“So we lost the second round in the NCAA tournament,” were the first words to come out of Ally Batenhorst’s mouth. While the intro to the video was quite abrupt, it set the mood for what the college volleyball stars wished to talk about in the video. “Our season’s over… So we’re just going to reflect on our years in college,” revealed Batenhorst.

Despite attending USC for only her fourth and final year, the former Nebraska Husker member has grown to love USC and her teammates. However, it’s safe to assume that fellow senior Mia Tianiga has become one of Batenhorst’s closest friends during her time at USC. Similarly, spending just a year under USC’s head coach, Brad Keller, has left a massive impact on Batenhorst.

Ally Batenhorst on Coach Keller’s contribution

After studying in Nebraska for three years, the 22-year-old Ally Batenhorst spent her formative years in college volleyball under John Cook. The Nebraska Huskers coach is a legend in college volleyball, having won multiple national championships, Coach of the Year awards, and 25 years of experience. So Brad Keller had had his work cut out. However, it seems the USC coach has passed with flying colors. “Being here for a year, I really just found my love for volleyball. I just feel like I grew so much, just got so much better. And Brad also does a really good job of like giving us the space, kind of, to be ourselves,” explained Ally Batenhorst. Even practicing with the USC team under Keller, day in and day out has been a memorable experience for the outside hitter.

“The practices we have are always like super fun, high energy. Obviously there’s a standard and there’s discipline. But I just really appreciate how he gives us the space to just grow,” added USC’s first BIG10 Player of the Week award winner. Batenhorst’s teammate Mia Tuaniga agreed about how she also grew as a volleyball player under coach Brad Keller.

In fact, Coach Brad’s tutelage helped Ally Batenhorst and Mia Tuaniga become the only two players from the current roster to go pro. The Omaha Supernovas drafted Batenhorst, while Tuaniga joined the Atlanta Vibe in this year’s PVF Draft. So it’s safe to say that despite USC’s exit from the NCAA championship, Benthorst leaves USC with cherished memories. And it was something she couldn’t help but mention on social media.

The outside hitter’s final farewell to college volleyball

After bowing out of the 2024 NCAA Championship against defending champion Texas, Ally Batenhorst took to social media. “Last night I played my last collegiate volleyball match. 4 years FLEW by,” wrote the decorated outside hitter. Once again, the Nebraska native thanked the teams that made her career.

“This has been the most fulfilling senior year, and I am so blessed to have been a part of 2 incredible programs like USC & Nebraska. Thank you to everyone who has pushed me and supported me throughout this journey.” said the 22-year-old. Ally Batenhorst also felt proud to share her unique identity. “Proud to say I am officially a husker/trojan alum,” added the hitter.

However, wearing the USC jersey for the last time was an emotional journey. “Being a senior and playing your last college game is a different kind of sad,” the college volleyball star wrote on TikTok. However, she’s equally excited to play on the pro circuit. “The addition of Ally Batenhorst is a game changer for our program,” Coach Keller has said about Ally Batenhorst. It’s safe to say his prediction held true for both USC’s trajectory and the 22-year-old’s career.