Caroline Jurevicius is the giant killer in this season’s NCAA Division I Volleyball Championships. She rose up to the clutch moments in the games and against the big names. Interestingly, this season, her best performances came against the program that was touted to win the contest. Yes, she faced the Nebraska Huskers volleyball program two times this season. Both times, she brought major damages. In the semifinal, she had more than 20 kills against the fan favorite. And in the Big Ten season, Caroline inflicted 18 kills. Both times, Penn State volleyball overpowered the Huskers. Now, in the NCAA final, she has a tremendous task: to make the Nittany Lions champions again. Can she hit the bull’s-eye? 

Well, Caroline’s father seemed to feel tension, thinking about the final result of the game against the Louisville Cardinals. During the game, Joe Jurevicius caught up with Michella Chester of NCAA Digital. In the conversation, he mentioned, “The nerves are up high.” But Caroline has experience playing against the Cardinals. On September 3 this year, she and Jess Mruzik, the senior outside hitter, steamrolled them. The duo scored 24 kills in the game, leaving a zero chance for Louisville to make a comeback. Then why was Joe feeling the weight of tension? 

The proud father remembers the journey his daughter has made to come to this point. While talking to Michella Chester, Joe laid out, “There’s so many things that go into this. There’s so many people over the years from not only my Penn State years but also people that we’ve met……There’s just so many people that have been part of this moment right now.” Things like these made him emotional. He later added, “I know all those girls deserve to be where we are, and they should win, and I hope they do win. But it’s just an emotional dad right now.” So, he has the right to feel tense and burdened by all emotions. The game has high parameters as well. 

It is about the game between two teams that have a similar shot at the title. After September 3, the Cardinals have gone through a lot of changes. They’re not the same team anymore. Any proof? Their victory in the semifinal has backed their phenomenal form. In the semifinal, they defeated the Pittsburgh Panthers, the ACC behemoth. Like Penn State, the Panthers had also defeated the Cardinals in the regular season. They even did it multiple times. Yet Louisville earned the victory when it mattered most. In the semifinal, they thwarted Pitt’s challenge with a 3-1 scoreline. So, in the end, they can change the calculations. 

Did these factors hit the former NFL wide receiver’s mind? It could. However, Joe praised the Penn State volleyball program’s coaching line. “The tradition at Penn State and what Russ Rose and now with Katie Schumacher and what she’s going through, it’s kind of, it’s a little bit surreal,” he said. Caroline’s father’s words came as a shout-out for coach Katie Schumacher-Cawley, who has yet to leave the ground despite facing issues. 

In October this year, the Nittany Lions’ coach admitted to suffering from breast cancer. She had already been under chemotherapy. Yet she didn’t showcase any loose mindset in coaching Caroline Jurevicius and others. The hectic therapy surely took a toll on her body. But it failed to suppress her iron-cast mindset to lead the Nittany Lions to the title. As a player, she had the achievement in 1999, under the tutelage of Russ Rose. But this time, she is at the helm. For her, victory can be the answer to everything. This part moved Joe Jurevicius. Being the father of a girl, he has realized the weight of the matter. But what about Caroline Jurevicius? How has she seen things so far? 

Caroline Jurevicius pays her gratitude to her former program 

In December last year, Caroline Jurevicius announced her decision to move to Penn State. She joined the Nebraska Huskers as a redshirt in 2023. But at the end of the year, she decided to part ways with the program. She had four years of eligibility left by then. Still, the decision came. However, this season, the 6’2” player played a pivotal role both times in subduing the Big Red. Huskers’ giants had no answer to her kills. Did she do those out of rage? Had there been revenge on her mind while playing against her former team? 

Caroline disagreed. Instead, she displayed an utter love for the Huskers in the post-game interaction. She said, “I mean, I have nothing but love and respect for the Nebraska Volleyball Program. They’re a great group of girls. I mean, I threw the ball to my best friend, Andi Jackson, across the net beforehand. And I am very, very thankful for that program.” The love was prominent, as after the Big Ten volleyball game, she was seen sharing hugs with Andi on the sidelines. Now, that champion mindset is paying nicely for Caroline Jurevicius.