It’s no secret that the 2024 NCAA season will forever be bittersweet for now Nebraska Huskers alum Lexi Rodriguez. In the last season of their college volleyball career, the Libero achieved incredible heights, but her dream of earning the NCAA title remained unfulfilled. The 22-year-old couldn’t stop crying after NU’s heartbreaking loss to Penn State in the semifinals.

Since then, the emotions have weighed heavily on the Illinois native, as she had to say goodbye to the Huskers for good. The 2024 BIG10 Libero of the Year’s final act at Nebraska came when she relived four years’ worth of memories while clearing her locker at NU. However, the Libero, who just signed with LOVB Omaha, finally found the perfect pick-me-up after a rollercoaster season.

A Christmas that helped Lexi Rodriguez heal

“Nothing compares to Christmas mornings,” Rodriguez captioned her latest TikTok video. However, what truly made the volleyball icon’s Christmas special was where she spent it. With the final NCAA season of the Libero’s career behind her, she spent a cozy Christmas surrounded by family. The former Husker showed glimpses of her day in the TikTok clip.

After a string of posts where the emotions weighed heavy, Lexi Rodrigues, AVCA Regional Player of the Year, smiled and seemed to be in a good mood. The glimpses of the Christmas celebrations at the Rodriguez family home featured lots of decorations, relatives, lots of food, presents, and even her beloved dogs. “Even the doodles get presents,” the volleyball player wrote about her dogs.

Her sister Kaylee and baby nephew Tatum also appeared in the video. Overall, the video gave the impression that the 22-year-old could finally put her demons behind her. The emotions of not winning the national title will still hurt from time to time but a joyful day with family will certainly help to rejuvenate.

However, Lexi Rodriguez won’t be staying at home for too long, as she’ll soon head to Nebraska to represent a different team.

The Libero’s family will continue to support her

Thankfully, Rodriguez can count on her family’s continued support no matter where she goes. Throughout the BIG10 champion’s college volleyball career, the family was present for nearly all her games. In fact, they accumulated over 200,000 miles just driving between Illinois and other venues to cheer for Rodriguez. So much driving resulted in the family having to buy a new car.

Even on the day of the disastrous semifinals, Lexi Rodriguez’s parents, Chris and Crystal Rodriguez, alongside Kaylee and her fiancé Ryan, and their son Tatum greeted the Libero before the game. So to say the former Nebraska Husker has a family full of dedicated fans may be an understatement. And now that Rodriguez will continue her career as a pro, they’ll once again be there for support.

Thankfully, Chris and Crystal Rodriguez won’t have to familiarize themselves with a new state, as Rodriguez will be staying close to her Husker roots. “@huskervb nation, have no fear. Your queen isn’t going anywhere. Please join us in welcoming @lexi.rodriguez__ to the LOVB Omaha roster!” posted LOVB Omaha, announcing they’d signed the Libero. The inaugural LOVB season kicks off on January 8 and this Christmas may have been exactly what Rodriguez needed before embarking on her new journey.