Batenhorst, Head transferring; AVCA poll; Stanford, Ohio State men win twice

Two prominent outside hitters are transferring in NCAA women’s volleyball, Hampton hired a coach, the AVCA men’s top 20 is out, and the Stanford men opened their season with back-to-back wins over Loyola Chicago.

BATENHORST LEAVES NEBRASKA: Ally Batenhorst, a 6-foot-5 outside hitter for the Huskers, will graduate in three years and is moving on. 

The product of Houston was fourth in kills for Nebraska this season with 224 (2.58/set) and hit .189. She had 52 blocks. Earlier in the season she was rotating with Lindsay Krause, but after Krause was injured Batenhorst rarely came out. In the national championship match against Texas, Batenhorst had two kills and five errors. 

Not only do freshman All-American Harper Murray and Krause return at outside hitter, but Nebraska is getting transfer Taylor Landfair — the 2022 Big Ten player of the year — from Minnesota and highly touted recruit Skyler Pierce, who was the MVP of the recent UANext All-Star match.

Said Batenhorst on Instagram: 

“Thank you Nebraska Volleyball for the past 3 years of my life. Words cannot describe how grateful I am for the unconditional support from my family, friends, my teammates, my coaches, the staff, and husker nation. With that being said, I have chosen to enter the transfer portal and start my masters degree elsewhere. This was one of the hardest decisions i’ve ever had to make, but I have decided that this is what’s best for me personally. My heart is so full and I wouldn’t trade my experience as a husker for the world. I can’t express how much love I have for the incredible people I have met during my time with the program. It has been truly unforgettable and the memories will last forever. Can’t wait to see what God’s plan has in store for me. GBR forever”

Click here for her message to fans on TikTok. 

HEAD HEADS TO FSU: Arkansas outside Taylor Head, a VolleyballMag third-team All-American, is going to spend her graduate year at Florida State and play both indoors and on the beach. Head is from Winter Garden, Florida, which is near Orlando and about 230 miles from Tallahassee. This past season, Head had 494 kills (.3.89/set) and hit .231. She had 36 aces and 406 digs (3.2/set). 

Head and teammates Jillian Gillen, a VBM second-teamer, and Hannah Hogue (VBM honorable mention) made the first all-SEC team. Gillen has graduated…