92,003 fans, decked out in red and white, piled into Memorial Stadium on Aug. 30 to support the Nebraska Women’s volleyball team, the largest crowd ever to attend a women’s sporting event.
Nebraska defeated Omaha 3-0, allowing the players to relish in the glory of the huge support system that showed up for them⸺all paid tickets, costing as much as $400.
“We were walking out of the tunnel after the second set, and we heard on the speaker we had just broken the world record,” player Andi Jackson said in an interview with ESPN. “I can’t describe how grateful I am to be a part of it.”
The game was intense, showcasing the Cornhuskers’ versatility as they quickly adapted to the outdoor stadium conditions: whipping winds, temperature changes and even animals.
This well deserved victory, however, was bigger than just the Cornhuskers’, it was a win for women all around the world. Men’s sports have long overshadowed women’s sports, with greater attendance and better funding. Almost all of the most anticipated sporting events of the year are played by men, but this game is proof that we are moving toward change. The Nebraska women’s volleyball team showed audiences that their hardwork and dedication to the sport is well worth it. The team wants any young girls and women watching to know that anything they put their mind to is possible.
“When you’re little, you have big dreams and big goals,” Nebraska junior Lexi Rodriguez said to ESPN. “Having this to look up to is something that a lot of little girls will keep in the back of their mind when they’re pursuing the sport of volleyball.”
Photo credit: Stanford v Nebraska 2019 by HuntingtonPHOTOS is licensed under (Public Domain Mark 1.0).
