Elkhorn South’s Rylee Gray Commits to Nebraska

Nebraska coach John Cook scored a huge recruiting victory today, but the assist goes to the 8,000 volleyball-crazed fans that the defending national champions play in front of at the Bob Devaney Sports Center.

Elkhorn South’s Rylee Gray, the state’s top uncommitted prospect and one of the best middles in the nation for her recruiting class, announced today she was joining Cook’s “Dream Team” recruiting class of 2021. She joins outside Lindsay Krause of Skutt Catholic, setter Kenndi Orr from the Twin Cities and libero Alexis Rodriguez of the Chicago area in that 2021 class for Nebraska. Gray plays for the Nebraska Elite volleyball club.

Gray got her offer from Nebraska about this time last year following the “Dream Team” camp which featured an appearance from Husker alum Jordan Larson. Krause, Orr and Rodriguez committed almost immediately afterward. Gray wanted some time in the decision-making process.

She also gave thought to Creighton and Wisconsin but ultimately the decision, Gray said, came down to Stanford or Nebraska. Truth be told, though, Gray said the seed that was planted in her when she got the offer last year grew stronger and stronger in her heart with every trip to Lincoln.

“After dream team camp, I was on such a high after meeting everyone and getting offered,” Gray said. “Deep down I knew I wanted to stay home. Every single time I would go to a Husker match, I thought to myself that I wanted to play in front of this crowd. It’s such a great atmosphere.”

Gray said the path to committing to Nebraska started shortly after her Nebraska Elite 15 Revolution team finished second in the 15 Open Division at the AAU National Championships. Ironically, her team lost to future fellow 2021 Husker recruit Rodriguez’s Sports Performance squad. During the national championships, Cook and assistants Kayla Banwarth and Jaylen Reyes were courtside for every match she played.

“I could tell they wanted me really bad,” Gray said.

It was on June 27 that she and her family sat down with Nebraska Elite 15 Revolution coach Andrew Wherli (who is also the Omaha Duchesne head coach) about her options and the process and everyone felt comfortable that it was time for her to make a choice.

That evening, Gray said, she talked over the decision with her family and they all felt confident that Lincoln was the best place for her to be. She then called Cook with the news the following day.

Now comes her preparation for the Husker experience. Gray said she’s amped to join the 2021 group and wants to be a part of a special class.

“Cook, every single time I would get off a call or we would leave, he’d tell me he wanted me to be a part of the greatest recruiting class ever here at Nebraska,” Gray said. “We all believe it and we want to be the best recruiting class Nebraska has ever had.”

As a freshman at Elkhorn South last year, Gray had 308 kills with a whopping .439 hitting percentage and 18 solo blocks with 121 block assists.