Nebraska Huskers Volleyball Fans in Tears as Star Player Shares Heartbreaking Update: “Gonna Wreck Me”

Who knew that it could be possible to go from ‘hating volleyball’ to becoming the No. 1 pick in the Pro Volleyball Federation draft? Well, that’s the story of Merritt Beason and how she became an indispensable part of not just the Nebraska Huskers team but also the program’s legacy. But as they say, all good things must come to an end…

Growing up in Gardendale, Alabama, the choices for girl athletes were limited: either cheer for the football team or play softball. That was it. But Merritt Beason found a way to love a sport she didn’t know she could love… and set an example for every girl who wants to follow in her footsteps. “Volleyball wasn’t a big thing. I didn’t even know you could play volleyball at a young age. I didn’t grow up watching it,” she revealed. Look where she is now!

A two-year team captain for the Huskers (after transferring from Florida in 2023) and a 2023 AVCA First-Team All-American. And under her leadership, Nebraska volleyball is just three matches away from completing the mission it fell short of last year. Over the weekend, the Huskers made it look effortless. On Friday, they avenged their 2004 loss to Florida A&M with a decisive 3-0 victory, flipping the script from nearly two decades ago. The momentum carried into Saturday, where Nebraska delivered a clinical win against Miami, securing their place in the Sweet 16 of this season’s NCAA Championship.

Now, the focus shifts to another week of high-stakes matches as the calendar winds down. This stretch will also mark the end of the collegiate careers for five senior Huskers, including Merritt Beason, who shared an emotional update about this chapter coming to a close.

On December 8, Beason shared a snippet on TikTok. The 30-second-long vlog gave a sneak peek into her life, including scenes from her daily routines. While it may have seemed like any other day-in-the-life video, it was so much more. Why? Because of the caption: “A simple Sunday morning!!! Starting to pack up the apt :(((((.” What further confirmed the fact that her time with the Huskers is, in fact, coming to an end was a clip of Merritt packing up her clothes and knick-knacks in her Nebraska apartment. That has left enough dots to be connected… and that Sunday was anything but “simple” for her fans.

Because, yes. In the next few days, Merritt Beason will have to see the end of her phenomenal college career. During the regular season, she played a pivotal role in securing the Huskers’ top position. But now, it comes down to one, two, or three more games where she will have the chance to fulfill that same role. Doesn’t it leave a void in her heart? For the Nebraska volleyball star, it certainly does. Her comments about the program from a couple of weeks ago are proof of that.

After defeating the Badgers on Senior Night (November 23), the Huskers captain said, “These girls took me in at a time when I hated volleyball and at a time when to be quite honest, I hated volleyball. I didn’t want to continue playing volleyball and wasn’t super confident in Merritt as a human being and these girls and all the coaching staff took me in and allowed me to flourish. There’s countless memories and history that was made, but I think that alone is what I will forever be thankful for and something I didn’t know if I would ever get back.” 

As grateful as Beason is to the Huskers, she can rest assured that the team feels the same about her. Her coach, John Cook, referred to the outside hitter as a “gift.” He said, “Merritt is a gift. Those people are hard to find in this world anymore, people who are servants and want to give back. I just think that is the greatest example of how I can explain to people what Merritt brings to our team… If you look at [the seniors’] legacy and what they’ve done, they’ve literally done everything but win a national championship. We still have an opportunity to do that.” 

That’s what Beason & Co. is aiming for before the captain starts her professional career in January. On November 25, the Atlanta Vibe traded their second and ninth picks in the 2024 PVF Draft to the Indianapolis Ignite to select Beason as No. 1 overall. As for her collegiate career, in 2023 and 2024, she made Nebraska her home. Distance never seemed to matter to her either; after her stint with Florida in 2022, she could have moved closer to home in Alabama. Instead, the outside hitter chose to spread her wings in Nebraska, forging her own path.

Now, these memories have come flooding back for her fans. Watching Beason’s TikTok post felt like reliving the past, and many expressed their emotions in the comment section.

The Nebraska volleyball fans find it ‘hardest’ to bid goodbye to Merritt Beason

At the end of the season, the Nebraska volleyball team is going to lose five seniors from the lineup. With Merritt Beason on the list, the rest of them are Lexi Rodriguez, Lindsay Krause, Kennedi Orr, and Leyla Blackwell. For the fans, all of them pose to be the standouts, contributing to the Huskers’ success year after year. So, losing them on a stretch would be hard to accept. Thinking that, someone penned in the comment box, “The 5 seniors leaving is gonna wreck me to no other.”

A similar emotion echoed in another fan’s comment. It read, “Nebraska players’ goodbye is going to be the hardest😭.” The goodbye is on the cards, and it will show up in the next few days. In the meantime, fans also dropped tears for Merritt Beason. On such a comment came, “loved to watch u play from South Dakota good luck in your next venture as a pro continue to strive n teach for those stars thx for the show congrats n good luck.” The fan seemed to have a long memory of watching Beason playing volleyball.

The fan also wished her luck before starting her fresh journey to become a professional player. That led another fan to chime in. This time, the comment read, “So excited for you start in profession sports world congratulations moving up in girls volleyball playing in big cities will be so much fun.” Under the Pro Volleyball Championships’ banner, Merritt Beason will have the chance to rub shoulders with esteemed players, including a few Olympians. The brand will also host the games in the big cities where a new version of fan following might come into being.

Altogether, the entire package will be new for the Nebraska volleyball star. So it might give her a fresh vibe. But the fans will miss her clad in the Huskers’ jersey, taking a stand in the Bob Devaney Sports Center. This sadness led someone to pen, “Going to miss u so much merb.” Her finesse on the collegiate court will surely be missed. Isn’t it?