On Wednesday, journalist Lincoln Arneal broke tragic news for the volleyball community. Former Husker player and Lincoln Southeast High School alum, Paige Hubl tragically passed away on November 24, aged 34. A three-sport athlete in high school soccer, basketball, and volleyball, she decided that sports wasn’t for her until a call by then-Nebraska head coach John Cook changed everything.

She finished her four-year high school career among the school’s all-time leaders in both aces and digs. She also set school single-match records for both digs (30) and service aces (six). Then came the move to Nebraska where she excelled and was even named co-captain. But it wasn’t what she initially planned.

Despite her disinterest in pursuing sports, Cook called her and told her whether she would join them. “In the fall of my senior season John called and said ‘Hey, I know you’re not doing anything for sports, do you want to walk on?’” Hubl once recalled. A walk on typically would’ve meant Hubl walks on at the big school, plays for a year or two, and then decides to focus on her education. But something at the Huskers caught her eye.

She observed how the coaches at Nebraska used video replay to improve each athlete’s skills, something she hadn’t experienced at LSE. “I remember we watched film twice a year, if that, in high school. We finished practice early and we walked over to our coach’s house. She’d pop in a DVD and we’d watch it on her couch. Just watch the whole game, and when we saw something she’d say, ‘Look at your posture here,’” Hubl said.

“If we were doing serve-receive drills in college, after practice, we would look at each one of those reps to see what we did right or what we needed to work on. Just knowing to dip your right shoulder makes a huge difference,” she added. This knowledge allowed her to become a better player, and it would come in handy when she eventually took up a coaching role at her alma mater, LSE.

Paige Hubl entered the Nebraska Huskers’ side in 2009 as a freshman and played in two games and totaled one dig in three sets of action. Next year, she would sit out from the team but would return in 2011. As a junior, she proved to be a valuable addition as a defensive and serving specialist for the Huskers, playing all 30 of their matches. The highlight of the season came when she notched a career-high 12 digs against Kansas State on December 2.

In 2012, she was named as the co-captain of the team alongside Lauren Cook and Hannah Werth. She was a key defensive contributor and serving specialist, yet again featuring in all of the team’s matches. She totaled 67 total digs and seven service aces in her final year. After her stint at Nebraska, she took up the head coach role at LSE in July 2o18, coaching them for four years. Following the news of her passing, the volleyball community especially those at Nebraska and LSE came together to mourn.

Former teammate Michaela Hauser posted a tweet honoring Paige Hubl. “This one hurts. We were just celebrating our hall of fame induction just a month ago. Oh Paige! You were truly one of a kind. A light in every room you entered. You will be greatly missed! Prayers to the Hubl family during this tough time!” she wrote in a tweet.

Huskers and LSE fans pay tributes and offer condolences after Paige Hubl’s passing

During her time she tried to shape the team into one of the country’s most competitive volleyball programs. Players who played under her described her as someone who cared about their well-being, while often going above and beyond to support them both as athletes and individuals. Hence, the volleyball community was deeply heartbroken after hearing of Paige Hubl’s passing.

“Our Husker hearts are broken over this news,” wrote one fan. “Rest in peace,” another fan wrote. Another user sent their thoughts to her family, who would need it a lot in these trying times. “Just heartbreaking prayers to her family and friends.”

When she was appointed as the coach at LSE, she described it as the “right opportunity,” and said she looked forward to working with the talented bunch of players. During her first season, the Knights finished with a 20-14 overall record and ranked 10th in their division. Next season they would finish with a 20-16 record but secured a 7th-place finish.

Her final two seasons proved to be challenging as the team ended up with 9-11 and 3-29 overall records. Yet her memory at LSE remains that of a strongly willed individual. Apart from her coaching career, Hubl also worked for the student-athlete sports info website, Hudl. The tributes for Hubl continued to pour in.

“Prayers for her family; she will be greatly missed,” said one fan, while another commenter highlighted the fact that Paige Hubl was a part of the Huskers family, who would miss her as much as her own family. “Just so sad! Sending so much love to her family and my Husker family! 🙏🏿” they wrote.

Paige Hubl will be greatly missed by the volleyball community, especially the Huskers and LSE fans. But her legacy and memories as a player and coach will always remain intact.