The biggest showdown of the NCAA Women’s Volleyball Tournament is less than 24 hours away. The national finals will take place on 17 December 2023 between the historical rivals Texas Longhorns and the Nebraska Huskers.
The Nebraska Huskers and the Texas Longhorns have climbed their way to the top over some of the most consistent and fierce teams in the NCAA. While you may already have your favorite team to root for, do you know everything about these championship contenders? Here are five major storylines every true fan can’t miss out on.
Brawl number three between the Nebraska Huskers and Texas
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The Nebraska Huskers and the Texas Longhorns will not be facing each other for the first time in the finals. Both teams have squared off against each other once in 1995 and once in 2015. However, the red team has taken the win both times.
This is a bizarre statistic from the point of view of Texas since they have more head-to-head wins over Nebraska. While the Nebraska Huskers have only defeated Texas five times and lost 11 times, two of those wins came in the national finals. To make matters worse for Texas, they were eliminated by Nebraska in the semifinals in 2021.
The Huskers later lost to Wisconsin in the finals, which earned the Badgers their first-ever NCAA title. Thus, while the Longhorns have just defeated Wisconsin with flying colors, it doesn’t guarantee much against Nebraska. Interestingly, both teams have a formidable lineup this year and have two first All-American team members on their side.
The All-American factor in the lineups of the finalists
Madisen Skinner and Asjia O’Neal make the first-team All-American pillars of the Texas Longhorns. This role is played by Merritt Beason and Lexi Rodriguez for the Nebraska Huskers. The All-American mix of Texas is more versatile as Skinner and O’Neal can take care of both offense and defense.
On the other hand, while Merritt Beason is an all-rounder as well, Lexi Rodriguez is a defensive bastion through and through. But, the Big Ten Setter of the Year Bergen Reilly of Nebraska Huskers is almost as good as a first-team All-American.
The same can be said for Texas’ sophomore libero Emma Halter, who both digs and receives the ball perfectly. Meanwhile, Texas’ Madisen Skinner stands in a league of her own. She will have three championships to her name if Texas wins.
Texas’ Skinner effect against the Nebraska Huskers
Madisen Skinner wasn’t always a Longhorn. She was a Kentucky Wildcats and earned her first NCAA Women’s Volleyball Championship as a freshman by beating Texas. However, she transferred to the then-fallen team in 2022 and her golden touch granted Texas a championship after a 10-year title drought.
Madisen Skinner played a mighty role in the semifinal victory of Texas against Wisconsin. The Big Twelve Player of the Year dished 18 kills in the final match and crushed the Badgers. The outside hitter completely scrambled Wisconsin’s defense with her service aces.
Skinner hit a career-high six service aces against Wisconsin, which brought the downfall of the Badgers in the third and fourth sets. She will lead the offensive charge against the defense-heavy team of Nebraska, just like Wisconsin. While the story of Skinner and Texas is amazing, the Longhorns have another player who transferred to their team. Interestingly, She was previously a star player for the Nebraska Huskers.
The trojan horse of the Nebraska Huskers
Keonilei Akana plays the defensive specialist and the libero position for the Texas Longhorns. The junior belonged on the other side of the court just two years ago, when she helped the Nebraska Huskers defeat Texas in the semis. While Akana is a defensive specialist, she is also known for her killer service aces.
Akana’s seven service aces against Texas in the 2021 semifinals still stands as a major record in the records of the Nebraska Huskers. This easily outclasses the six service aces of Madisen Skinner. Being a part of Nebraska just two years ago, Akana can be the Trojan Horse that breaches the impenetrable fortress of Nebraska. However, Nebraska’s head coach John Cook will ensure that he beats Texas’ head coach Jerritt Beason once again.
Another showdown between two Californian head coaches
Head Coach John Cook is the most successful coach the Nebraska Huskers have ever had. He guided the Huskers to a title win as soon as he took the reins of the team in 2000 against his former team, the Wisconsin Badgers. Thus, while it may appear that his players know his tricks, the truth is just the opposite.
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Interestingly, the head coach of Texas, Jerritt Elliott, is a Californian just like Cook. However, when both of them faced off in the 2015 finals, the Nebraska Huskers took the win. While Cook led the Huskers to another Championship in 2017, Elliott recovered from that loss in 2022 with Skinner and Akana in his camp.
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With all these players and coaches sprawled across the volleyball court like a chessboard, which side will ultimately take the win? Did these stories change your favorite team? Or are you rooting for your original team even more now?
