen 57 sets across 17 matches and 12 starts. One of six Bruins to produce over 100 points and is tied for second on the team with 14 aces.
- Ava Utterback | OH | Soph. | The young transfer from Louisville averages 1.56 points per set while starting in 10 of her 19 matches played this season.
- Vivian Hickman | S | Fr. | The future at setter for the Bruins, Hickman leads the team with 15 aces as a dangerous serving sub off the bench.
Key Departures
- Cheridyn Leverette | OH | Graduated | The Georgia native ended her collegiate career with back-to-back First Team All-Big Ten honors, including a team-high 511 points in 2025.
- Brooklyn Briscoe | MB | Transfer | Tallied 165 kills (.267) and 96 blocks as a redshirt sophomore, but transferred to Florida over the offseason.
Outlook
After reaching the second round of the NCAA Tournament in 2025, UCLA looked to be on a good trajectory with third-year head coach Alfee Reft, who was also navigating the task of his first head coaching job. However, that hope of stability evaporated when Reft left to join the upstart San Francisco Signal of League One Volleyball.
As a result, UCLA went out and hired a rising star in Matt Werle. Hired in February, Werle spent one year as an assistant coach at Kansas under Matt Ulmer before joining the Bruins. Werle is most known for his time at Grand Canyon, where he led the men's volleyball program for 10 seasons while amassing a 154-93 record, including a NCAA National Semifinal appearance in his last season before joining the Jayhawks.
The cupboard was far from bare for Werle, who was able to retain most the Bruins' starting lineup from 2025. Despite losing leading scorer Cheridyn Leverette and seeing young middle blocker Brooklyn Briscoe transfer to Florida, UCLA had formidable talent returning. That starts with star middle blocker Marinna Singletary, who's on pace to earn her first AVCA All-America honor. She leads the Big Ten in blocks (108) while leading the Bruins with 244 points and 176 kills. Outside of Nebraska's Andi Jackson, she may be the best middle blocker in the Big Ten.
A former All-Region Freshman of the Year winner at Cal, outside hitter Maggie Li takes up the role left behind by Cheridyn. She's missed four games this year, but she's right behind Singletary on offense with 199.5 points and 175 kills in 16 fewer sets. Eliana Urzua earned a starting role as a freshman last year and is back in that spot again as a sophomore. Fellow second-year player Mija Bendzuite anchors the right side in her first playing action since 2024. She sat out 2025 after transferring from Boca Raton CC.
Freshman Brooke Harwood sits in the No. 2 middle blocker role and leads the team with a .359 hitting percentage. That's because UCLA returned its starting setter in Kate Duffey, who's putting up nearly identical numbers from last year with 9.82 assists and over 2.6 digs per set. Finally, former Wisconsin transfer and First Team All-Big Ten pick Lola Schumacher starts at libero, but she's well behind her 2025 numbers when she piled up 4.4 digs per set. She's averaging 3.85 in 2026.
Built with quality up and down the roster, the Bruins are outplaying their ninth-place expectations in Big Ten's preseason poll. However, the Bruins have proven to be inconsistent. Aside from a loss to Michigan State, UCLA's defeats to No. 3 Kentucky, No. 25 BYU and No. 18 Indiana aren't so bad. The Bruins looked shaky in their five-set win over Maryland and four-set victory over Rutgers last weekend, but they should be more prepared against the Huskers.
Ultimately, that shouldn't matter much. Put me down for a Nebraska sweep Thursday night in Lincoln.
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