Courtesy of Matt Smith
On a balmy August evening, the Nebraska Women’s Volleyball team made the impossible possible after setting the world record for the largest women’s sporting event in an unconventional and downright magical manner.
The five-time national champions initially set out to reclaim the National Collegiate Athletics Association regular season volleyball attendance record after losing the title to Wisconsin. After having their record bested, Nebraska volleyball head coach John Cook told USA Today, “Wisconsin, being as competitive as they are, went and took one of our attendance records away…So we’re like, ‘How are we going to get it back?’” Nebraska volleyball’s venue, the Bob Devaney Center, lovingly referred to as ‘The Bob,’ seats about 13,595. Breaking this highly coveted record would require a much bigger stage – or, perhaps, a field.
As the athletic department brainstormed, they decided to do the unexpected: play a match under the lights of the University of Nebraska’s storied Memorial Stadium with a capacity of 90,000. People questioned if there would be enough interest in the team to make this worthwhile. To their surprise, tickets for the game sold out in a matter of days.
What started as a way to best their friendly rivals quickly became a historic day for Nebraska volleyball and a paramount moment for women’s sports.
Fans flew in from all over the country to partake in what was heralded as Volleyball Day in Nebraska. Local businesses saw lines out their doors as thousands poured into Lincoln, the home of the University of Nebraska. Despite the business drummed up, this day was about so much more than the money. Lexi Rodriguez, a junior libero for the Huskers and two-time All-American, touched on what this day meant to her, saying, “It’s so huge for little girls to get to see a women’s sport and volleyball being played on this big of a stage.”
One of Nebraska volleyball’s many slogans is “Dream Bigger.” On August 30th, that mantra manifested in an electric crowd and an inspiring moment for a new generation of female athletes.
Rae Wartelle ‘27, a middle hitter for Connecticut College’s women’s volleyball team, spoke on what this event meant to her. She said it made her feel “a sense of empowerment as a female athlete,” and her team’s reaction to the match was full of “overwhelming excitement.” She sees this record-breaking event as a recognition for “every female athlete devoting hours, days, months, and years of their lives to their sport.”
The #4 ranked Huskers swept their opponent, the University of Nebraska-Omaha, in a dominant fashion. The final score was 25-14, 25-14, 25-13.
Following the match, the entire stadium watched with bright eyes as drones moved quickly through the air to illuminate the new world record across the night sky: 92,003. 92,003 fans had gathered to make history. Fireworks sparkled in the sky to the soundtrack of thunderous applause. The moment was undeniable and awe-inspiring as a world record shattered in the most unlikely of places.
The gratitude and joy was apparent on the players’ faces. This day was no longer about earning a shiny new title. Instead, it acted as a love letter to the sport, simultaneously honoring the legacy of Nebraska Volleyball and paving the way for a bright future. Every player left their heart out on the court and, in the process, showed the world that, when the opportunity arises, people will show up and show out for women’s sports.
