The first month can serve many purposes for a college volleyball team. It lets them face tough challenges to build toughness, figure out the best lineup or, with a different approach, earn early-season wins to make the season look better. 

All 18 Big Ten teams finished the nonconference season with winning records. That doesn’t mean those records mean the same thing. You’d likely get laughed out of the room if you tried to argue that Maryland (10-1) was a better team than Wisconsin (6-4).

Here are the power rankings as league play kicks off for everyone starting on Thursday. Included are each team’s best win, their ranking in the AVCA Coaches Poll, the RPI (which is still a big wonky right now), Evollve’s ranking of probability of winning a point against an average team, and the Massey computer rankings. Also included is each team’s strength of schedule to help gauge how tough of a lineup they faced during the first month of the season. 

Best Win: 3-0 vs Texas, Aug. 30

AVCA: 1; RPI: 8; Evollve: 2; Massey: 1

RPI SOS: 95

The Huskers have cruised through most of the first and only dropped three sets.  Outside hitter Teraya Sigler and middle blocker Manaia Ogbechie have emerged as reliable attackers. If Harper Murray can get back on track attacking, the Huskers will have the inside track for another league crown. NU made quick work of its only Top 10 match against Texas, but will get tested early with Penn State, Indiana and Wisconsin in the first two weeks of October. 

Best Win: 3-0 vs Louisville, Aug. 22

AVCA: 6; RPI: 12; Evollve: 16; Massey: 6

RPI SOS: 3

The Badgers endured a gauntlet of a schedule and took some lumps along the way. They lost matches to Kentucky, Stanford, Pitt and Texas. Their freshmen gained valuable experience, including outside hitter Audrey Flanagan, libero Anna Bardaro and middle blocker Lynney Tarnow. UW got a big boost when Decelise Champion joined the team and worked her way into the lineup. The 6-foot-6 opposite is a difference maker and raises the Badgers’ potential. The tough schedule doesn’t let up in the Big Ten as five of their first six matches are against ranked teams.

Best Win: 3-0 vs SMU, Sept. 13

AVCA: 10; RPI: 13; Evollve: 11; Massey: 12

RPI SOS: 25

Injuries have once again hit the Boilermakers. They announced that they lost All-American outside hitter Kenna Wollard before the season started to an undisclosed medical situation, but haven’t dipped in form. Redshirt freshman Addy Tindall has stepped up and is averaging more than 4 kills per set while hitting .357. The match with the Badgers on Sunday in Mackey Arena will be an electric atmosphere. 

Best Win: 3-0 vs Stanford, Sept. 11

AVCA: 14; RPI: 11; Evollve: 28; Massey: 18

RPI SOS: 10

While Nebraska received a lot of attention for their country-spanning nonconference schedule, the Nittany Lions have also played matches in several unusual venues. They dropped the exhibition match to SMU at AT&T Stadium in Texas, actually got to play a full match at Wrigley Field (but lost to Kentucky) and then swept Stanford in the historic Palestra in Philadelphia. Alexis Stucky has helped elevate the offense as Kennedy Martin continues to put up big numbers. Whitney Lauenstein looks like she can play on the left side. Freshmen Haley Burgdorf and Finley Krystkowiak have flashed potential, but haven’t been consistent enough. 

Best Win: 3-0 vs Creighton, Aug. 29

AVCA: 15; RPI: 28; Evollve: 12; Massey: 17

RPI SOS: 71

The Gophers have played twice as many matches this fall in Sioux Falls, South Dakota (4), as they have in their home gym (2). The good news is three of their first four Big Ten games will be in Maturi Pavilion. After missing last season, Mckenna Wucherer has broken out this season with 5.21 kills per set, which is second in the NCAA. The fifth-year senior is also hitting .388 with 21 aces in 28 sets (.75 aces per set is also top 10 in the nation). And in good news, the Gophers have not had to deal with any major health issues this season. 

Best Win: 3-2 vs Texas A&M, Sept. 2

AVCA: 18; RPI: 20; Evollve: 19; Massey: 21

RPI SOS: 33

The Hoosiers’ two losses — Louisville and Tennessee — look better as the season progresses. Indiana is a tough serving team, with at least eight aces in its last five matches, and defensive specialist Emma Segal recorded nine during that stretch. Sophomore Jaidyn Jager leads the attack with 3.97 kills per set. The Hoosiers host UCLA and Maryland this weekend and are trying to start the Big Ten season 2-0 for the first time since 1985. 

