"They're in the same boat as me"- Harper Murray opens up on stepping into leadership alongside Nebraska Volleyball teammates Bergen Reilly and others

Harper Murray reflected on her experience stepping into a leadership role. With players like Merritt Beason, Lexi Rodriguez and others departing following their graduation, Murray is now one of the more experienced athletes in the program, having completed her freshman and sophomore years and currently entering her junior season.

Some of the prominent accomplishments of Murray’s collegiate career so far have been being named to the NCAA Championship All-Tournament Team in 2024, earning a spot on the AVCA All-Region Team in 2023 and 2024 and making the All-Big Ten First Team in both 2023 and 2024.

In an interview with 1890 Nebraska, Harper Murray recently reflected on whether it was easy for her to step into a leadership role or if she had to work on it. She responded to this saying it was a mix of both, stating:

“I think it's a mix of both. I've had to lead on my high school team, on my club team. And obviously that's a different level than the Big Ten volleyball. But, in ways I've learned and I've been able to learn from some of the best, like Lexi and Merritt, so it's a learning process, obviously.”

The 20-year-old also mentioned that she isn’t stepping into a leadership role alone as her other teammates Bergen Reilly, Andi Jackson and Laney Choboy are also juniors and are going through the same experience as her.

“But, I have Bergen, Andi, and Laney to do it with me as upperclassmen, and they're in the same boat as me, so we're all learning off of each other and just trying to learn every day and do what we can,” she added.

Nebraska Volleyball, notably, has opened its regular season with four wins in four games and will hope to continue their winning streak when they play Wright State on September 5.

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Nebraska Volleyball’s Harper Murray reflects on the skill she worked during off-season

Harper Murray at 2024 Division I Women's Volleyball Semifinals - Source: Getty

Harper Murray opened up on working on her personal growth and development beyond her physical skills. She shared that at this stage, she might not see major improvements in her physical ability as most growth typically happens during the first two years of college.

On being asked the skill she has been working on in the same interview, she said (01:14 onwards):

“Is it bad to say my leadership skills? Okay, then I would say that for sure. I mean, I think I'm kind of at the age where I might not get any better at volleyball…Now I'm at the point where it's like, I have to learn how to be a leader, a better teammate. I have to learn how to be more consistent, be smarter on the court. So, I feel like that's kind of where I'm at.”

She emphasized that her growth now happens more off the court. Additionally, she talked about adjusting to Dani Busboom Kelly’s coaching, her hobbies and the habits that help her stay calm, among other things during the interview.