With the 2026 college volleyball season three days away, NCAA.com analyst Michella Chester has released her ranking of the top five returning setters entering the fall.

Nebraska's Bergen Reilly sits at the top, coming off a season in which she earned Big Ten Player of the Year honors and was a finalist for National Player of the Year.

Reilly also paced the Huskers with an NCAA-best .351 hitting percentage, a number that reflects her dual threat as both an orchestrator and a contributor in serve-receive and defense.

Chester describes Reilly as a complete player: a master of court positioning and volleyball IQ who is equally dangerous as a blocker and back-row defender. Few setters in the country can claim that combination at her level.

Starck Returns to Pitt Alongside Babcock

At No. 2, Chester ranks Pittsburgh's Izzy Starck, who sat out last season before returning to a Panthers roster now anchored by two-time reigning National Player of the Year Olivia Babcock (see also Babcock of Pitt Leads NCAA.com's Ranking of Top Returning Opposites for 2026).

Starck won the 2024 National Freshman of the Year award and accumulated 1,483 assists during a national championship run.

Chester noted that Starck's physicality sets her apart and said the volleyball world should be ready to see her thrive alongside that caliber of attacker.

Fuerbringer and Stucky Round Out the Big Ten Presence

Wisconsin's Charlie Fuerbringer checks in at No. 3 after leading the entire country with 12.34 assists per set last season while her offense ranked second nationally with a .327 team hitting percentage.

Chester praised Fuerbringer's out-of-system creativity and the consistent ability to put hitters in favorable positions.

Penn State transfer Alexis Stucky is fourth. She moves to Happy Valley to reunite with Kennedy Martin and, according to Chester, is expected to be fully healthy after working through an injury in 2025.

Chester sees Stucky as a technically precise setter who commands an offense from the ground up.

Anderson Edges Out a Tough Call at No. 5

The final spot came down to a close decision.

Chester ultimately chose Purdue's Taylor Anderson, who finished the 2025 season ranked first nationally in total assists, over Kentucky freshman-year standout Kassie O'Brien, who guided the Wildcats to the national championship game in her debut season.

Chester acknowledged the statistics between the two were nearly identical but gave the edge to Anderson's accumulated experience and what could be a breakout campaign for Purdue.

Honorable Mentions

O'Brien earned the first honorable mention alongside Louisville's Nayelis Cabello and Tennessee's Caroline Kerr. Chester's setter rankings are part of a broader NCAA.com position-by-position series also covering outside hitters and opposites ahead of opening weekend.