Nebraska volleyball seniors Nicklin Hames and Lexi Sun were voted to the 2021 Preseason All-Big Ten Team by the league’s 14 head coaches, the conference office announced Monday. The coaches also picked the Huskers as the No. 2 team in the Big Ten Preseason Poll behind Wisconsin. Sun is a two-time All-American and two-time All-Big Ten honoree heading into her fifth year of eligibility. In 2020-21, she led the Huskers with 3.64 kills per set and added 2.21 digs per set, recording five double-doubles and reaching double-digit kills in 15 of 19 matches. The Encinitas, Calif., native was named Big Ten Player of the Week twice during the 11-week regular season. She earned her second straight third-team All-America award, as well as second-team Academic All-America plaudits.
Hames picked up second-team All-America recognition and her second straight All-Big Ten award in 2020-21. The Maryville, Tenn., native averaged a conference-leading 10.91 assists per set and led NU to a .270 hitting percentage, the second-best mark in the Big Ten. Hames also averaged 2.91 digs per set and posted 10 double-doubles in 19 matches. She surpassed the 3,000 career assists milestone to become the fourth Husker setter in program history to reach that mark. Defending Big Ten champion Wisconsin was the unanimous choice by the coaches as the top team in the Big Ten Preseason Poll. Nebraska, Penn State, Minnesota and Purdue rounded out the top five teams.
