Overcoming Tough Loss, Lexi Rodriguez Makes an Overwhelming Statement About Nebraska Huskers Volleyball

Lexi Rodriguez went from cloud nine to a reality check in less than a week—and what a rollercoaster it was. November 23 was pure magic: Senior Night at the Bob Devaney Sports Center, where she and four fellow Huskers basked in the glow of their final home game. And talk about going out with a bang—they didn’t just win; they swept Wisconsin. Yes, the Badgers, a team they hadn’t swept since 2012. The energy? Unmatched. The vibe? Electric.

But fast forward six days, and Nebraska volleyball got a cold, hard dose of reality. Enter Rec Hall, where the Huskers faced Penn State for the first time this season. Fans showed up buzzing with confidence, fully expecting another sweep from Big Red. Why not? The Nittany Lions had only lost to Wisconsin, and the Huskers? They had already taken down the Badgers twice this season. On paper, Nebraska looked unstoppable. But on the court? Not so much. Lexi Rodriguez and her squad couldn’t quite find their groove, and the result was a tough 3-1 loss. Cue the collective gasp from Husker Nation.

For the diehards, hope wasn’t entirely lost, but the clock was ticking. Less than 24 hours later, Nebraska had to face Maryland on the road. What should’ve been an easy end to the regular season suddenly felt like a ‘win-or-else’ kind of situation. But the Huskers rallied, shook off the sting of their Penn State loss, and came through with a gritty 3-1 victory. That win did more than just boost morale; it clinched the Big Ten title and punched Nebraska’s ticket to the NCAA championships. Talk about a week packed with drama.

Reflecting on the whirlwind, Lexi got candid during a December 1 press conference. “I think this one was just more enjoyable, more exciting, more just because it’s like there’s no other way that I would want to end, like, my senior year of, like, conference than with a Big Ten title. So I think it was a little more special just because, I mean, Big Ten championships are hard to do.” Her words echoed a sentiment Coach John Cook had shared the day before. According to Cook, the Big Ten volleyball title is “the hardest conference, the toughest challenge.” The reason? As per Cook, the ten-week-long rigorous competition can grind even the very best. Fortunately, Lexi has some intriguing memories related to the Big Ten volleyball title.

In the same press conference, the libero reminisced over her journey to the title. “I didn’t get one until last year, and so to have two leaving is just such a huge accomplishment for our whole, entire team and for this program. And so, yeah, I mean every year is different, but this one was definitely super special.” Living up to expectations and reaching milestones since 2021, Lexi Rodriguez has surely reached the end of her collegiate assignment. Still, she has a few boxes to tick on her wishlist.

Lexi Rodriguez: On the Brink of History

On Sunday, the NCAA Division 1 Volleyball Committee announced the bracket for the qualified teams. Being the Big Ten volleyball champion, Nebraska earned an automatic qualification and entered Region 2 as the table topper. On December 6, the squad will face Florida A&M in the Bob Devaney Sports Center. The anticipation is already set, and Lexi Rodriguez is looking forward to yet another tour to clinch the national title. However, she surely remembers the last final, hosted in Amalie Arena in Tampa.

In the final against the Texas Longhorns, Lexi had six digs. Nebraska had better stats compared to the opponent (33-2 versus 28-4). Even so, the Huskers had to leave the iconic arena with long faces as the Longhorns swept the final with a 3-0 score. Does she want a repeat? Certainly not. She’ll take a shot at the title for the last time in her collegiate career, motivated by a personal goal—breaking a record.

Lexi Rodriguez is on the brink of making Nebraska volleyball history, sitting at 1,819 career digs—just 71 shy of the all-time record held by Justine Wong-Orantes at 1,890. The math isn’t just hopeful; it’s downright doable. With six NCAA tournament matches, she needs to average just 11.8 digs per game. That’s already below her season average of 12.75 digs per match, so cruising past the record at that pace seems likely.

But what if it takes fewer matches? If the Huskers make a shorter run, Lexi would need to dial it up. To break the record in five matches, she’ll have to hit 14.2 digs per match. And for a four-match dash? A steep 17.75 digs per match. While the latter sounds ambitious, Lexi has proven time and again that she thrives under pressure. Given her current form and Nebraska’s tournament aspirations, breaking the record feels less like a question of ‘if’ and more of ‘when.’

What do you think? Is Lexi poised to etch her name at the top by the time her collegiate chapter closes?