Best Win: 3-1 vs San Diego, Sept. 13

AVCA: 20; RPI: 26; Evollve: 24; Massey: 15

RPI SOS: 124

The Ducks took care of business in the nonconference, winning every match against unranked teams, but fell to Arizona State in four sets in their only chance against a Top 25 team. Sophomore opposite Alanah Clemente has missed two matches (illness vs UC Davis and injury vs Oregon State), but Oregon hasn’t missed a beat with her out. Valentina Valuet leads the offense with 3.6 kills per set while Gonzaga transfer Sjakkie Donkers has added a spark as well with 17 kills against San Diego. The Ducks have the unenviable task of opening league play on the road at Wisconsin and Minnesota. 

Best Win: 3-0 vs Cincinnati, Sept. 11 

AVCA: RV; RPI: 21; Evollve: 8; Massey: 22

RPI SOS: 189

For the second straight year, the Spartans went 10-0 in the nonconference schedule. Last year, that resulted in an 8-12 Big 12 season. Are better fortunes ahead for Kristen Kelsay’s second season in East Lansing? Perhaps. They could have been 11-0, but the match against Wright State was canceled as MSU’s campus experienced a power outage. The Spartans will need to get their wins early because they have five teams ahead of them in the rankings (and Michigan) during the final four weeks. As a team, the Spartans are hitting .345, the best in the nation.  

Best Win: 3-0 vs Arizona State, Aug. 29

AVCA: 23; RPI: 79; Evollve: 47; Massey: 28

RPI SOS: 96

The Trojans started the year strong with a win over the Sun Devils, but things have been bumpy since then. Losses to Creighton and Texas are passable, but they also fell in four to Colorado and were then swept by Pepperdine, both at home. Opposite Abigail Mullen and middle blocker Leah Ford didn’t appear in the Pepperdine match, with no reason provided. USC bounced back with a sweep over UCSB, where Papillion native Mia Tvrdy finished with 16 blocks, a school record for three sets in the rally-scoring era. 

Best Win: 3-0 vs Long Beach State, Aug. 29

AVCA: RV; RPI: 16; Evollve: 22; Massey: 10

RPI SOS: 41

The Bruins are off to a solid start under first-year coach Matt Werle, with an 8-2 mark, their best since 2021. Their only losses have come to No. 3 Kentucky and a five-setter against then-No. 25 BYU. The Bruins have been all over the country, and their only home match was on Aug. 29 against Long Beach State. Their next one is Oct. 2, meaning they’ll be away from Pauley Pavilion all of September. Marianna Singletary is fifth in the nation with 1.71 blocks per set, and she already has three nine-block performances this season. Maggie Li has only played in five matches but is averaging 3.4 kills per set.

Best Win: 3-0 vs Cincinnati, Sept. 5

AVCA: RV; RPI: 32; Evollve: 25; Massey: 32

RPI SOS: 117

The Wolverines dropped their only nonconference match against a ranked team, falling in four sets to TCU. They also dropped a five-setter to South Carolina. Michigan has ventured outside of Ann Arbor just twice for a pair of games in Valparaiso, Indiana, and two more in Tampa. Ella Demetrician has taken a big step forward for the Wolverines. The junior outside hitter’s kills per set went from 2.87 to 4.23, and her hitting percentage jumped 58 points to .272. Michigan leads the Big Ten with 14.51 kills per set.  

Best Win: 3-0 vs Lipscomb, Sept. 10

AVCA: RV; RPI: 14; Evollve: 26; Massey: 19

RPI SOS: 91

The Huskies join Nebraska and Michigan State by also finishing nonconference undefeated for the second straight year. Washington’s only wins over P4 teams came during the Big Ten-SEC challenge with sweeps against Oklahoma and Ole Miss, which are expected to finish in the bottom half of their league. Freshman libero Kaitlyn Nguyen posted 26 digs in their three-set win over South Dakota to tie the school record. The youth movement is on as second-year player Simona Mateska leads the team in kills/set (3.58) and freshman Kylie Kleckner is second at 3.31 while sophomore Andrea Fabikovicová runs the offense.

