The Nebraska volleyball team will enter their first season in the Big Ten as a national title contender. The Huskers rank fifth in the preseason AVCA volleyball coaches poll, released yesterday afternoon. Nebraska is one of three Big Ten teams ranked in the top ten of the poll, joining eighth-ranked Illinois and number one ranked Penn State, winner of the last four national championships. USC, Cal, and Texas round out the top five just ahead of the Huskers, who went 29-3 last season and made it to the NCAA Regional round for the seventeenth consecutive season. Minnesota, Purdue, Ohio State and Michigan also made the top 25 from Nebraska’s new conference. In addition to facing six ranked teams in conference action, the Huskers will play number 15 Colorado State and number 18 Iowa State in non-conference matches.