Last week, after the huddle between the Louisville Cardinals and Stanford, WDRB News Sports Director Tyler Greever couldn’t help but spotlight Elena Scott. As a diehard fan of the Cardinals’ women’s volleyball team, Greever rarely misses a game and always acknowledges standout players. But this time, he went the extra mile. On X, he quoted Cardinals’ head coach Dani Busboom Kelly’s high praise for one player in particular—Elena Scott, the team’s libero.

On Sunday, the Louisville Cardinals stepped on the accelerator to topple Stanford. Ultimately, at the KFC Yum! Center, the Cards defeated their opponent in straight sets, moving to 10-2 this season. Each of the players from the Louisville Cardinals contributed to this victory. Being the libero, Elena Scott did her job, with 13 digs and seven assists. But it was her awareness and never-say-die attitude that received the praise.

Being purely a back-row player, every time Elena dived hard whenever she smelled a chance to collect the extra points in the game. That’s why Dani Busboom Kelly titled the match against Stanford as the best in Scott’s career. Greever agreed with that. And now, it seems that AVCA Volleyball also feels the same.

As per the update, on Monday, the authority declared Elena Scott as the National Player of the Week. Her scintillating contribution of a 6.5 digs-per-set average had a definite role in giving the Louisville Cardinals two back-to-back victories last week. Naturally, such a stellar achievement has made the fans emotional.

One such fan posted on X, “A libero for National Player of the Week!?!?! I’M IN HEAVEN!!!!!!! Nobody more deserving this week. @elenaascott absolutely BALLED OUT!!!” Furthermore, the fan’s amazement also explains the uniqueness of Scott’s achievement as a libero. Notably, along with Elena, three more players have received the same title of National Player of the Week.

The concerned names? Audrey Koenig (outside hitter), Celia Cullen (setter), and Breonna Goss (middle blocker). Yet, despite all the standout performances, one key position often flies under the radar—the libero. This time, though, Elena Scott’s stellar showing had everyone cheering. Meanwhile, Defensive Player of the Week didn’t go to any libero either. Instead, it went to Bianka Lulic, the middle blocker from the Miami Hurricanes volleyball team. So, according to the fans, the libero remains the unsung hero in volleyball despite consistently showing up and showing out. Remember Kate Georgiades from the University of Houston Cougars?

On December 2, 2022, something spectacular happened in the NCAA Women’s Division I Volleyball Championship. In the match against South Dakota, Georgiades dove headfirst into a table to keep the ball alive—yes, into a table. She rushed back onto the court to set her team up, which eventually led to a point. But did she get the credit she deserved for her heroics? Nope, and that’s where the libero’s struggle for recognition hits hard.

Add to that the recent change in NCAA rules regarding liberos, and fans have been feeling the frustration. The new rule says, “Each team is now allowed to designate two liberos for each set of the match. Only one libero would be allowed on the court at a time, and the libero would be allowed to serve in one position.” While it opens up options, it’s also made the libero’s role more restricted in some ways. That’s why fans were extra thrilled to see Elena Scott’s recognition. Their comments say it all!

Fans feel satisfied after watching Elena Scott enter history as a libero 

As a libero, Elena Scott’s performance has truly set her apart, earning her standout recognition from the AVCA—and let’s be honest, achievements like this don’t come around every day, especially for liberos. One fan even pointed out just how rare this moment is, writing, “I think this settles the Elena Scott vs Lexi Rodriquez debate. The last time a Libero won this award was in 2006.”

Speaking of Lexi Rodriguez, she’s a name that means success in the libero world. Playing for Nebraska’s women’s volleyball team, she’s been one of their most consistent and reliable players, racking up accomplishments left and right. Her outstanding performance has even caught the attention of the national squad. So, for fans, it’s only natural to draw comparisons between Elena Scott and Lexi Rodriguez. Some are even saying Scott is stepping into Rodriguez’s legendary shoes. One fan summed up the challenge perfectly, setting the tone for just how big this moment is for Scott.

The concerned fan shared, “The best Libero in college volleyball and it’s not even close.” That can be a matter of debate. However, in the present scenario, Scott stands to be one of the top names among the liberos. That made another fan notice a high prospect for the Cards’ standout. The prospect was narrated as “Elena Scott could for real make a run at player of the year.”

However, Louisville Volleyball’s X-handle has repeatedly hailed Elena Scott as one of the best liberos in the USA, though there’s still a long road ahead. One fan was especially thrilled, exclaiming, “A libero is the national player of the week!” Interestingly, Lexi Rodriguez never secured that title. So, the question remains—will Elena Scott reach that milestone? What do you think?