For any Nebraska volleyball aficionado, Lexi Rodriguez is a legend of sorts. With 1,897 career digs during her time in Lincoln, the libero established herself as one of the greatest athletes to put on the Huskers jersey. Naturally, fans were eager to see how Lexi reached new heights with the LOVB Omaha squad on its inaugural run. But watching her in action in her new stripes hasn’t happened yet, and the fans are looking to be reaching the end of their wits.

When Rodriguez was drafted by the LOVB team, the excitement was sky-high. While the ex-Huskers star didn’t manage to win the NCAA title with Nebraska, her individual skills were beyond reproach, and the Omaha squad was expected to make the most of her prowess on the volleyball court. But three weeks into the campaign, Lexi is yet to make her pro debut. Unsurprisingly, the fans aren’t delighted.

On January 24, Avid took to X to share the disappointing scenes from the Liberty First Credit Union Arena. Tonight, Omaha defeated LOVB Madison 3-1 at home to retain its winning streak. While the result of the match was undoubtedly thrilling, the fact that Lexi was once again seen warming the benches left the fans fuming. “JWO remains in the libero jersey for LOVB Omaha,” the X post noted, and used a meme with it to highlight the frustrating emotions of a Lexi fan. The hosts went for Olympic gold medalist Justin Wong-Orantes, who is also a Nebraska alum, as the libero tonight, making its intentions to win the inaugural LOVB trophy clear.

The 2x Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year Wong-Orantes is easily a volleyball alum. But so far, she too hasn’t had a start for LOVB Omaha. Naturally, Lexi’s chances of playing with the squad look to be slim under the circumstances. And yet, considering how she was instrumental in Nebraska’s Big Ten success in her last year with the Huskers, fans can’t help but frown at head coach Suzie Fritz’s decision to not give Rodriguez any play time whatsoever.

However, fans couldn’t digest the fact that a scintillating talent like Lexi continues to see her pro debut being stalled in favor of the Olympian. “…just a shame that JWO is so good,” grumbled one fan in the comment section of Avid’s post, underscoring how having both of these incredible liberos at the same time turned out to be a curse for Rodriguez. Soon, others also came in expressing their discontent.

Lexi Rodriguez’s debut getting postponed has the fans angered

As the 2024 collegiate season ended, several ex-NCAA volleyball stars found themselves in new camps, drafted by both the LOVB and the PVF. Almost all of them including Ally Batenhorst, Merritt Beason, Jess Mruzik, Madisen Skinner, and Jordan Thompson have made their debut already. Some of these stars are also making ripples with their phenomenal skills by topping the points chart, all while Lexi is still waiting to see her first action in LOVB. And that’s not sitting well with many fans. “Not liking this at all. Almost every ex NCAA player has made their debut so far except Lexi,” noted one fan, highlighting their dissatisfaction over the matter.

On the other hand, one could argue that watching Wong-Ornates could help Lexi develop her skills. But one fan ponders if that’s a viable point if the Nebraska Huskers alum can’t get a chance to make use of the learnings at all. “I guess you could make the argument that JWO could train/mentor Lexi. But how good is that going to work if Lexi can’t get meaningful playing time in real games against pros???” this fan is bamboozled. Another mirrored the exact same sentiments with the comment, “I get it, have both Nebraska liberos on the same team in Omaha, but one is going to get more playing time than the other.”

When Rodriguez was drafted by LOVB in December last year, it came as welcome news for the Huskers fans. Many were eager to see if she could continue her digging skills from college in her pro career as well. However, it seems like Justin Wong-Ornates’ inclusion in the same team wasn’t something anyone took into account. “Lexi desrves better than this, especially after that brilliant season at Nebraska,” one fan reminded while pointing out that she shouldn’t have been signed by a team that has an Olympic icon in it. What do you think? Do you think Rodriguez’s time will finally come when LOVB Omaha locks horns with LOVB Austin on Sunday? Tell us below!