In the USA’s collegiate circuit and beyond, Nebraska volleyball continues to be a benchmark in terms of popularity. The Cornhuskers are one of the biggest women’s volleyball programs in the country and it looks like rising stars are taking notes from the 5x NCAA D1 champs. In the past year, the Nebraska squad has smashed through attendance records several times, and the Huskers are inspiring others to follow suit.

At the Memorial Stadium in August last year, an outdoor women’s volleyball match between Nebraska and Omaha saw 92,003 fans flocking to the stands. With that, a new attendance world record was set in women’s sports. With the raging success, it was only natural that others would come up with their own plans to match the numbers. But probably no one thought it would be high schoolers to replicate the feat.

Showdown at Sundown was an outdoor volleyball event co-hosted by Newark Catholic High School and Newark High School on August 8. According to an article by USA Volleyball from September 16, the tournament was the first high school volleyball event of its kind in Ohio. The six high schools that participated in Showdown at Sundown at White Field, Newark experienced some incredible moments along with the thrilling performances on the court.

Being the first of its kind, excitement was high, and a lot of planning had to be made to ensure volleyball fans’ expectations were met. “After watching Nebraska play outside, we started working on the details of the event,” said Newark Catholic captain Natalie Harrington. “More than 500 fans attended the event, including parents who brought folding chairs to sit next to the court,” notes the article. While the numbers aren’t exactly on the same level as Nebraska’s, considering how this was the first outdoor volleyball tournament in Ohio, the data does assure of brighter days ahead.

Newark Catholic coach Katie Hill also lauded the girls who came together to make the inaugural edition of the outdoor tournament a success. “A lot of our girls thought, ‘What a moment. We are part of history.’ I think their mentality was that no matter how they played, they were really taking it all in and appreciative of the whole event,” she said. On the other hand, her colleague Dava Pinney stated, “It was just on a small scale this time, but the hype and the event were so big that other teams have already said they want to be a part of it.” However, while it was the high schoolers who stole the day, the shadow of Nebraska volleyball could still be felt.

Nebraska volleyball fans extend their help to get the team going

Led by head coach John Cook, a new era has come to the locker room of the Nebraska Huskers. The team won its last national title in 2017 and finished second in the 2024 NCAA D1 Championships at the Amalie Arena in South Florida. A lot of the triumphant turnaround can be attributed to the fans who have rallied behind the team at every opportunity to make their presence felt and make sure that Lexi Rodriguez & Co. had all the mental support they needed to trounce their foes. Thanks to these dedicated fans, the Huskers have managed to end the 2023-24 season with an impressive 33-2 record, and are currently 8-1 so far this season. But victories haven’t been the only thing to boast for John Cook’s squad.

In the last year, and the beginning of 2024, Huskers fans have set several attendance records. In a match between Nebraska and Georgia Tech in Lincoln, Nebraska, a new indoor attendance record was set with 8,580 Huskers fans watching the match from the stands. In December last year, a social media post by Lincoln Arneal revealed more interesting information. “Nebraska has become the first female sport in NCAA history to draw 250,000 home fans in a single season,” boasts Arneal’s X post from last year. Which other NCAA powerhouse do you think has the chance to topple Nebraska from its high horse in the coming days? Will it happen this season? Share your thought with via a comment below.