Fight for the Right: Opposite Battle

With All-American Merritt Beason graduating and two newcomers coming in at the right side, this season represents a shift in the modern Nebraska opposite. In recent years, most have been long, formerly-trained outsides that could hit the crafty shots but didn’t exactly overwhelm you with power. Think Beason, Krause, Lauenstein – they had a quick arm and contributed to a diverse offense, but they were never really considered the terminal go-to attacker (except 2023 Merb). Ryan Hunter and Allie Szcech bring something new to the position; power, aggression, and most excitingly – their heavy, left-handed arms. 

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The last lefty opposite that Nebraska had was 2019 with Jazz Sweet, and Hunter proved this spring season why it can be such a valuable advantage. Most blocks are acclimated to the typical righty-attacker, so when she goes up to swing, they line up with her right arm. It’s not until she hammers a crossbody kill through the hole in the block when they remember that the attacker is a lefty, and by that time, it's a bit too late. Lefty’s feel most natural on the right side while right-handed attackers may struggle hitting un-ideal sets. Think about all the times we saw Beason reaching outside or behind her body to get a swing, or make an error on an out-of-system set. It's no fault of her own, it can just be really hard to contort your body in such a way and still find the court. Now recall the out-of-system set that Teraya Sigler flung across the court to her freshman counterpart in Hunter – who had a fully-formed triple block before her, and still managed to bounce it 10 foot-line. That’s a shot that no righty would even attempt, but Hunter didn’t even think twice before pounding it through. But her left-handedness is merely an added perk to Hunters game, and her athletic ability goes far beyond a God-given gift. 

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Ryan Hunter, a 6 '2 opposite out of Charlotte, North Carolina, first caught the Husker Volleyball coaching staff's eye at Dream Team Camp, where she was described as an instant standout. If you watched any of her highlights at the time – you would know why. Despite starting the sport at a later age, Ryan’s raw athleticism and ability helped her catch up to, and quickly – exceed her peers. As a Junior at Cox Mill, she averaged 4.3 kills per set on a .317 clip, leading her school to a runner-up finish in the state tournament. She was named the Charlotte Observer North Carolina Player of Year and was a first-team all-state selection. Ryan looked unstoppable at the Triple Crown tournament, and was viewed as the best player there by many (including John Cook). She was dominant – until misfortune struck. She tore her ACL coming down from a swing, and would have to sit out her entire senior season. While this could have been a major mental detriment to many, Ryan made the most of her time recovering and training for when she could see the court again. If you watched her this spring, you wouldn’t even know she had such an injury. In fact, she looked even stronger and more confident on the court and in Husker Red, and as someone who has followed her journey from the start – I’m so proud and can’t wait to watch her talent bloom.

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In January, Allie Sczech (‘check’) – a 6 '4 opposite out of Baylor – would be pursuing her masters degree in Professional Journalism while also playing her final season for the Huskers. While she was initially recruited under John Cook, she had faith in Busboom-Kelly’s leadership taking over. The trust was mutual, Dani said of her; “Allie is a great person who has been all in on joining our program even through the coaching transition, which says a lot about her character and commitment to becoming a Husker. [She] is a proven and experienced player at this level and has a big left arm.” Last season, Szcech averaged 2.44 kills per set on a .273 hit percent, recording 80 digs and 72 blocks. She was a two-time All-Big 12 second-team selection, and a key component for the Baylor squad. She has proven to be terminal in December; averaging 4.13 kills per set on a .508 clip in NCAA tournament games. With her height, left-handedness, and veteran experience – Sczech brings an array of components that could benefit the team. She will arrive on campus at the end of May.

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It's hard to make a delineation on how this position battle will go down considering we haven’t seen Allie play in a Husker jersey yet, but if her film at Baylor says anything – it will be an incredibly tight competition. Busboom-Kelly said of Hunter that her only job is to “kill and block balls,” which she did a very good job of versus Kansas, but it’s hard to say what standards she will hold Szcech to. They both bring similar assets on the court, so it really narrows down to the nuanced aspects of their style and demeanor. Does she want a young spark-plug to bring the explosive energy? Or would it be better to opt for the mature graduate player that can provide consistency and leadership? These are the questions that Busboom-Kelly must answer, and sometimes it may depend on the specific matchup. Dani expects that they will be tweaking the line-up into conference play, so don’t expect anything to be written in stone. 

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Also, it has been recently revealed that Virginia Adriano, a 6’5 opposite out of Italy, is rumored to be joining the Huskers next season. I have been aware of this for sometime, but it seemed like it wasn’t going to come through. While this would significantly shake up the position battle, I’m going to hold off on assumptions until we get an official confirmation. Keep an eye out!

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