The Nebraska Huskers volleyball team couldn’t have hoped for a better start to its NCAA campaign! Sweeping old foes Florida A&M 3-0 to advance to the Sweet 16, John Cook’s squad is looking every bit of national champions already. However, while the team’s elation is justified, one Huskers star can’t help but feel bittersweet about what lies beyond the Lincoln campus.

While the collegiate women’s volleyball scene is booming in the country, the professional scope of the sport still isn’t up to the same level. For this reason, athletes who wish to pursue their passion often have to look elsewhere for their career after college. But the thought is already making one Nebraska volleyball star frown in her mind.

In a YouTube upload by the Nebraska Huskers from December 7, middle blocker Rebekah Allick can be heard noting her sadness about the prospect of leaving behind her collegiate life. While she is still a junior, Allick is already dreading the day, even though her jubilation about advancing to the next NCAA round is impossible to miss. “…with Wisconsin, Penn State, really big teams, we’re used to seeing huge turnouts,” she said about how the Huskers fans are never too shy about showing their support for the team.

However, the light on her face changed soon as Allick talked about how she might not be able to revel in the fans’ love for too long. With a sad demeanor, the Nebraska volleyball athlete said, “I know wanting to pursue overseas, it’s probably not going to be as packed,” underscoring how much she’ll miss playing with Bergen Reilly, Andi Jackson, and the others.

Allick also highlighted how the locker room environment and the athletes’ camaraderie help to keep the spirits high always. “We post fun TikToks and things because we expect that every night. And I think that’s such a gift,” Rebekah sounded as if she was feeling the butterflies in her stomach thinking about her mates. She went on to once again hail the fans and the community that has never failed to rally behind the squad every time faced an opponent, as she said, “Husker Nation has truly just been a gift day in and day out. I mean, it blows my mind that we regularly sell out the stadium.” However, while her dilemma about being part of the Nebraska volleyball team is understandable, Allick needs to focus on other things right now.

Nebraska Volleyball looking to compensate for last time

The Huskers finished the regular season overall record of 29-2. If not for the loss to #1 Penn State in the final week of the Big Ten season, Lexi Rodriguez & Co. wouldn’t have to share the conference trophy with the Nittany Lions. They rolled into the NCAA Championship on a high, and John Cook couldn’t wait to face off against the Florida team. Back in 2004, Florida A&M beat Nebraska volleyball 3-1, and head coach Cook was eager to even the score this time. Unsurprisingly, the Huskers pulled off another 3-0 clean sweep against the visitors at the Devaney Sports Center. The next day (December 7), Cook & Co. bagged another victory against the Miami Hurricanes to reach the NCAA Regional Semifinals.

Last year, Nebraska made it to the finals, only to be battered down by the Texas Longhorns in Tampa, Florida. This year, the hopes of going all the way are high, especially considering how the Huskers are running on high momentum. Moreover, the Devaney Center will host all the games till the Regional Semis, which means the fans can also help out by showing up in numbers. But will they be able to win the first NCAA title since 2017 and give the best parting gift to the seniors? Tell us your predictions for the 2024 NCAA Volleyball Championship in a comment!