The 2024 season didn’t exactly end on the high note Nebraska volleyball was hoping for. They snagged the Big Ten title in the regular season, which earned them the top seed in the NCAA Regionals. From there, it was smooth sailing—until the Final Four. Last week, the Penn State Nittany Lions silenced the KFC Yum! Center, defeating the Huskers in that round. After last year’s heartbreaking loss to the Texas Longhorns, it was another gut-punch for Nebraska, just inches away from the title.

But the heartbreak didn’t stop there. The Huskers were also bidding farewell to five seniors, including team captain Merritt Beason and the ever-dependable libero, Lexi Rodriguez. Their departure had everyone teary-eyed, but here’s the twist—there’s good news for all the Huskers fans. No, Merritt and Lexi aren’t coming back, but one senior has decided to stick around. Want a hint? She had a pretty key role in the Maryland game during the regular season. Remember that one?

Well, the 3-1 victory against Maryland secured Nebraska the Big Ten volleyball title. And now, the big reveal: it’s senior outside hitter Taylor Landfair! She had 13 attempts in the game, finishing with 5 kills and 1 block. And here’s the exciting part—Taylor’s not leaving the Huskers after all. With one year of eligibility left, she’s staying put!

On December 27, Taylor shared the news with her fans in a heartfelt Instagram post. She wrote, “I couldn’t be more proud of the way our season went regardless of what anyone says & i thank all 13 of you for the memories made & friendships built along the way! i can go ahead and check reinventing myself off the list.” So, does “reinventing” mean sharpening her skills for next season? Because after last year, her achievements were straight-up fairy-tale material.

In the entire season, Taylor Landfair had hardly missed any Nebraska game. From the Huskers’ opening game against Kentucky to the last game against Penn State, Taylor marked her presence on the court with big kills. Against archrival Wisconsin Badgers, she pushed herself beyond the limit. The proof? In the NCAA Regional final, Taylor scored 13 games with a hitting percentage of 0.267. In the regular season as well, the 6’5” outside hitter had the same number against the Badgers. Not only that, in the NCAA Volleyball semifinal game against Penn State, she paired with Harper Murray to bring more damage to the opponent. 

Taylor Landfair ultimately ended the game by having 10 kills with a 0.172 hitting percentage. At the season’s end, the Illinois native had 219 kills in her possession. A ‘reinvented’ version of Taylor Landfair might try to fill in Merritt Beason’s shoes. Nothing could be better than that for the Nebraska volleyball fans. But did anybody expect her to stay another year in the Huskers? Last year, her decision to leave the Minnesota Gophers took over the stage. She had offers from the programs. Yet Taylor joined the Huskers. Any special reason? 

The strong bond among the Nebraska volleyball team is what keeps the players truly connected

Before committing to the Huskers in 2023, the OH Taylor Landfair had spent three years at the University of Minnesota. During those years, she made her presence felt by giving memorable performances. Everything was going smoothly for her in the Gophers. But things changed after coach Hugh McCutcheon’s exit from the program in 2022. His exit left a vast space in the camp. For Taylor, that posed a profound reason to leave the Gophers. However, she had two years of eligibility left. The programs noticed that fact and came to her with offers. 

Nonetheless, Taylor Landfair has officially sealed the deal with Nebraska volleyball. Why? Well, in her Instagram story, she gave us the inside scoop. According to her, the bond she formed with the team from the start was what drew her to Big Red. Almost a year later, that connection is as strong as ever.

The former Big Ten Player of the Year made her choice based on the sense of family she felt, and with that Big Red name on her back, she’s ready to keep going. In her Instagram post on December 27, she summed it up perfectly: “I love you all & can’t wait to run it back next year… you’re not done seeing #12 in RED yet ❤︎” Are you as excited as we are to see her back next season? Let us know!