Nebraska volleyball lands former San Diego middle blocker Leyla Blackwell
Nebraska volleyball has found its third middle blocker in the form of San Diego transfer Leyla Blackwell. The 6-foot-4 middle has one season of eligibility remaining and will earn her master’s degree at Nebraska.
She played in 87 matches as a Torero, including going to the 2022 Final Four in Omaha. In 2023, she averaged 2.25 kills per set while hitting .329. She also had 1.24 blocks per set.
Blackwell began her career at Indiana in 2020, where she played in 18 matches as a freshman. She led the team with 61 blocks and a 0.4 blocks per set average. She also tied the program record for blocks in a Big Ten five-set match with 13 against Iowa.
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During the Toreros Final Four 2022 season, she averaged 1.5 blocks per set and had seven total blocks against Texas in the semifinals.
Over her career so far, the San Diego, CA native averaged 1.84 kills, 1.4 blocks and hit .331.
The political science major is a three-time All-WCC First Team selection and was a 2022 VolleyballMag.com All-American Honorable Mention selection.
At La Jolla High School, she was a 2019 Under Armour Third Team All-American. She recorded 822 career kills and 349 blocks with 201 solo blockers.
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Blackwell enters a competitive middle blocker group. She will compete against junior Bekka Allick and sophomore Andi Jackson, who have both started each of their seasons as Huskers.
2024 Scholarship Distribution chart
Nebraska is likely done searching in the transfer portal and locking in their 2024 roster.
They had four players announce their intention to transfer: senior outside hitter Ally Batenhorst, junior middle blocker Maggie Mendelson, junior outside hitter Hayden Kubik and redshirt sophomore Caroline Jurevicius. Batenhorst will not officially enter the portal until May after earning her bachelor’s degree.
NU added Minnesota outside hitter Taylor Landfair and Blackwell. Additionally, defensive specialist/libero Olivia Mauch and outside hitter Skyler Pierce are incoming freshmen.
Nebraska outside hitter Ally Batenhorst plans to enter the transfer portal
They have 14 on their roster with a maximum of 12 scholarships. DS/L Maisie Boesiger is the only public walk-on. It is very likely that Mauch will not be on scholarship in her first season. However, that is common for players in her position.
Here is Nebraska’s scholarship distribution chart for the 2024 season.
| Name | Class | Position |
| Lexi Rodriguez | Sr. | L/DS |
| Maisie Boesiger* | Jr. | L/DS |
| Laney Choboy | Soph. | L/DS |
| Olivia Mauch | Fresh. | L/DS |
| Bergen Reilly | Soph. | S |
| Kennedi Orr | Sr. | S |
| Lindsay Krause | Sr. | OH |
| Taylor Landfair | Jr. | OH |
| Harper Murray | Soph. | OH |
| Skyler Pierce | Fresh. | OH |
| Merritt Beason | Sr. | OPP |
| Bekka Allick | Jr. | MB |
| Andi Jackson | Soph. | MB |
| Leyla Blackwell | Sr. | MB |
