It’s been over a week since the Texas Longhorns bowed out of the tournament, but it still feels like yesterday. Texas Volleyball fell to Creighton, 26-24, 19-25, 21-25, 20-25, in the NCAA Volleyball State College Regional Semifinal at Rec Hall on 13th December. Finishing the season with a 20-7 overall record, the Longhorns failed to advance past the Sweet 16 for just the second time in the last 19 seasons. Madisen Skinner shone bright with a team-high 23 kills, capping off her incredible career that included three national championships. Even though her team’s journey ended, Madisen didn’t stop cheering—especially during the Final Four game between her rivals, Nebraska and Penn State.

Madisen Skinner hopped on TikTok on December 20, sharing a video of herself snuggled up in bed, a cozy blanket draped over her, as she watched the Final Four game between Nebraska and Penn State. Screaming, laughing, and full of excitement, Madisen was living for every moment. She shouted, “Take it and run, go babe go! Yes, perfect, run it!”—her voice filled with pure joy. The passion was real as she exclaimed, “I can scream right now, I’m so happy for them!” Between cheers and disbelief, Madisen continued, “May the best team freaking win, go Penn State!” Her enthusiasm was contagious as she cheered on Penn State with pure, unfiltered excitement.

Madisen Skinner captioned her TikTok, “In Jess Mruzik we trust,” and for good reason! Nebraska’s defense faced 70 of Mruzik’s powerful swings—each a missile aimed at victory. Though the Cornhuskers took a 2-0 lead, Mruzik’s relentless energy helped Penn State pull off a reverse sweep. “That was one of the best performances I’ve ever seen by an outside hitter,” said Nebraska coach John Cook about Mruzik’s impressive display. She racked up 26 kills with a .300 hitting percentage, surpassing 2,000 career kills in the process!

Penn State’s reverse sweep over Nebraska in the Final Four was nothing short of legendary. From a 2-0 deficit to a thrilling 3-2 victory, the Nittany Lions showcased determination and grit. Game after game, they fought back with accuracy, regaining points through kills and blocks at the right time. The highlights were Jess Mruzik with 26 kills and leading the team on the court to secure the championship match for them. Final set scores: 25-23, 25-18, 23-25, 26-28, 15-13.

The last set was very tense as Penn State barely fended off Nebraska. Still, the Nittany Lions came back strong, though they only led for the slightest of margins; the final points were scored by Camryn Hannah for the final 15-13. But coming back to Madisen Skinner, her team has had a long-standing rivalry with the Huskers that goes way back, so no wonder she was cheering for Penn State.

Madisen Skinner’s rival team!

Nebraska and Texas volleyball are a pair that has intense competition and all that is involved with it. These two teams have been playing each other since their days in the Big 12, but now they only face each other in the NCAA tournament. They have also met more often recently, with Texas coming out on top in recent big games, including crucial battles in regional championship or national championship games since 1995. It’s always a showdown when they meet, with emotions running high and unforgettable performances on both sides.

If one were to recall the details of the two most recent meetings, the tales are truly wild. Nebraska’s first national championship was in 1995 when it battled Texas to 3-1 with the final set going to extra points. Skip ahead to 2015 and Nebraska came back to defeat Texas in straight sets for the national championship following a difficult earlier season defeat. However, Texas has also had its moments, like in 2009 when they triumphed over Nebraska in both volleyball and football, marking one of their most successful years against the Huskers.

The two teams had their most intense confrontation in 2020 when the Longhorns emerged 3-0 winners over the Huskers in the regional finals; Texas limited Nebraska to a meager 0.171 hitting efficiency while posting an impressive 0.336 themselves. Last year, Nebraska had their shot at revenge but fell to Texas in the national championship in a sweep, with Madisen Skinner leading with 16 kills in the match. It’s clear that every meeting between these two teams is more than just a game—it’s a battle for pride and legacy.