Ally Batenhorst spent only her graduating year at the University of South Carolina. Yet, all it took was the 2024 season for Batenhorst to find herself in the USC history books. After becoming the first Trojan to earn the BIG10 Player of the Week moniker, Batenhorst is set to end her college volleyball career on a high note, and with a homecoming.

Batenhorst once again made headlines for USC volleyball on November 25, at the 2024 Pro Volleyball Federation Draft. After making an incredible impact on the Trojans, the 22-year-old is heading back to her home state, Nebraska. In an interview with Ana Bellinghausen, Batenhorst explained how it felt to join the Omaha Supernovas as the #15 overall pick.

“I’m so excited and just ready to get back to Omaha, back to Nebraska.” said the Outside Hitter. Ally Batenhorst said returning to Nebraska would be a return to her roots in more ways than one. “My entire family’s from there, and I just have so many memories there…” said the volleyball player. She then put the significance of the moment in perspective.

“My phone was blowing up afterward,” the 22-year-old confessed, revealing how her friends and family were ecstatic to hear the news. And why wouldn’t they be? Batenhorst revealed her family origins and why she rejected Stanford, Texas, Wisconsin, and others for NU in 2021. “Ninety-five percent of my family is from Nebraska, so that played a role in my decision,” she explained.

Not only does Batenhorst’s family have deep roots in the state, but they also have a fondness for sports. In fact, her father Kurt Batenhorst played basketball for the Nebraska Wesleyan in the 90s. Meanwhile, her mother Susan O’Rourke is an Omaha native. And although it’s been days since she got drafted as a volleyball pro, Ally Batenhorst is still pinching herself.

“Honestly, it’s surreal being able to say that I was drafted to be a professional volleyball player, especially in a place like Nebraska which is home to me,” the 22-year-old added. However, returning home to her friends and family isn’t the only highlight of Batenhorst joining the Omaha Supernovas.

Ally Batenhorst will reunite with a former teammate

While the 2024 Big10 Player of the Year nominee is ending her college football career at USC, she’ll join a former Nebraska Huskers teammate at Omaha. Besides Batenhrst, a fellow Outside Hitter, Lindsay Krause. The Nebraska Huskers senior wasn’t far behind Batenhorst at the 2024 PVF Drat. Krause joined her Batenhorst as the 19th pick in round three.

Krause is one of three Nebraska players joining the pro circuit, alongside Merritt Beason and Leyla Blackwell. Although Ally Batenhorst and Lindsay Krause played against one another for an entire season, the bonds between the former teammates remain strong. Playing against Nebraska at the Bob Devaney Center was an emotional rollercoaster for the hometown star.

Despite sweeping USC 3-0, Batenhorst’s former team and the fans showed her nothing but love. They even put up signs that read “welcome home Ally,” while Huskers head coach John Cook expressed his admiration for the volleyball star. “She’s a Husker… There’s an emotional connection there… She’s part of our family,” said the veteran coach.

So it was no wonder Ally Batenhorst and her loved ones were delighted when the Omaha Supernovas picked her. “The addition of Ally Batenhorst is a game changer for our program,” USC coach Brad Keller said about the volleyball player, and he wasn’t wrong. Now it’s time to see what heights Batenhorst can reach as a pro.