Reilly Earns Player, Setter of the Year Honors from the Big Ten

After winning the Big Ten Setter of the Year award during her first two seasons, Bergen Reilly appeared to have mastered her craft. 

However, the Nebraska setter raised her game during her junior year, elevating her play and the Huskers’ attack to new heights. On Tuesday, Reilly was named the Big Ten Setter of the Year for the third time and also claimed the league’s Player of the Year award. 

Reilly said she was honored to receive the award, but credited her teammates for helping her achieve so much success. 

“We always talk about how these awards are really team awards, and especially as a setter,” she said during an interview on BTN. “I couldn’t have any success without great passers and great hitters around me. I’m just so thankful that I have such great teammates, such a great support staff. It’s so cool, and I’m honored, and I’m blessed.”

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In addition, Dani Busboom Kelly was named the Big Ten Coach of the Year. Reilly, middle blocker Andi Jackson, outside hitter Harper Murray and middle blocker Rebekah Allick made the All-Big Ten first-team, with the first three being unanimous selections. 

Senior outside hitter Taylor Landfair and junior libero Laney Choboy were named to the second-team Big Ten. Opposite Virginia Adriano earned a spot on the all-freshman Big Ten Team. Senior defensive specialist Maisie Boesiger was Nebraska’s sportsmanship honoree.

Busboom Kelly said she liked how the Big East recognizes its coaches by naming a Coaching Staff of the Year. Given everything that her assistants and administration did for her, she also wanted to thank them. 

“For this year, more than any year, for me personally, it could be more true,” she said. “Moving, changing jobs, having a baby — the staff has been super incredible, and could not have done it without them.”

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In the other Big Ten awards, Penn State's Gillian Grimes was named the Big Ten Libero of the Year and Oregon's opposite Alanah Clemente earned the league’s Freshman of the Year award. 

Reilly is the first Nebraska player to win the Player of the Year award since outside hitter Kelsey Robinson in 2013. 

The Sioux Falls, South Dakota, native has guided the Huskers’ offense to a .352 hitting percentage, which is on pace to shatter the school record of .331 set in 1986. NU was even more efficient during league play, posting a .379 hitting percentage in Big Ten matches. She kept everyone involved in the offense as all five of the Huskers’ starting attackers averaged more than 2 kills per set.

After the Huskers swept Wisconsin on Oct. 31, UW coach Kelly Sheffield called Reilly “the best player in the conference.”

NU coach Dani Busboom Kelly said Reilly’s consistency helped make her one of the top players in the country. The Huskers hit above .300 in every Big Ten match except for one (.299 against UCLA) and in 26 of NU’s 30 matches this season. Often during games, Busboom Kelly will look at the stats and think they need to get a specific player involved in the offense, and without saying anything, Reilly will start getting them more swings.

“You haven’t seen any dips in our offense,” she said. “Besides just her setting, she’s always leading the team in digs, and she’s blocking great, and one of our better servers. Being the complete player is really important to our team.”

Reilly finished fifth in the Big Ten with 10.31 assists per set, but that number is deflated as she gave way to freshman Campbell Flynn in some matches. She is also the best defensive setter in the league as she topped the position group with 2.73 digs and .67 blocks per set. 

“I’m so grateful for getting to block next to her because Bergen is a really good blocker,” Junior middle blocker Andi Jackson said. “She's so sneaky. I think teams really underestimate her when she’s blocking, but she’s really smart, and she has great hands up there.”

Nebraska’s offense has taken a step forward even as its passing hasn’t been as sharp. The Huskers’ hitting percentage is up 73 points despite their good passing percentage dropping from 59.6 last year to 54.5. 

Taylor Landfair has seen her attacking percentage go from .215 last year to .320 this year. She said Reilly puts in the work to develop connections with her attackers and takes their feedback on where they want the ball delivered. 

While almost all of Reilly’s attackers are back from last year, two new elements have helped her raise her level of play: Busboom Kelly and Flynn. Both have helped Reilly become more comfortable taking risks and not just settling for the easy set. 

Busboom Kelly said Flynn is a more natural risk-taker as a setter. She isn’t afraid to whip it around to attackers to give them clean looks. Seeing that more style in practice has rubbed off on Reilly and impacted the way she sets.

The area that has benefited the most from the aggressive offense is the middle blockers. Jackson set a new Big Ten record with a .559 hitting percentage in league matches and leads the nation this season with a .471 for the season with a career-best 2.75 kills per set. Allick will set new career highs with 2.52 kills per set and a .431 hitting percentage. Both are in the Top 11 in the nation for attacking percentage. 

Reilly said she makes decisions on offense based on what the defense is doing and how her teammates are playing.

“A lot of times it really is just a feel and feed the hot hand. I am always a big proponent of that, so it depends on the situation,” she said. “I joke with my family, I have the easiest job on the court because I have so many great people around me that there’s really no bad decision at any time.”

Murray also set career bests this season with 3.55 kills per set on a .304 hitting percentage. She said that as Reilly gains more experience, she sees the game differently.

“I don't think Bergen has ever been the type to make the easy set. She, as a player and as a person, is willing to try new things and willing to fail,” Murray said. “She’s obviously one of the best setters in the country, and I think she’s proving that, and she deserves all the recognition that she’s getting.”

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