In the realm of the NCAA, NIL has been a blessing to athletes. These deals allow college players from various sports to establish their own empires at an early age, not only in terms of fame but also financially, which is crucial when pursuing ambitious dreams in any sport. The Nebraska Huskers also have athletes with such deals, and currently, they are having a peak campaign in volleyball.

What makes this incredible season so special? It’s all thanks to their players, who have been dedicated to the maximum to bring that NCAA trophy in a matter of a few weeks. However, despite all the glory, as pointed out by a national reporter, the team has certainly made a big mistake in the sport when it comes down to the NIL.

Missed opportunity for the Nebraska Huskers

Undoubtedly, the Nebraska Huskers are one of the favorites out there to secure that title in a matter of a few days, with the finals scheduled to take place on December 22. Further, on December 19 at 9:00 pm EST, the Nebraska Huskers will face the Penn State Nittany Lions in their semifinals, leaving their fans eagerly anticipating an explosive game on the court following their 3-0 victory over Wisconsin in the regional finals. However, who has been a key player for the Huskers throughout the season? It’s none other than their captain, Lexi Rodriguez.

The no. 8 Husker has been phenomenal since the start of the campaign. She has not only brilliantly led her team to dominant victories over top-tier teams but has also garnered many notable accolades to her name. The 21-year-old is the first libero to be awarded AVCA Region Player of the Year. She is already a three-time Big Ten Defensive Player and Libero of the Year, and she aspires to become the third player in school history to be named a four-time All-American in the near future.

However, from all of these accolades, Rodriguez has come closer to Justine Wong-Orantes’ all-time digs record, owing to her performance throughout her career. So, as the Nebraska Huskers haven’t used this opportunity to the fullest, Lincoln Arneal on X pointed out, stating, “I feel like @1890Nebraska missed a golden opportunity this year with Lexi Rodriguez. They could have had a tracker counting down her chase of Nebraska’s all-time digs record, which just happens to Justine Wong-Orantes’s total of 1890. It could have been ‘The Pursuit of 1890.'”

Arneal isn’t wrong, as this could’ve been just massive for the Huskers in garnering those NIL deals for their players and even Rodriguez herself. The jersey number currently has climbed to no. 2 in school history in career digs with 1,882. So, for her, there are just a few matchups remaining to achieve that feat, which, according to the form of the Huskers, might just be the next game with Penn State. However, does she have any specific NIL deals in her career at the current stage? Obviously, Rodriguez is one of the top players in the NCAA scene, and it’s hard to ignore for the organizations to take her in.

Since 2021, the Huskers captain has been engaged with NIL deals starting from Runza. And as her popularity increased, the contracts did, too, as she signed with The Mercato, Unified Volleyball Camp, Scooter’s Coffee, and United Equity. The big deals came in 2023, as she signed with the 1890 Initiative, which is an NIL Collective for the Nebraska Student-Athletes. Furthermore, Rodriguez became the first female NIL athlete to sign with Panini America. Shoe giant Adidas and UScellular signed with her in the same year, followed by Amazon Prime in 2024. Indeed, her pockets are brimming with cash, yet she hasn’t forgotten the audience she played for over the years, as evidenced by her latest social media post.

Lexi Rodriguez’s heartfelt goodbye to fans

At the regional finals, the Nebraska Huskers demolished the Wisconsin Badgers, but it wasn’t anything new for their fans, as they have been doing it for a long time in the campaign itself. In the same game, Lexi Rodriguez led the defense, with a match-high 17 digs. She has consistently made a significant impact throughout the season, and these elimination rounds served as a path to success for both her and her team. With this victory for the seventh time in ten seasons, the Huskers have reached the semifinals of the NCAA, and it couldn’t have been possible without the determination of these fantastic players.

However, Rodriguez does know that a big chunk of her own motivation comes from the fans of the team, for which she has always been grateful to them. She acknowledged that this is her final season, as she is set to graduate, so she made a heartfelt statement on social media, stating, “Thank you husker fans for packing the Devaney Center no matter what day of the week it was and making it the best volleyball atmosphere in the country ❤️ We wouldn’t be where we are now if it wasn’t for husker nation 🫶🏼”

She had never denied the contribution of the public, nor would she ever do it in the future, as she is heading towards a new path in her volleyball journey.