All Johnson-Brock’s Fallon Stutheit has ever wanted to be when she grows up is a Husker, so when Nebraska coach John Cook gave her that opportunity, she jumped at it.
Stutheit, a 6-foot-1 sophomore, informed Cook of her decision to be a Husker on Monday – a day after being on an unofficial visit at Nebraska for its 3-2 win over Minnesota.
“I’ve always known that I wanted to be a Husker,” Stutheit said. “I fell even more in love with the school and program this weekend. And, I really like how people go on to have a lot of success after they graduate.”
Stutheit accepted Cook’s offer to join the program as a walk-on. At some point, perhaps even before she gets to campus, Stutheit said she can still earn a scholarship, but the dynamic hitter said she was ready to commit to being a Husker with our without it. There was a lot of recruiting attention coming Stutheit’s way, but no scholarship offers at this point.
Stutheit becomes the fourth commit in Nebraska’s class of 2019. She joins Yorktown, Indiana, libero Kenzie Knuckles, 6-foot-5 MB/OH Riley Zuhn of Fort Collins, Colorado, and 6-foot-1 OH Madi Kubik of West Des Moines.
Stutheit has experience as both a pin hitter and in the middle, something she said the Nebraska coaches liked.
“I’ve played every hitter position, either pins or middle,” Stutheit said. “I know I need to work on everything. I just need to keep working on getting better.”
That’s not something opposing high school coaches will want to here, considering Stutheit is already one of the better attackers in the state.
As a freshman, she helped lead Johnson-Brock to the Class D-1 championship with 329 kills and 67 1/2 blocks. In the Eagles’ 3-0 win over Diller-Odell in that championship match, Stutheit finished with 13 kills and 2 1/2 blocks.
This season, Stutheit is playing even better, raising her per-set kill total from 3.4 as a freshman to 5.3 and her hitting percentage has gone up from .262 to .411.
Stutheit also has had a very good club career so far while playing for Nebraska ONE. Her 15-and-under team last year did very well at the national level and was one of the best teams in the region. The past two seasons Stutheit has played for former Husker libero Rachel Schwartz at Nebraska ONE – which is run by another former Husker in Tonia Tauke.
Stutheit also said being on great teams in both high school and club has helped her grow as a player and realize her dream of being a Husker.
“My teammates on both teams really push me to get better and inspire me,” she said. “I wouldn’t be (in a position to play for Nebraska) without them. We hold each other to high expectations.”
