Nebraska Volleyball 2024 Position Preview: Outside Hitter

Nebraska Volleyball’s 2024 season is around the corner. The Huskers are coming off an incredible 2023 season, which ended with heartbreak in the national title match. NU had four players leave the program but added two very experienced and two freshmen.

HuskerOnline dives into each position group in this annual position preview series. Nebraska’s outside hitters, which had an eventful off-season, finish off the series.

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What we know right now: Merritt Beason locked-in starter, Lindsay Krause and Harper Murray lead on left pin

The Huskers have three obvious starters in my eyes. Merritt Beason will start at opposite, and Lindsay Krause and Harper Murray seem to lead the outside hitter position. However, Minnesota transfer Taylor Landfair will push them hard. Beason, Murray and Landfair were named to the Big Ten Preseason All-Conference by the league’s coaches.

Opposite hitter Merritt Beason was named an AVCA First Team All-American during her first season at Nebraska in 2023. The captain helped the Huskers to their first Big Ten title since 2017 and the national title match. She has the right pin locked down in her senior season.

Senior Lindsay Krause still has lots to prove at Nebraska. She started on the right pin during her first two seasons and flipped pins often. When she finally moved to the left, her favorite side, the 6-foot-4 hitter suffered two injuries. Krause had an extremely difficult 2023 season. She was rear-ended at a stoplight, returned after three matches and earned the Big Ten Player of the Week honor. Soon after, she suffered a season-ending ankle injury.

The Omaha Skutt product hasn’t had an opportunity to truly unleash as a Husker. However, she hit an outstanding .285 in 2023. She has handled the adversity and position changes great. It’s now or never. Krause won’t let that opportunity pass without giving it her all.

Murray, a 6-foot-2 sophomore, will be available for NU’s first game against Kentucky on Aug. 27, Head Coach John Cook told the Lincoln Journal Star. Murray was sentenced to nine months of probation after being charged with three misdemeanors: DUI, possessing a fake ID, and shoplifting.

Murray was the Big Ten Freshman of the Year and an AVCA third-team All-American after an incredible freshman season. She earned the starting six-rotation outside hitter job over veterans Lindsay Krause and Ally Batenhorst. Batenhorst has since transferred to USC.

Key stats and numbers from 2023:

Name	Sets	Kills	Kills per set	Hitting PCT	Aces
Merritt Beason	121	445	3.76	.282	33
Harper Murray	121	391	3.23	.237	36
Ally Batenhorst*	87	169	2.25	.189	0
Lindsay Krause	44	110	2.50	.285	8
Hayden Kubik*	10	3	0.30	-.267	0

Name	Blocks	Blocks per set	Digs	Digs per set
Merritt Beason	106	0.88	248	2.05
Harper Murray	65	0.54	251	2.07
Ally Batenhorst*	52	0.60	54	0.62
Lindsay Krause	25	0.57	30	0.68
Hayden Kubik*	0	0.00	6	0.60

Biggest Question: Where does Taylor Landfair fit in?

Cook and Nebraska brought in Minnesota transfer Taylor Landfair to push Krause and Murray this season. Historically, he is quick to put in another hitter if one struggles. Landfair will get her shot.

At Minnesota, she averaged 3.52 kills per set, hit .244 and added 0.44 digs per set over her four-year career. In 2022, she earned 4.35 kills per set and a .257 hitting percentage. She was a First Team All-American and the Big Ten Player of the Year in 2022.

Krause is coming off a season-ending injury (though all signs are looking up), and Murray enters the 2024 season after a stressful and difficult summer. Landfair has ample experience and was a first-team All-American in her prime. She experienced an ACL injury since, but can NU bring her back to that level?

Nebraska has two All-Americans and one with All-American talent on the left pin. They’ve got incredible options if all three play up to their capabilities.

Freshman Skyler Pierce could likely see the court if any player is unavailable and/or an injury occurs. She did a nice job during Nebraska Volleyball’s Spring Exhibition match in Kearney. The 6-foot-2 Kansas native had 10 kills and hit .398.

Projected Lineup:

Outside hitter:

1. Lindsay Krause OR Harper Murray
2. Lindsay Krause OR Harper Murray
3. Taylor Landfair
4. Skyler Pierce

Opposite hitter:

1. Merritt Beason
2. Lindsay Krause

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