Harper Murray: Poised for a Breakout Season and a Shot at National Player of the Year
As the 2025 NCAA women’s volleyball season approaches, few names generate as much buzz as Harper Murray. The 6-foot-2 outside hitter for the Nebraska Cornhuskers enters her sophomore season not just as a rising star, but as a legitimate contender for National Player of the Year. After an electrifying freshman campaign where she shattered expectations, Murray is ready to elevate her game—and take the college volleyball world by storm.
Murray, a former Gatorade National Player of the Year in high school, brought an elite pedigree to Lincoln, and she didn’t disappoint. She racked up over 450 kills in her debut season, averaging 3.9 per set while hitting at a blistering .312 clip. Her explosive vertical, laser-precise court awareness, and deceptive shot selection made her nearly unstoppable at the net. But what truly set her apart was her ability to deliver in clutch moments. Whether it was a fifth-set nail-biter against Wisconsin or a nationally televised showdown with Texas, Murray played with the poise of a seasoned veteran.
“She’s got that killer instinct,” said Coach John Cook in a preseason interview. “You can’t teach what she brings to the floor—the way she reads the defense, her competitiveness, her presence. She’s different.”
The summer of 2025 only added fuel to the fire. Murray spent two months training with USA Volleyball’s U21 team, honing her back-row defense and refining her serve receive—two areas she’s laser-focused on improving. The results were immediate. In early preseason scrimmages, she displayed a more complete game: diving saves, smooth transitions, and a nastier topspin serve that left even her teammates flat-footed.
What also separates Murray is her mental edge. A self-described “volleyball nerd,” she’s notorious for watching hours of film and analyzing her opponents’ tendencies down to the smallest detail. “If a blocker’s right foot turns half an inch, I want to see it,” she joked during a media session. That obsessive preparation has paid off—she led the team in points earned per rotation in 2024 and is expected to surpass that in 2025.
With the Cornhuskers returning nearly their entire starting lineup, expectations for a national title are sky-high. But inside the program, there’s a quiet confidence that this season could be something special—because Harper Murray is no longer just a precocious freshman. She’s becoming the face of collegiate volleyball.
If her trajectory continues, Harper Murray could join the elite company of players like Logan Eggleston, Kathryn Plummer, and Foluke Akinradewo—legends who defined their eras. As Nebraska chases championship gold, the spotlight will burn bright. But for Murray, the moment seems not only manageable, but made for her.
This isn’t just a breakout year. It’s the beginning of a dynasty. And Harper Murray is ready to lead it.
