Alright, volleyball fans, brace yourselves because Ally Batenhorst is diving straight into the next thrilling chapter of her journey! Even though her college season is wrapped up, this girl’s just getting started. In the 2024 draft, the 15th pick belonged to the PVF champ Omaha Supernovas, who selected her, a Nebraska native, sending a wave of excitement through the arena. Yep, this former Husker, who spent some time spiking it out with the Trojans, is coming home to shine once again! The Supernovas announced it with pride, posting on X, “With the 15th pick in the 2024 #PVFDraft, the #OmahaSupernovas select OH @allybatenhorstt from the University of Southern California!”

But wait, there’s more! While Batenhorst prepares for her return, Nebraska volleyball is making some waves of its own. The Huskers advanced to the Final Four with great fashion by defeating their rivals, the Badgers, in straight sets in front of a jacked-up crowd of 8,743 at the Bob Devaney Sports Center. Now, as they prepare for Penn State in the NCAA Semifinals, the 22-year-old dropped a truth bomb about her old team, Nebraska Volleyball.

In a heartwarming video shared by Hurrdat Sports on X, Ally Batenhorst didn’t hold back her love and cheers for her former Husker squad. When asked about her message to the Nebraska team heading to Louisville for yet another Final Four, Ally’s response was pure gold. She gushed, “Yeah, I just absolutely love them and I want them to win so bad. And I just really hope that they can go out there and do their thing and they’ve been killing it this year and I’ve been following them all year long. So, yeah, just do their thing like they always do.” Ally’s been their biggest cheerleader from the sidelines, rooting for them to keep shining bright on the biggest stage.

But that wasn’t all—when asked what makes this Nebraska team so unique after playing against them as an opponent, Ally dropped some real gems. She described them as a powerhouse of precision and grit, saying, “They’re super disciplined. You know, I think they’re probably one of the most disciplined teams I’ve played, obviously, being there, too. But yeah, work super hard. Everything’s consistent and they’re really hard to read and their blocking is super good. Very, very disciplined team.” From their rock-solid defense to their relentless work ethic, Ally painted a picture of a team that’s built to dominate—and she should know, having been part of that legacy herself.

Ally Batenhorst switched from the Nebraska jersey to the Trojans’ colors back in February, but she will always be remembered as a true Husker! Ally blossomed into a star of some proportions in three sparkling seasons, where she featured in 84 matches and had a total of 245 sets to her credit. She had 535 kills (that’s 2.18 per set, y’all) and 606 points (2.47 pps) like a real volleyball princess. But wait—there’s more! Ally was once again proving her all-round skills as a player with 120 blocks, 184 digs, 5 aces, and 12 assists. Oh, and just when you thought indoor volleyball wasn’t exciting enough, this powerhouse also excelled on the sand, going 24-16 over two seasons with an astounding 15 wins in 2023—the most ever in a single season for a Husker.

And let’s not forget, Ally wasn’t just any player. She was the 2020-21 Gatorade High School Texas and National Player of the Year and was phenomenal as expected. With her on the squad, the Huskers secured the NCAA second place in both 2021 and 2023 and the regional semi-finals in 2022. Even head coach Brad Keller, who was already ecstatic about the signing, couldn’t help but gush about Ally Batenhorst, “The addition of Ally Batenhorst is a game-changer for our program.” Now, as Ally returns to her roots, she’s not just coming home—she’s reuniting with a familiar face, her former teammate!

Ally Batenhorst is back to her roots!

Ally Batenhorst isn’t just coming home; she’s coming home triumphant with some of her old friends in tow! This time, she will be playing with none other than Lindsay Krause, who used to be her teammate at the Nebraska Huskers. The second Outside Hitter, Krause, was recruited immediately after Batenhorst in the 2024 PVF Draft as the 19th pick in the third round. Combined, these two are set to reignite the chemistry that they produced during their time at Huskers and now represent the Omaha Supernovas.

But that’s not all. Krause is not alone in the professional volleyball pool as a Husker standout. She’s joined by Merritt Beason and Leyla Blackwell, making three Nebraska girls who are dominating the professional stage. Even though Batenhorst and Krause have been spiking it out for the past season on different sides of the net, the two are close friends. When Batenhorst came back to the Bob Devaney Center for the game against Nebraska, it was nothing less than an emotional roller coaster. It was a competition, but the love she and the fans had for them and the old teammates was stronger.

Posters that had been written as ‘Welcome Home Ally’ made the match to be a homecoming event. Huskers head coach John Cook had a hard time not gushing, declaring, “She’s a Husker… There’s an emotional connection there… She’s part of our family.” And honestly, who wouldn’t want to be welcomed back with open arms like that? For Ally Batenhorst and her family, the Omaha Supernovas picking her up was the perfect cherry on top.