“We know how to close out games"- Andi Jackson gets real about the Nebraska volleyball team's mental toughness amid challenging situations

Nebraska Volleyball's Andi Jackson shared how the experience of the older players on the team helps the Huskers in closing out games and maintaining an undefeated streak. The Huskers proved their dominance by trouncing No. 11 Wisconsin Badgers 25-22, 25-19, 25-13 on November 1, 2025.

Andi Jackson, the junior middle blocker on the Huskers volleyball team, has been playing an integral role in writing success stories since her freshman year. She was part of the team that played in the NCAA semifinals against Penn State in 2024, and ended the year averaging 2.62 kills per set with a .439 hitting percentage, the fourth in school history.

Jackson carried forward her excellence in 2025 as well, helping her team sweep back-to-back wins with both offensive and defensive capacity. At the recent game against Wisconsin, the Nebraska Volleyball team emerged victorious 25-22, 25-19, 25-13, and extended its win streak to 21. Jackson added 12 kills on a .600 hitting percentage, trailing outsider hitter and headliner Harper Murray, who recorded 15 kills.

Following the win, Nebraska Volleyball's Jackson talked about how the experienced players on the team developed a killer instinct with their vast knowledge of the game. Taking pride in acing the closeout, Jackson said:

"We know how to close out games. The mental toughness aspect has been huge for us. It just comes with a level of maturity and more knowledge of the game," she said. (via Nebraska Cornhuskers)

The recent win meant the Huskers' first-ever Big Ten Discover Challenge win.

Nebraska Volleyball's Andi Jackson once shared why she didn't feel like herself on the court

Jackson at the 2023 Division I Women's Volleyball Championship - Source: Getty

Andi Jackson, one of the strongest defenders on the team, has often said that her ideal version on the court plays freely and never worries about others’ opinions. However, she didn't feel that way early on in the season, when she put a lot of pressure on herself.

"Just someone who plays free, like I said, I was just putting way too much pressure on myself, feeling like I had to prove to everyone who I was, and kind of like I lost in what I was actually playing for, and like the real reason that I love playing volleyball there for a minute." (beginning 11:30)

The middle blocker further added that she took a step back to reflect and made a promise to enjoy the game, as she has immense love for her college team and teammates.

"So then I again had to take it back to the basics and remember that I love volleyball because I get to be on the team, and I love this team that I am on and I love representing Nebraska, and it's so much bigger than myself and not necessarily that I was being selfish but I felt like I had to be someone that I wasn't when I was on the court. I had to remind myself that when I was playing like Andi, I was playing like free. I'm not worried about my mistakes, I'm not worried about my stats, I'm just going out there and having fun with my teammates." (via Hail Varsity)

Nebraska Volleyball's Jackson will next be on the court against Oregon on November 2, 2025.