Five Huskers on AVCA Player of the Year Watch List

The American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) has announced its updated Watch List for its 2024 Division I Player of the Year Award.

Nebraska's Merritt Beason, Andi Jackson, Harper Murray, Bergen Reilly and Lexi Rodriguez were named to the list of 52 players. Jackson is one of 16 new additions to the initial list of 36 released in September. 

The Huskers' five players on the AVCA Player of the Year Watch List are the most of any school.
  
The AVCA National Player of the Year Watch List will be narrowed down in early November, and then the names of the finalists will be released before the AVCA Convention in mid-December. The 2024 AVCA Player of the Year will be announced on Friday, Dec. 20, in Louisville, Ky., during the AVCA Convention.

Merritt Beason, Sr., Opposite Hitter
• Beason has found her groove over the last five weeks. In her last 11 matches, Beason is averaging 3.24 kills per set with a .290 hitting percentage.
• Beason put together a sensational season in 2023 - her first as a Husker after transferring from Florida - earning AVCA first-team All-America honors and AVCA North Region Player of the Year, becoming just the second Husker (Kelly Hunter) to earn that honor. 
• In 2023, Beason averaged a team-leading 3.76 kills per set on .282 hitting with 2.05 digs per set. She was named Big Ten Player of the Week four times and was the AVCA National Player of the Week on Oct. 23 after averaging 4.25 kills per set and 1.75 digs per set in wins against Northwestern and top-ranked Wisconsin. 
• Beason was the MVP of the NCAA Lincoln Regional after 19 kills, 11 digs and a career-high eight blocks in a regional final win over Arkansas. 

Andi Jackson, So., Middle Blocker
• Jackson has elevated her game to new heights in 2024, as she is averaging 2.66 kills per set with a .471 hitting percentage, which ranks fourth in the nation and first among Big Ten players. 
• Jackson showed enormous athleticism and potential the first time she stepped on the floor as a Husker, and she followed through with a strong debut season that included AVCA All-Region, All-Big Ten Second Team, and Big Ten All-Freshman Team honors. 
• Jackson averaged 2.01 kills per set and 1.09 blocks per set with a .399 hitting percentage in 2023, which ranked third in the Big Ten and 19th in the nation. Her hitting percentage was the best ever by a Husker freshman and ranked seventh all-time in the rally scoring era. 
• Along with Reilly, Jackson helped the U.S. U21 National Team win the gold medal at the NORCECA U21 Continental Championship in Toronto this summer, hitting .654 throughout the tournament with 39 kills and 10 blocks. 

Harper Murray, So., Outside Hitter
• Murray is the team leader in kills with 3.21 per set and adds 2.14 digs per set and 18 aces, the most on the team.
• Along with Bergen Reilly, Andi Jackson and Laney Choboy, Murray made an instant impact at Nebraska in 2023, earning Big Ten Freshman of the Year, AVCA North Region Freshman of the Year, All-Big Ten First Team and AVCA All-America Third Team honors. 
• Murray finished her freshman campaign with 3.23 kills per set, the highest kills per set average by a Husker freshman since Kadie Rolfzen (3.46) in 2013. One of the Big Ten’s best six-rotation players, Murray also added 2.07 digs per set with a team-high 36 aces. She was a three-time Big Ten Freshman of the Week. 

Bergen Reilly, So., Setter
• Reilly ranks sixth nationally with 11.10 assists per set this season, and she has 10 double-doubles.
• Reilly was the Big Ten Setter of the Year in 2023, becoming the first freshman to win the award since it originated in 2012. Reilly was also an AVCA second-team All-American and an All-Big Ten first-team selection. 
• Reilly led all Big Ten setters with 10.51 assists per set in 2023, and she has received seven career Big Ten Setter of the Week honors, including on Sept. 2, Sept. 16 and Oct. 14 this season. 
• Reilly was named Best Setter at the AVCA First Serve Showcase in Louisville, Ky., as she guided the Huskers to a 3-1 win over No. 9 Kentucky with 39 assists and 11 digs. 

Lexi Rodriguez, Sr., Libero
• Rodriguez is in her final year of a stellar career as the Huskers’ libero. A four-year starter and a three-year team captain, Rodriguez will go down in history as one of the all-time greats in Nebraska volleyball history. 
• Rodriguez has 1,636 career digs, which ranks third in school history. In the home wins over UCLA and USC, she passed Jennifer Saleaumua and Nicklin Hames to move to No. 3 on NU’s all-time digs list. U.S. Olympian Justine Wong-Orantes is the career leader in digs at NU with 1,890. Kayla Banwarth is second with 1,706 career digs. 
• On Sept. 30, Rodriguez was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week for the sixth time in her career. She averaged 4.71 digs per set in the first weekend of conference play, helping the Huskers hold UCLA and USC to season-low hitting percentages at the time. 
• Rodriguez is a three-time AVCA All-American, earning first-team honors in 2021 and 2023, and second-team honors in 2022. She will look to join Kadie Rolfzen (2013-16) and Sarah Pavan (2004-07) as the only four-time All-Americans in program history. 
• Rodriguez made her mark instantly as a freshman in 2021, earning AVCA National Freshman of the Year and Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year. Over the last two seasons, Rodriguez has guided the Huskers to the No. 1 defense in the country, earning Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year again in 2023 to become the fifth player in Big Ten history to receive the honor twice in a career.