Big Ten Announces 2024 Volleyball Preseason Honors

ROSEMONT, Ill. - The Big Ten Conference announced its 2024 volleyball preseason honors and preseason poll on Thursday, ahead of the third-annual Volleyball Media Days on August 5-6 at Big Ten Network Studios in Chicago.  

Nebraska, the reigning Big Ten Champion and National Runner-Up, received 13 first-place votes to secure the top spot in the preseason poll.  

Eleven schools were represented among the 18 student-athletes receiving preseason recognition.  

Three members of the preseason all-conference team were unanimous selections: Nebraska’s Merritt Beason and Lexi Rodriguez and Penn State’s Jess Mruzik. Rodriguez was named the 2023 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and Beason and Mruzik each earned unanimous First Team All-Conference recognition in 2023. The preseason team also features AVCA National Player of the Year and Big Ten Player of the Year, Sarah Franklin, Big Ten Setter of the Year, Bergen Reilly and Big Ten Freshman of the Year, Harper Murray.  

The preseason all-conference team also features three players from three of the four institutions that will be playing their first season in the Big Ten. Oregon’s Mimi Colyer, UCLA’s Anna Dodson and USC’s Mia Tuaniga each earned preseason recognition.  

The preseason poll and all-conference teams were voted on by the conference’s 18 head coaches. Six members of the preseason all-conference team are scheduled to attend Big Ten Volleyball Media Days next week.  

The complete list of Big Ten volleyball preseason honors is as follows: 

2024 BIG TEN VOLLEYBALL PRESEASON POLL 

1. Nebraska 

2. Wisconsin 

3. Penn State  

4. Purdue  

5. Minnesota  

6. Oregon 

7. USC 

8. UCLA 

9. Ohio State  

10. Indiana 

11. Illinois 

12. Michigan State  

13. Washington 

14. Maryland  

15. Michigan  

16. Northwestern 

17. Rutgers  

18. Iowa 

2024 BIG TEN VOLLEYBALL PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM 

Raina Terry, Gr., OH, Illinois  

Camryn Haworth, Sr., S, Indiana 

Melani Shaffmaster, RS-Sr., S, Minnesota  

MERRITT BEASON, Sr., OPP, Nebraska  

Taylor Landfair, Sr., OH, Nebraska  

Harper Murray, So., OH, Nebraska 

Bergen Reilly, So., S, Nebraska  

LEXI RODRIGUEZ, Sr., L, Nebraska  

Emily Londot, Gr., OH/OPP, Ohio State 

Mimi Colyer, Jr., OH, Oregon 

JESS MRUZIK, Gr., OH, Penn State  

Chloe Chicoine, So., OH, Purdue 

Eva Hudson, Jr., OH, Purdue  

Anna Dodson, Gr., MB, UCLA 

Mia Tuaniga, Sr., S, USC 

Carter Booth, Jr., MB, Wisconsin 

Sarah Franklin, Sr., OH, Wisconsin 

Anna Smrek, Sr., MB/OPP, Wisconsin        

Unanimous selection listed in ALL CAPS