Kansas State Volleyball Ends Their 2025 season with a 3-0 loss to #1 Nebraska

A K-State volleyball player jumps to spike the ball. Courtesy: Ashton Hall

A full stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska. Courtesy: Ashton ToddCourtesy: Ashton Todd

A K-State volleyball player dives for the ball. Courtesy: Ashton Hall

K-State volleyball celebrates after winning a point against Nebraska. Courtesy: Ashton Todd

K-State volleyball celebrates after winning a point against Nebraska. Courtesy: Ashton Todd

Willie the Wildcat claps on the court before the match. Courtesy: Ashton Todd

The Kansas State Wildcats pulled off a huge win to kick off their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2021, but could not keep up with top-seed Nebraska as the Cornhuskers swept and eliminated the Wildcats in the second round in front of a sold-out crowd at the Bob Devaney Sports Center in Lincoln, Neb. 

Nebraska led through the entirety of the first set, and it would not be until the score was 13-7 that the Wildcats would call their first timeout. Kansas State tried to fight back as they cut the Cornhusker lead down to three, but Nebraska closed out the first set with a 25-17 win. 

The Wildcats came out strong in set #2 as they took a 4-1 lead, but the Cornhuskers did not let Kansas State build it as they scored the next three points in the set. Neither team had an advantage larger than a point until Nebraska led 15-13 going into the media timeout. Nebraska continued to increase that margin, and Kansas State took two timeouts to try and stop the Cornhuskers. The Wildcats got within two, but that was the closest they would get as Nebraska won the second set 25-21. 

The Cornhuskers jumped out to a 3-1 lead in the final set, but Kansas State followed up with a 4-0 run to take their first of three separate leads. After the score was tied 9-9, Nebraska closed out the game on a 16-7 run to sweep the Wildcats and take set #3 25-16. 

Aniya Clinton finished as Kansas State’s kills leader with seven, and Brenna Schmidt played a big role at the net defensively with five blocks. Ava LeGrand was the only Wildcat to lead in two categories as she had 19 assists and nine digs. 

Nebraska had two players record double-digit kills as both Andi Jackson and Harper Murray had 10 in the game. The Cornhuskers’ other stat leaders included Bergen Reilly with 34 assists and Olivia Mauch with 13 digs. 

Kansas State ends its 2025 season with a record of 18-10. The Wildcats had many accomplishments in their third season and first postseason appearance under head coach Jason Mansfield as they made it to their 19^th NCAA Tournament, named three players to the All-Big 12 team, and had five ranked wins in the regular season to build their tournament resume. Nebraska remains perfect at 32-0 and will continue its road to the National Championship on Dec. 12 when it faces the 4-seed Kansas Jayhawks at 8:30 p.m. in Lincoln.