Whenever there are Nebraska Huskers, good news seems to be right around the corner. Only a few days ago it was Lexi Rodriguez and her No. 3 Nebraska volleyball team, who moved to the NCAA Semifinals with a convincing 3-0 win over the Badgers in a rocking Bob Devaney Sports Center, where 8,743 fans were in for a treat. Nebraska ruled the match as they scored 26-24 in the beginning set and then took the second set 25-17. Finally, in the deciding set, the score was 15-11 in favor of the Badgers, but the Huskers fought back to win 14 of the last 20 points and won the set 25-21.

Overall, Nebraska’s performance can be characterized as rather successful. This is the 18th time in program history the Huskers have advanced to the NCAA Semifinal and the twelfth time under head coach John Cook. Taylor Landfair had a match-high 13 kills, Andi Jackson and Harper Murray both added 10 kills, and Lexi Rodriguez had a match-high 17 digs. The defense was very active, limiting Wisconsin to a .126 attack percentage and out-blocking them by 12-9. But you know what? Whether it is in a team or individual capacity, there is always that one Husker who is on fire!

Another Husker, another history!

Well, while the team gears up for that all-important game, senior libero Lexi Rodriguez is out there stealing the spotlight in her own dazzling way! The chatter is not only about her digs and defense; it’s about the historic waves she’s making off the court too. On December 17, Lincoln Arneal, the Nebraska volleyball guru from Huskers Illustrated, hopped onto X to share some thrilling news, amplifying NCAA Women’s Volleyball’s post. Arneal’s caption read: “Nebraska libero Lexi Rodriguez is one of four finalists for the AVCA National Player of the Year. She is joined by opposite Olivia Babcock of Pitt, outside hitter Brooklyn DeLeye of Kentucky, and outside hitter Sarah Franklin of Wisconsin. The winner will be announced on Friday.”

Lexi Rodriguez is rewriting the record books, one dig at a time! A four-year starter and three-year captain, she’s climbed to No. 2 in Nebraska history with her career digs—and she’s not done yet. This season, she’s been a defensive dynamo, ranking No. 4 nationally. And she has been getting her well-deserved flowers.

Last week, Lexi made waves as the first-ever libero to snag the AVCA Region Player of the Year honor. She’s already a three-time Big Ten Defensive Player and Libero of the Year and could become just the third player in Husker history to earn All-American status all four years. But wait, it does not end there!

Lexi is one of only five Huskers ever to earn first-team all-conference honors four times. Plus, she’s just the second player in Big Ten history—alongside Minnesota’s Paula Gentil (2002–04)—to snag Defensive Player/Libero of the Year three times. And here’s the kicker: if Lexi wins this award, then she will be the first-ever libero to be crowned the Player of the Year! Indeed, this defensive wizard could change history books with her precision and calmness, which are so impressive. And really, who did not see it coming?

Lexi Rodriguez serves justice for the liberos!

Each time a libero does something special on the volleyball floor, people cheer because it is on record that liberos have not been associated with the greatness they deserve, even if they worked hard and followed all the movement rules. Here comes Lexi Rodriguez, ready to turn the tables. The libero recently won the AVCA Volleyball Regional Player of the Year award and not only is Lexi the first libero ever to be honored as such, but she is only the third player in the history of the Huskers to do so, after Kelly Hunter and Merritt Beason. Quite a challenge to follow, and Lexi is doing a great job. But wait, there’s more!

For a libero to be in the running for such an accolade as All-American honors? Legendary! Well, fans are definitely paying attention and one of them was Emily Ehman, who was right up in the front as she tweeted, “#JUSTICEFORLIBEROS LET’S GOOOOOOOOOO HOW WE FEELIN @Lincoln_VB!?!?!?” And well, Lincoln Arneal then started using the #JusticeforLiberos and joined his campaign.

And guess what? Lexi Rodriguez leads the Nebraska volleyball team into the NCAA Volleyball Final Four with just eight digs away from the Nebraska record. Lexi is ranked only below the two-time Olympian Justine Wong-Orantes on the school’s list. This season, Rodriguez is averaging 3.91 digs per set and if she stays on her current path, she will soon surpass Wong-Orantes during Nebraska’s NCAA semifinal game. And while Wong-Orantes has 1,890 digs, Lexi is only nine digs away from breaking her record with 1,882 digs!