Nebraska’s dream volleyball run came to an end this season. The Big Red were stunned in the quarterfinals by Texas A&M, which prevailed in five sets after a tightly contested match.
Team co‑captain Andi Jackson was notably absent from the lineup. Head coach Dani Busboom Kelly said she had no choice, explaining that Jackson had been struggling to sustain her momentum.
Nebraska Volleyball Head Coach Reveals Why Andi Jackson Was Benched
Busboom Kelly attended the post-match press conference alongside co-skipper Rebekah Allick and veteran player Harper Murray. When asked about what went wrong for the Big Red, including Jackson’s absence, the coach replied:
“I know we all were watching the game, so I think Andy was hitting like a hundred and nothing was going right for her. So I thought, ‘Okay, let’s give Mania a try,’ and she made a few plays, and so we left her in there.”
The Aggies led the first two sets, compelling the Huskers to go all out and reclaim the next two sets. The match came down to the wire in the fifth and final set, where the Aggies won 15-13 to claim the quarterfinals.
“We played our hearts out and had a lot of things against us this week, and we still were that close,” Busboom Kelly added. “So I’m just proud of the way we finished that match, and I’m super proud of our seniors.”
Before falling to Texas A&M, the Huskers held a 33-0 record, highlighted by a sweep through the Big Ten Conference tournament.
The victorious Aggies will now aim for their first NCAA Championship finals as they face the Pittsburgh Panthers in the semifinals on Dec. 18.
Jackson’s Performance For Nebraska Volleyball This Season
Jackson has been a vital component of the Huskers’ success since 2023. The junior middle blocker joined Nebraska that year, the same season the Big Red reached the finals of the 2023 NCAA Championships. She was also part of the Huskers’ team that reached the semifinals of the 2024 NCAA Championships.
Jackson has posted an impressive hitting percentage of .437 throughout her career. She has totaled 824 kills since her collegiate debut in 2023, averaging 2.445 kills per set. Her defensive profile includes 92 digs, averaging 0.273 per set.
Jackson made the Tom Osborne Citizenship Team in 2023, 2024, and 2025. She was also named to the Academic All-Big Ten squad this year.
Coach dani , how do you spell transfer portal? ANDI!
John cook would never had benched Andi Jackson. I wish he was still the head coach
I believe not to give up on entirely. Should of kept giving her opportunity
Nebraska coach is most responsible for their loss to Texas A&M…she benches her 2nd or 3rd best player because Jackson started poorly and a little used sub
How do you bench an all American without seeing if she can fix. There is a reason she never won a championship at
Louisville