Digs: Kubik and Knuckles not returning for fifth season, Huskers have Big Ten title in reach
Nebraska volleyball Head Coach John Cook, outside hitter Madi Kubik and defensive specialist Kenzie Knuckles took the podium ahead of the Huskers’ matches against No. 3 Wisconsin and No. 9 Minnesota.
The Huskers have a shot at winning the Big Ten championship this week. If they win out, they will win at least a share of the Big Ten title.
Nebraska hosts Wisconsin on Friday at 7:00 p.m. at the Bob Devaney Sports Center. On Saturday, the Golden Gophers face the Huskers at 8:00 p.m. for the last time with Head Coach Hugh McCutcheon. Both games will be on the Big Ten Network.
Here is a summary of each person’s comments.
Head Coach John Cook
***Cook said that his team has been working since January to get to this week and have the opportunity to win the Big Ten.
He said he hasn’t talked to his team about what’s at stake this week. They know they control their own destiny, he said.
***All three of the top four teams in the conference play each other this weekend along with other Big Ten teams that are battling to make the NCAA tournament. Cook said the Big Ten created the schedule on their own and crafted it that way on purpose. He said that is why it took so long to release the schedule this summer.
Last season when Nebraska and Wisconsin played each other in November, it broke a viewership record. Cook said that was probably a big reason why the conference set up the schedule they did. It’s great for the conference to grow the sport.
***No. 6 Ohio State lost to unranked Maryland and Indiana last week. The Buckeyes dropped from tied for first place to third place in the conference.
Cook said he was surprised that the Buckeyes were knocked off twice. It’s hard to play great every match and if you don’t, especially in the Big Ten, you’ll lose.
He said he’s proud of his team for bringing it every night and keeping their intensity.
***Nebraska volleyball is trying to treat their rematch with Wisconsin as just another match, “No. 19 in the Big Ten,” as Cook said. However, they know the points are becoming more important, no matter who they are playing.
“All the chips are on the table,” Cook said.
***The Huskers are playing back-to-back matches for the first time since the beginning of the Big Ten season. Cook said it will be no different than when they play on Friday and Sunday. On the road trips, they have to travel as well.
Nebraska will be right in its element this weekend, he said.
***Senior Day is on Saturday after the Minnesota match. Nicklin Hames, Kaitlyn Hord, Madi Kubik and Kenzie Knuckles will be celebrated after the match.
Their parents will join them like Nebraska has done in the past.
Cook said Kubik, Knuckles and Hames have been the face of the program for the last of the four years. He said all three of those players have played in every match they have been available in since they have been here.
“They’ve made some major contributions to Nebraska volleyball and our success,” Cook said. “We’ve had a lot of great wins and these guys need a ring whether that’s a Big Ten ring or a national championship ring. That’s kind of the one thing that they have still on the table.”
He pointed out that those three have been to Final Fours and been in positions to win the Big Ten championship a couple of times.
***Cook said whoever wins the Big Ten conference deserved to be seeded in the top four of the NCAA tournament. However, he isn’t going to guess if there will be two Big Ten teams.
The NCAA bracket selection show is on Sunday night at 6:30 p.m. CT on ESPNU.
Outside hitter Madi Kubik
***Kubik said Nebraska has talked about the mental aspect of playing Wisconsin in a lot of different fashions. The Badgers have beaten the Huskers in nine straight matches including in the 2021 National Championship.
The senior said it is important to focus on their side of the net and things that help them play great volleyball, regardless of who their opponent is. She said in the past, they haven’t been 100 percent on those things.
***Kubik agreed with her coach that the Big Ten champion should be a top four seed.
“We’ll see though, ” she said. ” Sometimes they screw us a little bit with rankings but we’ll see.”
***With Nebraska volleyball’s Senior Day on Saturday, Kubik said she hasn’t been able to think about her emotions toward her last true home game in Devaney.
“I’m a little bit scared for our team on how we’re going to be that match,” she said. “We have a very tight knit group and we also have a very emotional group. I think it’s good that we kind of do the senior night recognition stuff after the match.”
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***Hames went through Senior Day last senior then decided to return for her fifth season. Kubik said she will ask her for advice since she has been through it before.
In fact, Nebraska relies on Hames and her wisdom a lot. She has been a starter for five seasons, was a four-time captain and played in two National Championships.
***Kubik said this will be her only Senior Day. She will be forgoing her extra year of eligibility and not return to Nebraska for her fifth season.
After talking with Cook, her teammates and the staff, she decided not to return
“It’s been an awesome four years that I’ve got to compete here and I’ve absolutely loved my career,” She said. “I’m really excited for our younger players to get the opportunity to be leaders in the program and just encourage them and mentor them this season has been really great.”
