John Cook calls Christina Houghtelling a “chemistry player,” the type who makes everybody on the team better just by her very presence on the volleyball court. But physics, too, has played a role in Houghtelling’s rapid emergence as the leader for the top-ranked Huskers this season. Rule No. 1 as it pertains to the junior outside hitter — a volleyball set into motion will remain in motion until it hits the opponent’s court.

“I feel a lot more explosive, a lot more powerful,” said Houghtelling, who readily admits she’s a different player this season. “I wanted to make our outside attack better because it was a little inconsistent last year.

“Our swings are so much more powerful, and we’re a lot smarter with our shots. We’re already stronger than we were last year, and it could always go up from there.”

Houghtelling’s rise has been dramatic. She didn’t break into the starting lineup for good until the final five regular-season matches of 2004, and even then, she was pulled twice due to ineffectiveness.

But this season, Houghtelling has been a model of consistency through Nebraska’s first four matches. She was MVP of the College Volleyball Showcase, a tournament that featured six All-Americans last season.

Entering today’s showdown at No. 6 Minnesota, Houghtelling is averaging 4.0 kills a game on .430 hitting. That compares quite favorably to her first two seasons at NU when Houghtelling averaged nearly 2.5 kills a game and hit at only a .235 clip.

Improving the efficiency of its outside hitters is considered a key to Nebraska’s hopes of winning the national title.

“If you have outside hitters that can raise their level of play a notch, it certainly impacts your team,” said Cook, Nebraska’s sixth-year coach. “They’re touching the ball so much, at least in our system, when they’re playing all the way around. They’re hitting front-row, back-row, they’re blocking, they’re passing, they have a lot of ball-touches that determine what happens.

“And with Chris, physically she has just willed herself to becoming an elite-level athlete this season.”

Houghtelling’s gains came as the result of several factors. The junior is now settled into a position and is free of the pain that led to offseason arthroscopic knee surgery following her freshman year.

As a result of the surgery, Houghtelling missed out on summer workouts a year ago. An active participate in the program this spring and summer, and after a stint training and playing within the U.S. national program, Houghtelling has added 5 inches to the height of her jump since first arriving at NU. She now touches over 10 feet, 2 inches.

The women’s net is set at 7-41/8.

Cook says that the stronger, more-refined Houghtelling is now able to play the game in slow-motion.

“Oh man,” said senior teammate Jennifer Saleaumua. “She still pounds the heck out of the ball, but she’s gotten smarter about her shots and tooling the block.”

Said sophomore Sarah Pavan: “Last year, yeah, she was a good attacker, but this year she just has so much more confidence. She’s seeing the court so much better. If you want to be successful hitting at this level, you have to see the block and you have to see the defense.”

Houghtelling, along with the Huskers’ impressive efficiency numbers, will no doubt be tested in today’s 1 p.m. match against unbeaten Minnesota at the Sports Pavilion. In recent seasons, NU has struggled against teams with liberos capable of taking over a match, and Minnesota has perhaps the best to ever play the position collegiately in senior Paula Gentil.

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Already third among the all-time NCAA leaders in digs, Gentil averaged 7.11 digs a game in Minnesota’s three tournament wins last weekend. Opponents hit just .014 against the Golden Gophers, who are seeking a third consecutive final-four appearance.

Minnesota’s offensive productivity figures to improve once transfer Sarah Florian is integrated into the attack. While at Southern California last season, Florian produced 16 kills and 15 digs against the Huskers in the NCAA regional. Florian has yet to play this season. Another transfer, former Arizona outside hitter Meghan Cumpston, has played only sparingly for the Golden Gophers.

Minnesota returns two first-team All-Americans in Gentil and setter Kelly Bowman. Freshman Kyla Roehrig from Papillion-La Vista has provided an immediate impact and leads the Golden Gophers in kills (25) and blocks (11).

“They’re going to be really good, and playing at Minnesota on the third day of a four-day trip, we’re really going to have to dig down deep,” Cook said. “But that’s what we want.”

When challenged by defending national champion Stanford last month, Cook saw a heightened level of composure from this year’s Nebraska team. He credited Houghtelling, whose demeanor, he says, fits perfectly with her role as co-captain.

“We knew she was a great athlete when we recruited her, she just wasn’t a great volleyball player,” Cook said. “Now you’re seeing what she’s got.”

Reach Todd Henrichs at 473-7439 or thenrichs@journalstar.com.