“I was just playing, and all the accolades kind of came with it,” Ally Batenhorst stated. She wasn’t in a hurry. Rather, her trademark calmness had been all over her face and body language. Yet she seemed to be unbothered by the accolades and numbers. She may never have felt the strain of expectations, either. Then what used to motivate her every time she entered the Bob Devaney Sports Center? Or what drives her now when she competes for the USC Trojans? “I think I was just really enjoying the sport,” Battenhorst gave another short answer. But the fans of the Huskers and the Trojans know about how her enjoyment of the sport resulted. 

Rather, the fans worship the 22-year-old for all she has in her so far three-year volleyball career at the senior level. Trust me, her accomplishments in this duration are nothing short of a fairy tale. Additionally, her story flaunts every bit of emotion. Folks, do you want to explore? Let’s dive deeper. 

Ally Batenhorst’s family rooted in Nebraska had a special role

Born and raised in Omaha, Ally Batenhorst had always been expected to join the sports. The question was about her entry into the Nebraska Huskers. How? In their collegiate years, Ally’s parents shared bonds with sports. Kurt, Batenhorst’s father, is from Wisner and attended the basketball squad of Nebraska Wesleyan in the 1990s. Dani, her older sister, played as an outside hitter for Gonzaga. So following the culture was on the list. But why did she join Nebraska University in 2021, leaving Texas? Let me tell you that Batenhorst had calls from college programs like Stanford, Minnesota, Texas, and Wisconsin. But she did not pay any heed to those. She rather set her mind to join the Huskers for the 2021 class. The reason is her roots in Nebraska. 

In one of her interactions in 2018, Ally Batenhorst claimed something about her commitment to the Huskers. In the interaction, she also explained the reason for joining the squad. There, she mentioned, “Ninety-five percent of my family is from Nebraska, so that played a role in my decision.” Example? Susan O’Rourke, her mother, hails from Omaha. Wisner is still home to her grandparents, aunt, uncle, and cousins. There are other family members in Omaha and Kearney. Wasn’t that enough for her to settle for the Big Her? If not, then she had another. In the conversation, she readily added, “The fan base is amazing, and (Lincoln) is a college town. I loved everything about it. It’s always been in my head that it’s been Nebraska, but I had to take some time and go through the process.” Apart from these, another factor played a prominent role. 

In 2018, the United States youth national team competed in the NORCECA 18-and-under continental championship in Honduras. Future Huskers Lindsay Krause of Omaha Skutt and Kennedi Orr, a setter from Eagan, Minnesota, were also on the roster. And guess who played along with them in Honduras? Ally Batenhorst. Naturally, sharing the team impacted her deeply, and she didn’t have to think twice while signing up for the Huskers for the 2021 class. That wedding between the institute and the emerging star penned a phenomenal story. 

Major career highlights and achievements of Ally Battenhorst 

During her high school years in Texas, Ally Batenhorst claimed the Gatorade Texas and National Player of the Year in 2020-21. The list of accomplishments found more entries, as, in 2020, she was named an Under Armour first-team All-American. Her performances made her the nation’s No. 3 prospect. According to PrepVolleyball.com, she was the No. 2 outside hitter in the nation. However, the fireworks continued with her entry into the Lincoln-based team. 

Batenhorst committed to the University of Nebraska and played there for three years. Her entry into the squad happened as someone who had been a nationally famous athlete coming out of high school. Therefore, the expectations were high. The 6’4” OH knew that well. She started in the same mood she had left in high school. In 2021, she started 16 matches and recorded seven double-digit kill performances, averaging over two kills per set.

Her success with the Cornhuskers continued in 2022, culminating in a spot on the Louisville Regional All-Tournament Team after a 15-kill, 12-dig effort against the Oregon Ducks. In her final year at Nebraska, she continued to excel, averaging 2.25 kills per set, 54 digs, and 52 blocks. The team also experienced one of the unique experiences in women’s college sports, playing in front of 92,003 fans at Memorial Stadium. With the historic audience behind them, Batenhorst and Nebraska swept Omaha, setting a record for the largest crowd at a women’s athletic event. That record remains untouched. But every excellent narrative has an ending. Ally Batenhorst, as well, had to say goodbye to Nebraska volleyball. Well, in 2024, she signed for the USC Trojans to play for the fall season. But there was the start of another chapter. 

Ally Batenhorst’s transfer from Nebraska to the USC Volleyball Women’s Team

On February 5 this year, Brad Keller, the head coach of USC volleyball, announced Ally Battenhorst’s signing for the program. The veteran coach mentioned, “The addition of Ally Batenhorst is a game changer for our program. She is accomplished and has played at the highest level of collegiate volleyball throughout her career. Ally is a great teammate and leader, and a person who reinforces what the USC standard is about. We cannot wait to begin training with the newest member of our Trojan family.” But for Ally, the emotions were bittersweet. 

To join the Trojans, she had to leave Nebraska, her home. But taking a call was essential for her. Meanwhile, she made a phone call to John Cook, the Huskers coach. She wanted direction. However, in the call, she received an offer from Cook. The four-time national coach offered her a training facility despite knowing her transfer offer. While justifying his decision, Cook said, “We have a saying here. Once a Husker, always a Husker. We try to live by that.” Ally Batenhorst had another moment to get the catch of the ongoing emotional rundown.

On September 29, Batenhorst returned to Lincoln, when the Trojans faced her old Cornhuskers. The game at Devaney Sports Complex did not end the way USC had hoped, but it had storylines. As the starting lineup was revealed, Lexi Rodriguez, Kennedi Orr, and Harper Murray, all former teammates, sprinted to the court to give Batenhorst the team’s starting lineup ball, which had words clearly inscribed on it. Meanwhile, tears rolled down Ally’s cheeks. In the match, Batenhorst claimed 13 kills with a hitting percentage of. 242. That’s how the night ended for one of the biggest names in college volleyball. 

In the Trojans camp, Ally Batenhorst has continued her successful run. She has achieved 350+ kills, and her average just runs around 3.77 kills per set. The intriguing thing is that she has discovered a different route to get back to Nebraska. How? The Omaha Supernovas have selected her as the seventh pick in the second round and the 15th overall pick. The 2025 PVF season will see her playing alongside Lindsay Krause, her former teammate from both the Nebraska and US under-18 volleyball teams. Isn’t that something the Nebraska volleyball fans were waiting to watch? Well, folks, you have to wait just a few days more to see the magic happen again.