Nebraska's Early Undefeateds Making Moves in 2025 Season (Pt. 1)

So far, so good.   Every fall, a handful of Nebraska's top teams start the season strong while avoiding blemishes in the loss column. An opening hot streak can be the precursor to a special season, especially among squads looking for a breakthrough berth in the state tournament. Today's feature will cover both sides of the spectrum: powerhouses and upstart programs.   Here's a glimpse at the players and teams capturing our attention while piling up the wins in early-season action.     Lincoln Southwest   The Silver Hawks have become a perennial postseason contender and produced a huge triumph for the Star City during 2023's championship run. This season could keep the good times rolling.   LSW has taken down Class A foes Norfolk, Millard North, and Kearney en route to the 3-0 start. Senior pin hitter [player_tooltip player_id='349455' first='Alivia' last='Gustafson'] has built on her outstanding club campaign and leads the Silver Hawks with 3.7 kills per set. Her progression between pin positions during her prep career has culminated in a massive senior surge.   [player_tooltip player_id='774910' first='Emma' last='Rink'] and [player_tooltip player_id='838775' first='Suzie' last='Riggins'] have also enjoyed terminal starts to the 2025 season. They're accompanied by a stout ball control group led by veteran setter [player_tooltip player_id='251144' first='Ellie' last='Eckman'] and sophomore defensive specialist [player_tooltip player_id='774698' first='Taryn' last='Weigel'].     Lincoln North Star   We're staying in the Star City.   Lincoln North Star is out to prove that last year's Class A tournament entrance was no fluke. The Navigators are 6-0 and fresh off a clean sweep at Saturday's Millard West Invite, toppling Fremont, South Dakota's Bishop O'Gorman, and the hosting Wildcats to claim the event's title.   If you followed this spring's [program_tooltip program_id='428717' first='Nebraska' last='ONE'] 16 Black team, you'll recognize the top performers on this North Star roster. The Navigators have a trio of juniors atop their score sheet with [player_tooltip player_id='807924' first='Elsie' last='Schmidt'], [player_tooltip player_id='521266' first='Lauren' last='McKernan'], and [player_tooltip player_id='458167' first='Delainey' last='Volkmer'] leading the charge. [player_tooltip player_id='774919' first='Marie' last='Paneitz'], a 2028 libero who played up a year with 16 Black, has anchored North Star's backcourt defense.   Year-round cohesion is yielding early returns for the 'Gators.   <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepdig.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/11/IMG_4107.jpg?w=1024" alt="" class="wp-image-722606" style="width:475px;height:auto" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Lincoln North Star competes in the 2024 Class A state tournament.</figcaption></figure>     Lincoln Pius X   Wait, we're still in Lincoln?   Lincoln Pius X had a lot of pieces to replace from last year's team that reached the Class B quarterfinals, but that hasn't stopped the Thunderbolts from logging a 5-0 start in 2025. The crux of this winning streak was the team's stay at the LNE Blastoff Tournament, where Pius X defeated North Platte, Lincoln Northeast, Omaha Westview, and Gretna East. The 'Bolts also claimed an impressive 3-1 win over Class A foe Papillion-La Vista.   Senior outside hitter [player_tooltip player_id='830000' first='Ava' last='Markowski'] is back in action with 4.1 kills per set to guide the offense. This is a veteran-laden group with [player_tooltip player_id='518588' first='McKenzie' last='Becker'] and [player_tooltip player_id='828557' first='Hayden' last='Harnisch'] also racking up kills from the senior class. Middle blockers [player_tooltip player_id='591585' first='Millie' last='Andreasen'] and Ofeleia Ramirez Rousseau have been efficient, and the ball control of Kami Wemhoff ensures these middles receive plenty of opportunities.   A momentous Tuesday tilt with Omaha Skutt Catholic is next on the schedule.     Waverly   We're not venturing far from Lincoln for this one.   Nebraska's prep volleyball enthusiasts are likely not surprised to see Waverly rolling early. The Vikings returned a host of impactful juniors this fall, including setter [player_tooltip player_id='458165' first='McKinley' last='Moser'], libero [player_tooltip player_id='521256' first='Emmalyn' last='Quinn'], and the Lauenstein duo on the outside. [player_tooltip player_id='458124' first='Gracie' last='Lauenstein'] has been particularly dominant through early play with 4.3 kills per set, while Quinn has stepped up in the back row with 4.6 digs per set.   Waverly started with a four-set homestand over Lincoln Lutheran and has only dropped one set since. A trip to the Beatrice Invite yielded wins over Grand Island Northwest, Elkhorn, and Lincoln Northwest.     Minden   The two-time defending champs are eyeing a three-peat.   Minden enters a new era following the graduation of several transformative athletes, including Wayne State enrollee Mattie Kamery. Still, the Whippets can lean on game-changing senior [player_tooltip player_id='276201' first='Myla' last='Emery'], who has produced a whopping 5.5 kills per set so far this year. And, like Kamery, Emery can run the offense as a setter if needed. Rising sophomores [player_tooltip player_id='572605' first='Aly' last='Cederburg'] and Kaleigh Carr have also produced highlight moments in the front row.   The Whippets have only dropped one set this year while playing a busy seven-match schedule as of this article's publication.     Kearney Catholic   Quality wins abound for the Stars.   Kearney Catholic started the year with a four-set win over Scotus Central Catholic before setting its sights on a season-opening triangular. Victories over Aquinas Catholic and Hastings St. Cecilia added to an impressive early-season resume.   The one-two punch of [player_tooltip player_id='832720' first='Hazel' last='Haarberg'] and [player_tooltip player_id='809818' first='Natalee' last='Wright'] has anchored an explosive, efficient Kearney Catholic offense. Wright is hitting at a gaudy 0.444 clip, and junior middle blocker [player_tooltip player_id='812669' first='Danielle' last='Seim'] is not far behind at 0.423. Liv Mandernach and Roslyn Krohn deserve credit for co-opting the setter spot to help produce these percentages.

So far, so good.