Every time a libero pulls off something extraordinary on the volleyball court, fans are quick to celebrate. Take Elena Scott of the Louisville Cardinals, for example. In September, she snagged the AVCA Volleyball National Player of the Week title, and her effort in those games was nothing short of superhuman. But it wasn’t just her performance that had fans buzzing—it was the fact that liberos have often been overlooked when it comes to top honors.

For years, their tireless hustle and strict movement rules seemed to go unnoticed, making it feel like the system was stacking the odds against them. Enter Lexi Rodriguez, ready to flip the script. Elena Scott made waves by claiming the weekly honor, but Lexi took it a step further. The Nebraska volleyball libero just made history by earning the AVCA Volleyball Regional Player of the Year title.

Not only is she the first libero ever to take home the honor, but she’s also only the third player in Huskers history to do so—joining the ranks of Kelly Hunter and Merritt Beason. Big shoes to fill, and Lexi’s crushing it. But wait, there’s more!

Lexi’s still got a shot at All-America honors, and fans are eagerly waiting for the announcement on December 18. For a libero to be in the running for such an accolade? Phenomenal. And remember, Lexi’s in her last collegiate season, yet she’s still racking up titles like it’s nothing. Fans are definitely taking notice. Over on X, one fan posted, “That’s unbelievable! So deserving!” And honestly, those words couldn’t be more spot-on.

In her senior year in Nebraska volleyball, Lexi has averaged 3.81 digs per set. Apart from that, she is one of the standout servers for the squad with more than 400 attempts added to her name in the season. The highest among the Huskers this season! Nevertheless, that’s not all. She’s just 47 digs shy of touching a legend, Justine Wong-Orantes’s program record. Lexi Rodriguez can get three matches maximum to settle for that mark. Would she be able to etch her name forever? Only time has the answer. Nonetheless, fans think that she has already made something groundbreaking. 

It is about the liberos’ survival in college volleyball. Hold on! A lot of things are on the rulebook now. As per NCAA’s new guidelines, “Each team is now allowed to designate two liberos for each set of the match. Only one libero would be allowed on the court at a time, and the libero would be allowed to serve in one position.” The revised role has restricted the libero’s movement on the volleyball court, limiting the free-scoring ability.

Yet, Lexi Rodriguez is still making her way. In fact, she has played a pivotal role in guiding Nebraska to achieve the lowest opponent-hitting percentage in the Big Ten for the fourth consecutive year. Eventually, the volleyball fans saw her effort as the best attempt to bring the liberos back into the mainstream. On X, several raconteurs joined such fans to acknowledge Lexi’s effort. 

Volleyball fans are chanting louder than ever after Lexi Rodriguez’s latest achievement

Among the voices championing liberos, Emily Ehman was at the front of the pack. The former volleyball star-turned-analyst didn’t hold back, tweeting, “#JUSTICEFORLIBEROS LET’S GOOOOOOOOOO HOW WE FEELIN @Lincoln_VB!?!?!?” Of course, she tagged Lincoln Arneal, a seasoned Huskers game commentator who also celebrated Lexi Rodriguez’s monumental achievement. Arneal jumped on the #JusticeforLiberos bandwagon, spreading the word with a campaign of his own.

But the big question remains: Will Lexi’s success spark a shift in NCAA rules? Well, that’s still up in the air, but her performance definitely reignited the conversation and forced some resistance—no denying that. At least the AVCA recognized her effort, and fans were definitely feeling the justice.

One fan summed it up perfectly, saying, “First step in respecting liberos!!! Next will be some sort of National recognition.” For them, Lexi’s historic honor marked a breakthrough for liberos, and they’re hopeful that this will pave the way for more recognition down the line. Who knows? Maybe this will stir the pot enough to prompt some rule changes.

One fan even cheekily gushed, “NPOTY! Legendary player. Need to get her a NATTY! There ought to be a trophy like the Heisman Trophy for the best player in the nation – maybe we call it the “LEXI”. GBR!” And let’s not forget, Lexi’s got a shot at All-American honors again, and if she nabs it, she’ll join Sarah Pavan and Kadie Rolfzen as the third four-time All-Americans in Huskers’ history. Plus, she’d be the first libero to achieve such a feat—how’s that for setting a precedent?

Another fan was all in on the idea, commenting, “If that’s not justice, I don’t know what is!!!!” But the story’s not over yet. Lexi still has at least one match left in her college career, and anything can happen. Meanwhile, journalist Jacob Padilla reached out to other volleyball experts for their take, tweeting, “@AvidVolley @Lincoln_VB Can we consider this justice served?” Based on the overwhelming support from fans, it seems like most are calling this a win for liberos everywhere. So, what do you think—has justice been served, or is this just the beginning?