Neff, Lane & Purdy Tabbed as All-Americans

12/10/2025 10:25:00 AM

Kearney, Neb. – Three members of the Nebraska Kearney volleyball team have earned All-American honors from either the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) or the Division II Conference Commissioner's Association (CCA).

Graduate setter Peyton Neff (North Platte) repeats as an AVCA first-team pick and then garners second-team CCA honors. She joins middle blocker and Athletic Hall of Fame member Erin Gudmundson (2002-05) as the only Loper volleyball players to be a three-time All-American; Neff was a 2023 h.m. AVCA pick. Finally, Neff, Gudmundson and middle Jeri Walkowiak (2008 & 2010) are UNK's only two-time first-team picks.

Next, outsides Carly Purdy (North Platte) and Emilee Lane (Hays, Kan.) are h.m. AVCA All-Americans. They become the 35th and 36th Loper volleyball AA's and this marks the third time in four years UNK has had an outside hitter earn All-American status (Asha Reiger, 2024; Emersen Cyza, 2022).

A panel of head coaches vote on the makeup of the AVCA team while sports information directors from around the country decide the CCA squad. A player must earn All-Region honors to reach the national ballot.

Neff came in at 11.2 assists, 2.7 digs, 0.7 kills and 0.7 blocks per set while hitting .281. She also served up 21 aces and appeared in 113 of a possible 114 sets. Finally, she ends up fifth on the career assist list (5,315) and 27th in career digs (1,160).

Graduating from UNK in just two years, Purdy's third season was a breakthrough as she led the team in both kills (391) and kills per set (3.49). Playing with a protective bandage on her left hand the second half of the year, she had 22 matches with a double digit kill total and also dug up 74 balls and had 55 blocks.

Right behind Purdy on offense was Lane; 359 kills and 3.23 kps. She hit .267, had 23 matches with at least 10 kills and recorded 82 digs and 40 blocks. Finally, Lane ends a four-year career with 908 kills and was the 2025 MIAA "A" Game Scholar Award winner.

UNK went 30-4 in 2025, hosting NCAA Central Regionals, winning the MIAA Tournament and being tri-MIAA regular season champs.

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