Kenna Cogill made her first career start for the Huskers on Friday, and Nebraska did not need long to show it could handle the moment. With Andi Jackson unavailable after an ankle injury earlier in the week, Nebraska swept DePaul 25-19, 25-13, 25-15 at Wintrust Arena in Chicago.
Cogill finished with four kills on 10 swings and a team-high seven blocks, giving Nebraska a steady middle-blocker performance in place of Jackson. The win came in front of 8,786 fans and kept Nebraska at 4-0.
Nebraska’s middles answered the call
Jackson suffered the injury Wednesday against South Dakota State, and Dani Busboom Kelly kept her out of the road match against DePaul. Jackson walked out for pregame warmups at Wintrust Arena in street clothes, but Nebraska did not need her to get by the Blue Demons.
Busboom Kelly said Nebraska’s middles delivered from the start, and that confidence showed throughout the match. She said she has a lot of confidence in all of the middles, outside of Jackson, to handle the job whether they are M1 or M2.
That depth mattered for a team that was already expected to lean on its front row this season. Cogill arrived in Lincoln in the summer of 2025, redshirted as a true freshman, and had only appeared in two sets before Friday. Still, she stepped into the lineup and helped Nebraska control the match from the opening set.
Cogill made the most of the opportunity
For Cogill, the first start came with some nerves, but also a clear chance to show what Nebraska has been building over the past couple months. She said that once the initial excitement settled down, it became more fun to show the work the team has put in during that stretch.
She also pointed to the blocking details Nebraska emphasized, especially reading the ball and being long and over the net. Cogill said she is taking what she learned from the match and focusing on being faster and getting over on her blocks.
The result was a clean road sweep and a useful sign for Nebraska. Jackson’s status still matters, and Sunday night against Missouri could be a possible return window, but Friday showed the Huskers have options in the middle when one of their top players is out.
That is a valuable development this early in the season. Nebraska entered the match needing a response after the ankle injury, and Cogill helped provide it.
