Four Huskers Named to AVCA Watch List
LINCOLN, Neb. – The American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) has announced its Watch List for its 2024 Division I Player of the Year Award, and Merritt Beason, Harper Murray, Bergen Reilly and Lexi Rodriguez of the Nebraska volleyball team were named to its inaugural list of 36 players.
A total of 36 players from 21 schools were named to the Watch List with Nebraska leading the way with four athletes, while Wisconsin and Pittsburgh were the only other schools with three.
The AVCA National Player of the Year Watch List will be narrowed down in November, and then the names of the finalists will be released before the AVCA Convention in mid-December. Players who are not on the initial AVCA Watch List may be added before November. 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 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. 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.
This season, Beason is averaging 2.82 kills per set for the Big Red. Over her last four matches, Beason is averaging 3.36 kills per set with a .353 hitting percentage.
Harper Murray, So., Outside Hitter
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.
Murray is off to a solid start to her sophomore season, leading the Huskers in kills with 3.18 per set with 2.30 digs per set and nine service aces.
Bergen Reilly, So., Setter
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 six career Big Ten Setter of the Week honors, including on Sept. 2 and Sept. 16 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. She ranks sixth nationally with 11.26 assists per set this season.
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 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.
Rodriguez has 1,547 career digs, which ranks fifth in school history. U.S. Olympian Justine Wong-Orantes is the career leader in digs at NU with 1,890. With 21 more digs, Rodriguez will tie Jennifer Saleaumua for No. 4 all-time.