***She said Nebraska volleyball has an opportunity to get better every single day. They talk about how each person can do their job one percent better every single play.
Kubik said Cook talks about being unstoppable in at the end of November and December. She said if everyone can get better each day, the Huskers are on their play to being really good.
***Kubik started as a freshman as a six-rotation outside hitter. She has grown a lot in the role but was able to learn how to be a captain this season.
She grew as a leader and captain with fellow captains Kenzie Knuckles and Lexi Rodriguez.
“Kenzie and Lexi and I have really been able to lean on each other and grow a lot as leaders and help our team with our different strengths and sometimes weaknesses and help each other kind of round out our team,” she said. “That’s been a really cool progression to see throughout the season.”
***Kubik said playing in the Big Ten this season has prepared them for a huge weekend against two top 10 teams. It will also prepare them for playing in the NCAA tournament.
***She said some of her favorite memories as a Husker is when Devaney has gotten super loud and crazy after a big point. Kubik used the Purdue match on Sunday as an example. She killed a ball after a 50-second rally for Nebraska volleyball to go up 24-22 in the second set.
“We win the rally and the whole Devaney just erupts and we’re so out of breath or clinging on to each other,” she said. “That’s one of my favorite things is just being able to compete in that environment with my teammates and getting to be successful.”
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Defensive specialist Kenzie Knuckles
***Knuckles said that playing Nebraska volleyball is the key to winning this weekend. She said they train a certain way for a reason.
“Sometimes when you play big teams, you can kind of conform to the way they play volleyball,” she said. “When we play Nebraska volleyball, that’s when we play our best. So just really focusing on ourselves, focusing on next ball mentality, and not letting them get on runs.”
***The senior DS said that the ups and downs of this season have prepared the Huskers for this weekend and for the NCAA tournament. In fact, it’s going to be so much fun, she said.
“That’s honestly what we’re looking into is just how much fun it’s going to be to be able to play two really good teams,” Knuckles said.
***Knuckles was asked if Nebraska has or will ever reach a finished product. She replied, “Yes and no.”
“I think that you always have room to grow,” she said. “I think that our team continues to amaze me with every step that we take throughout the season of just how much better we get.”
She said halfway through the season, she thought Nebraska was “top-notch.” But they still find a way to grow every single day.
***Knuckles and Kubik are the two remaining seniors from the class of 2019.
“I remember being a freshman like it was yesterday and just her personality, too. She will always be goofy Madi to me. She’s my best friend,” Knuckles said. “She has taken on a leadership role and has gained so much respect from this program and all of our teammates. She’s done that by leading by example on the court. But she’s also done that off the court and all the relationships that she’s built. I’m really proud of her for that.”
***She said there is extra motivation to beat Wisconsin.
“I can’t lie. We haven’t beaten them yet,” Knuckles said. “I have a good feeling about it. If we play our game, play Nebraska volleyball, we’ll be fine.”
***She is also really motivated to go out and win a ring, something she hasn’t done as a Husker. This group of players is special because they want to win for each other, she said.
The senior said that is very rare but the players on this team keep telling each other, “I want to win for you.”
***Knuckles said that Nebraska has gotten a lot better at serving this season. She said they call it the most important skill.
“It’s gonna be really important because at the end of the day, whoever wins the serve and pass battle is set up for success,” she said.
***As for playing on back-to-back days, Knuckles said it’ll be different but the adrenaline will make them eager to play.
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***Knuckles said her favorite memory as a Husker has changed through her career. As a freshman, she would have said her trip to Japan and China. In her sophomore year, the answer was their group of seniors. But over the last two seasons, the relationships she has built have meant the most to her.
“The group of girls that we have is something that’s really special,” she said. “I love volleyball, but I love my people even more. And I think that’s what makes volleyball so special.”
***Knuckles has also made the decision to not return next season. She had multiple meetings with Cook about it before making the “tough” decision.
“I have have absolutely loved this program,” she said. “It’s like a family to me. And it’s so hard saying goodbye to it. But I just think that after four and a half years, I think that the time has come.”
“Me and Madi, we got here together and we’re gonna leave together. What Madi said too, just passing the baton off a little bit. I think that we have so many players that are coming in, and so many underclassmen right now that are in a position to lead and they deserve that.”
***With this being her last season, she said tried to leave it all out there.
“Every ball that I touch, I’m like there’s no point to regret anything,” she said.
***Wisconsin served great against Nebraska in their first match. Knuckles said they have talked a lot about staying aggressive in their passing game. The Badgers have really good serves but the Huskers know exactly what they are going to do so it’s all about mentality, she said.
