Cooper done for the season

LINCOLN -- Nebraska will turn to redshirt freshman middle blocker Jordan Wilberger to replace starter Kori Cooper as the Huskers attempt to wrap up a share of the Big 12 volleyball title.

Cooper, a junior, injured her left knee in Wednesday’s loss at Texas. The Amarillo, Texas, native, a three-year starter for the Huskers, will undergo reconstructive knee surgery today.

Nebraska head coach John Cook said Cooper could return to limited action at some point during the team’s spring exhibition season.

“It looks like there’s every opportunity for her to be back 100 percent or better,” he said.

Cook said an MRI revealed a “clean tear” of the anterior cruciate ligament. The noncontact injury occurred as Cooper twisted the knee slightly upon landing after an attempted kill.

Cooper suffered a similar injury to her right knee at the start of her senior season in high school, but since arriving at Nebraska, she’s appeared in all but six matches.

This season, Cooper averaged 2.09 kills and 0.88 blocks per set. Her .396 hitting percentage, which ranks second in the Big 12, stands ninth on Nebraska’s all-time single-season list.

Wilberger, a walk-on from Scottsbluff, has appeared in six matches this season, producing seven kills in 10 swings. Wednesday’s action, however, was the first for Wilberger in over a month.

“She’s been the third middle all year, so she’s rotated with the first group in practice,” Cook said. “This is a great opportunity for her.”

Cook reiterated Thursday that he does not plan to pull freshman middle blocker Allison McNeal, the nation’s No. 4-ranked recruit out of high school, from her redshirt season.

“I’d like to protect that season,” he said.

Delano update - Cook said that it will be six weeks before Brooke Delano, the redshirt freshman from Bellevue West, can return to any kind of action.

Delano, who had been Nebraska’s top backup at all three attacking positions, was lost for the season after undergoing a surgical procedure last week stemming from appendicitis.

Lindsey Licht, who has been bothered by an elbow sprain, was sore following Wednesday’s match. But Cook said the injury appears to be getting better.

FAQ

Q: If Nebraska and Texas tie for the Big 12 title, which wins the tie-breaker?

A: Nebraska would earn the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament based on winning five more rallies than Texas in the teams’ head-to-head meetings. Officially, the teams would be recognized as co-champions.

Q: How will Wednesday’s loss alter Nebraska’s postseason seeding?

A: It may have no effect, considering NU has a win over Stanford and one fewer loss than Texas. Those three teams are the primary contenders for the No. 2 overall spot behind Penn State.

The NCAA selection committee, however, can take into account late-season injuries when putting together the bracket.