Match-Up in the Middle: A Look into the Position Battle

Of all the position groups, this is the one least up for contention for the 2025 season. It’s the common consensus that senior Rebekah Allick and junior Andi Jackson will run the middle for the Huskers; they’re the tried-and-true duo of the last two seasons, and complement each other's skills perfectly. With a well-oiled pair of veteran talents and a high-ceiling freshman duo waiting in the wings – good things are in store for the middle position. 

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Rebekah Allick, the experienced senior and patroller of the net, often goes underappreciated in the role she carries for the team. While she can be overshadowed by the more flashy players, her defensive presence weighs heavy on opponents, and her well-trained read blocking results in consistent touches at the net for the team to convert. Last season, she totaled 137 block assists, 19 solos, and 2.6 blocks per set, as well as contributing reliable offense. There isn’t a single match where you won't see Rebekah bring it all, and she’s hungry for a national championship in her last season. 

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Andi Jackson took the volleyball world by storm since her first performance in a Husker jersey, and she only seems to continue to raise the bar for herself. A high-flier with a quick arm, bursting with raw potential – the only thing she was missing was court vision and a volleyball IQ – two things she has since honed. It would be impossible to keep the First Team All-American on the bench – especially when she averaged 2.6 kills per set on a .439 clip – it's merely a question of how to utilize her. With this current roster, it's most likely that she will remain in the middle – but the coaching staff should ruminate over the possibility of employing her for six rotations to reap the full benefits of her abilities. A transition to the opposite seems inevitable, but that can come during her Olympic training.  

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While the starting spots have been all but solidified, the Husker’s flipped two talented decommits to the 2025 class in Manaia Ogbechie and Kenna Cogill. I’ve had the opportunity to interact with both of them, and can testify that they are not just great athletes that will bolster the practice gym– but strong cultural additions to the team as well. Manaia flew under the radar as a criminally underrated recruit, but her stock has risen significantly since her impressive performance for the USA u19 team and in the Under Armor All-American match. Her play style emulates aspects of both Rebekah and Andi; bouncy and athletic, able to stuff and bounce balls at the 10 foot line. Kenna – a product of Arizona Storm and teammate of Teraya Sigler – committed to the Huskers after Matt Ulmer’s retirement from Oregon. With her length of 6 '4, USA training, and amiable personality, Cogill is the perfect boost to the roster. If you want to know more about her, check out my interview with her on the site; https://www.vbadrenaline.com/fan-page-news/sasha-talks-with-the-newest-husker-kenna-cogill !!

Manaia and Kenna are both yet to be on campus, so we won’t get to witness them in action during the spring matches. In the meantime, soak in the last year of our favorite middle blocker duo.