Ode to Nebraska Volleyball: Memories of the Huskers and Bluejays

I’ve been around Nebraska volleyball my whole life. Granted, I haven’t been around that long, relatively speaking. Even still, I’ve been lucky enough to see a ton of great athletes come through the prep ranks in the Cornhusker State. Countless Nebraska-born players have gone on to have great careers at colleges across the country. When it comes to seeing local talent all in one place, though, there’s perhaps no better venue than the annual matchup between Nebraska and Creighton. This in-state rivalry is a perfect storm for prep volleyball enthusiasts like me. Plenty of readers here likely feel the same excitement. With so many of Nebraska’s prep standouts choosing to play for the Huskers and Bluejays, the "Jaysker" contest sort of feels like a Nebraska all-star match. These are two elite volleyball programs, too, and that makes this an even bigger source of pride for all who love Nebraska volleyball. I want to relive some fond memories from the prep careers of the athletes we saw last night at the CHI Health Center. These are names you know. They dominated for years and earned countless accolades. As they begin to take that dominance to the collegiate stage, let’s take a look at where it all started.   First of all, any Premier Nebraska devotees had to be excited about this one. Norah Sis versus Lindsay Krause. People who have followed Nebraska prep volleyball over the past few years are likely not surprised by Sis’ quick ascent to a six-rotation role at Creighton. Throughout her pre-collegiate career, she showed an uncanny ability to receive serve and quickly transition to her approach on the left pin. Her pass-to-attack technique was amazing to watch, and it helped Sis earn MVP honors en route to a national championship with Premier 18 Gold. Speaking of that Premier team, Krause was the other left side that completed the squad’s deadly attack. The four-time high school champion found herself on the opposite side of the net from her long-time club companion. Krause has gotten her start at opposite with Nebraska, and her willingness to adjust to new positions shouldn’t be too surprising. One of my favorite memories of Krause was at the end of her club career when she put on the libero jersey for Premier while nursing a mild knee injury. She would do whatever it took to win. Krause even played middle blocker in her early high school days because it was her best chance to see the floor and contribute. She embodied a winning attitude, and that only elevated her greatness even more. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> SIX. STRAIGHT. CHAMPIONSHIPS.<a href="https://x.com/SkuttCatholicVB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SkuttCatholicVB</a> wins 3-1 over Norris to capture their sixth consecutive state title! <a href="https://x.com/hashtag/nebpreps?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#nebpreps</a> <a href="https://t.co/wCs0YMxYHx">pic.x.com/wCs0YMxYHx</a> — Austin Kingsley (@KingsleyATK) <a href="https://x.com/KingsleyATK/status/1325273096962584576?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 8, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> [player_tooltip player_id="58186" first="Whitney" last="Lauenstein"] has also gotten plenty of starting reps at opposite for Big Red. I will always remember Lauenstein as the kind of player who could intimidate opponents in hitting lines before a match even started. Her abundant athleticism allowed her to hit angles that you just don’t see at the high school level. She even took those athletic gifts to the track last spring and put up stellar numbers on hurdles. A regiment of high-level training in the Nebraska gym will work wonders for Lauenstein as she carves out a role with an elite program. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Here’s the BOMB from [player_tooltip player_id="58186" first="Whitney" last="Lauenstein"] that gave <a href="https://x.com/Waverlyvikesvb?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Waverlyvikesvb</a> set point in the fourth! 😱😱😱 <a href="https://t.co/iTkPhMFOiT">pic.x.com/iTkPhMFOiT</a> — Austin Kingsley (@KingsleyATK) <a href="https://x.com/KingsleyATK/status/1306048749039489026?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 16, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>   Creighton’s success, meanwhile, is built on a huge collection of other Nebraska-born players who shined during their prep days. Senior outside hitter [player_tooltip player_id="551" first="Jaela" last="Zimmerman"] is a great example. "JZ" will forever be a Malcom High School legend. Her ridiculous senior campaign with the Clippers culminated in Gatorade Player of the Year honors and a vast collection of other awards. Fans will remember when she nearly dropped 40 kills in two different district matches during her career. Zimmerman was unstoppable. I also think back to the success of other Omaha-area Bluejays like Megan Skovsende and Emily Bressman. It’s hard to forget when Bressman took over one thousand swings during her final year at Marian. She was the heart of the Crusaders for many years. You could say the same about Skovsende’s tenure with Omaha Skutt, as she helped kickstart the championship streak that still stands today. Katie Maser was a great representative of central Nebraska volleyball, too. She seemingly set every assists record in the books by the time she was done at GICC, and she fittingly capped off her storied career with a title.   It’s players like these that embody the ever-present aura around Nebraska volleyball. These athletes have been conditioned to compete against elite competition every single week. This training then translates to spectacular performances at every level of collegiate competition. This is why we cover this sport.