Nebraska volleyball gave us one of the most unforgettable sports scenes of our lifetimes

NewsTimeMedia August 31, 2023
Volleyball Day in Nebraska
Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images

This was unlike anything we’ve seen before.

Nebraska women’s volleyball didn’t just make a statement on Wednesday night, it made history. 92,003 fans packed Memorial Stadium to see one of the sport’s most dominant teams beat Omaha 3-0 on what was dubbed “Volleyball Day in Nebraska.” It was an event designed to raise more awareness of the sport, while showcasing Nebraska’s dominance — and it morphed into something few thought imaginable.

Those 92,003 fans became the largest crowd to ever attend a women’s sporting event, besting a mark set in April of 2022 when FC Barcelona had a recorded crowd of 91,648 to see their Champion’s League match against Wolfsburg.

It’s one thing to see those number in isolation, but another entirely to see how the night unfolded.

The Huskers did the iconic tunnel walk, and it was impossible not to get goosebumps

The view of the tunnel walk from the field was even more incredible, as the 90,000+ fans absolutely lost it for their team.

Lexi Rodriguez, the Huskers libero, is one of the best players in the country and a fan favorite. When it came time for her introduction naturally the place went wild.

The game itself was excellent, and really showcased just how good this Nebraska team is.

When it was over all this team could do was soak it all in.

By the end of the night it was enough to bring John Cook to tears, as the normally stoic Nebraska coach was overwhelmed by what the night meant to his team, women’s athletics, and sport as a whole.

This wasn’t just about the team, or the players, or even the school — it was about hundreds of people working together the showcase this one event. The work behind the scenes to rally a community behind Huskers volleyball was incredible, and the school took a chance to showcase how it all came together.

And in the end, history was made.

It’s impossible not to get emotional about something like this. The Nebraska volleyball game was everything we love about sports distilled into a single night, while showing once again that women’s sports are only contained by a lack of belief and imagination. On Wednesday night the school, the community believed — and we got history.

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