Best Win: 3-0 vs Rice, Sept. 6

AVCA: NA; RPI: 44; Evollve: 21; Massey: 36

RPI SOS: 68

A couple of teams ahead of the Illini picked up wins against Cincinnati, but the Illini could not, falling 15-12 in the fifth set to open the season. They also stuffed losses to Tennessee and split a home-and-home with Marquette. Tennessee transfer Paityn Chapman leads the attack with 3.76 kills/set, and the team is hitting .302 for the season, 11th best in the nation. They get a tough road to start the conference season hosting Minnesota and USC before visiting the Pacific Northwest to play Oregon and Washington. 

Best Win: 3-0 vs Iowa State, Sept. 8. 

AVCA: NA; RPI: 38; Evollve: 65; Massey: 65

RPI SOS: 55

The Hawkeyes started the year strong with three straight wins, but got tripped up against Alabama and Mississippi State in the Big Ten-SEC Challenge. Their only other setback was a home loss to Missouri State. Maybe most importantly, they are the Iowa state champions with wins over the Cyclones and Drake. (Iowa didn’t play Northern Iowa, which lost to ISU.) The Hawkeyes have a balanced offense as six players have played more than 20 sets and averaged more than 2 but less than 3 kills per set. They play their final nonconference match Tuesday night against Milwaukee. 

Best Win: 3-1 at Ball State, Sept. 17

AVCA: NA; RPI: 45; Evollve: 68; Massey: 77

RPI SOS: 26

The season started with a thud as the Wildcats dropped matches to George Mason and American in the opening weekend. Northwestern also lost a five-setter at home to Green Bay.  Freshman Ellie Stiernagle has 447 in 11 matches and is running a balanced offense, with three pin hitters averaging more than 3 kills/set. The Wildcats kick off the Big Ten schedule by hosting the Los Angeles schools this weekend. 

Best Win: 3-1 vs Arkansas, Sept. 2

AVCA: NA; RPI: 69; Evollve: 34; Massey: 52

RPI SOS: 216

The Terrapins have already exceeded their 2025 win total before September ends. Last year, Maryland went 8-22 after a 1-19 Big Ten record. They’ve done it against a super soft schedule. Their only loss came to Vanderbilt, ranked No. 2 in the RPI. Maryland is hitting .335, only trailing Michigan State in the country, and Sara Toth tops the Big Ten with 11.59. Eva Rohrbach is hitting .475 with more than a block per set. The Terps will likely get a rude awakening back to reality when they travel to Purdue and Indiana to start Big Ten play. 

Best Win: 3-0 vs Arkansas, Sept. 1

AVCA: NA; RPI: 56; Evollve: 89; Massey: 106

RPI SOS: 88

Another team that got off to an ominous start as the Scarlet Knights dropped a five-set match to IPFW (6-7) in the opener. They swept Arkansas and took a set off Vanderbilt, but the rest of the field is filled with mid- and low-majors. Rutgers has served tough to start the year as Karis Willow (25) and Lily Bolen (24) lead the league in aces. (They are third and 10th, respectively, in the Big Ten in aces/set.) After opening with Nebraska on Friday, they get a measuring-stick game at Iowa on Saturday. 

Best Win: 3-0 vs Virginia, Sept. 19

AVCA: NA; RPI: 74; Evollve: 77; Massey: 72

RPI SOS: 115

Despite big hopes of turning the Buckeyes’ fortunes around, this season appears to be a struggle bus in Columbus. OSU started with a loss to Bowling Green and then lost both legs of the Big Ten-SEC challenge to Ole Miss and Oklahoma. They’ve won five in a row, but needed five sets to fend off Winthrop (4-5), Youngstown State (4-7) and Virginia (4-5). None of their seven wins have come against teams with a winning record. The offense is struggling, as OSU ranks second-to-last in the league in kills per set, assists per set and hitting percentage. Newcomer Naomy Govou leads the Buckeyes with 3.41 kills/set. The Buckeyes also get early conference matches against Iowa and Rutgers to try to turn things around.