It’s about time to start the new chapter! As the NCAA season ends and the Pro Volleyball Federation League looms over the horizon, ex-collegiate volleyball stars are cutting chords with their pasts! Of course, with the memories of all those NCAA years, Sarah Franklin and the girls took a step into a new phase. So guess, we’re back to those exciting slash nervy first days, right?

Yes, you heard that. And surprisingly, this transition happened a little sooner than expected. Well, we just are done with Christmas, and the New Year is only a day away. Yet, the ambitious stars are not waiting for the calendar to flip. They have laced up and shown for their first days!

Sarah Franklin and others break the ice with new professional teams

As seen in an Instagram post, Frank the Tank was geared up in all blue, as she raced past the former red and white this season! Having turned pro with League One Volleyball (LOVB) Madison, she showed up for her first practice today and turned that old page over. “I’m so excited. I felt so welcome. Just like the moment I came in, everyone has been so welcoming and so exciting,” said the outside hitter.

It’s refreshing to see the LOVB crew extend a hearty welcome to her with warm hugs and graceful smiles. Admittedly, this was much needed for Sarah Franklin to swing into the ‘new-beginnings’ mindset and shake off all the nervousness, “So I just think getting the first day, getting all the jitters out, getting, you know, a new ball and everything, it’s just, it’s so fun,” she said.

On another note, LOVB also dropped a little sneak peek of a former Husker. Uploading an Instagram story of a player hugging her teammates in a circle, they asked viewers to guess who she was. “Guess who stopped by to say hi before her first day,” the caption had fans playing detective. But as far as we could guess, all signs point that it was Lexi Rodriguez, who’s gearing up for her 2025 debut with LOVB Omaha.

Well, this is the best part! LOVB Volleyball has more than 1500 teams but only one training center. Thus the chance to meet and greet the whole lot! Also, since we are speaking of former Huskers and first days, let’s make note that Leyla Blackwell also showed up for her first day with San Diego Mojo recently. The new draftee plays for the side first on January 16, but she’s already swung into the thick of the preparations with the side.

But we feel the grind is justified. Well, not just for Sarah Franklin, who admittedly was excited about playing with some high-level players and coaches, but also for Lexi Rodriguez and Leyla Blackwell. One common reason that’s perhaps driving the three to give their best this season is the sting of their recent brutal losses.

Franklin, Rodriguez, and Blackwell’s NCAA disappointment

Notably, Sarah Franklin was heartbroken as the Wisconsin Badgers fell against the Nebraska Huskers in the 2024 NCAA regional final. Right from the start, the Badgers had struggled in attack, making 22 errors and 127 attempts at an efficiency of .126. While a considerable 12 of the 38 kills had come from Franklin, it just wasn’t enough for the Badgers.

However, what added to the emotions and drove Sarah Franklin to tear up on the court was the fact that her NCAA career was ending. “Thank you to this program, these phenomenal coaches and staff. You gave me the tools to pursue my dreams and believed in me every step of the way,” she said as part of a long farewell message.

Similar was the case for Rodriguez and Blackwell, as it was hard to process the fact of how the Huskers ended their NCAA runs without the national title as Nebraska fell to Penn State in the Final Four. Perhaps this unfinished business pushes these stars to give the best shots in the upcoming season.

What do you think? Let us know below!