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By the Numbers: Penn State Volleyball's 9-3 Season Before Facing Unbeaten Nebraska

By the Numbers: Penn State Volleyball's 9-3 Season Before Facing Unbeaten Nebraska

By: Landyn Empet | SportzWire | October 1, 2026 | Photo courtesy Landyn Empet

Penn State enters tonight's match at Rec Hall against Nebraska carrying a 9-3 record through 12 matches this season, a body of work that shows a team capable of beating strong opponents but also one that has dropped three matches to quality competition. The Nittany Lions, ranked #16, host the #1 ranked and undefeated Nebraska squad (13-0) in a matchup that will test everything this season says about this roster.

The numbers paint a picture of a balanced, high-volume offense. Penn State has out-hit its opponents .246 to .173 on the season, a gap built on 585 kills against 498 for the opposition, and the Nittany Lions have piled up 69 service aces compared to 60 allowed. Defensively, Penn State holds a 579 to 537 edge in digs and a wide blocking advantage, 110.5 team blocks to 89 for opponents, with 24 solo blocks compared to just 12 for the other side.

Kennedy Martin has been the engine of the team's attack. Through 12 matches and 40 sets, Martin has piled up 160 kills, tops on the team, while also leading Penn State in total points with 184.0. Her 4.00 kills per set and 4.60 points per set are the highest marks on the roster, and she has chipped in 31 total blocks (one solo, 30 assisted) to go with 8 service aces. Whitney Lauenstein has been right behind her offensively with 107 kills and 125.5 points across 36 sets, though she has also posted the most hitting errors on the team (53) over 289 attack attempts, a .187 hitting percentage. Gabrielle Nichols rounds out the top three kill producers with 77 kills in 40 sets, and she has posted the best hitting percentage among the team's high-volume hitters at .383, along with a team-high 49 total blocks (8 solo, 41 assisted).

Setter Alexis Stucky has orchestrated the offense with 362 assists in 38 sets played, an average of 9.53 assists per set, while also contributing 28 kills of her own on a .217 hitting percentage and 11 service aces. Danielle Whitmire has added depth at the position with 68 assists in limited action (13 sets).

Defensively, libero Ava Falduto has been everywhere, racking up a team-high 160 digs in 43 sets (3.72 per set). Jocelyn Nathan has added 50 digs in her 43 sets as part of Penn State's back-row rotation. Ryla Jones has provided a two-way presence, posting 55 kills and 91.0 points on a .381 hitting percentage, the best mark among Penn State's primary attackers, while also contributing 45 total blocks (7 solo, 38 assisted).

Looking at the match log, Penn State's three losses all came against ranked or Power Four competition: a 1-3 defeat at Michigan State, a 1-3 loss to Tennessee, and a 1-3 setback against Kentucky back on September 6. Sandwiched around those results have been wins over Michigan (3-1), South Florida (3-0), Villanova (3-1), Ohio (3-0), Stanford (3-0), DePaul (3-0), High Point (a five-set 3-2 battle), Hofstra (3-0), and UConn (3-0) to open the season.

The blocking totals suggest Penn State's front row, anchored by Nichols, Martin, and Jones, has been able to control the net against most of its schedule, posting a blocks-per-set average of 2.57 compared to 2.07 for opponents. Whether that advantage holds up against a Nebraska team that has not dropped a set this season will be one of the key questions when the two teams take the court at Rec Hall.

With Martin averaging 4.60 points per set, Lauenstein right behind at 3.49, and Stucky running the offense at a 9.53-assist-per-set clip, Penn State has the pieces that have produced nine wins so far. The stat sheet shows a team that hits for a strong percentage, serves aggressively, and blocks well. How those numbers translate against the nation's top-ranked, unbeaten team will play out tonight.

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