The NCAA-based games are becoming the centerpiece of major viewership. The Women’s Championship game between LSU and Iowa broke records and even surpassed the viewing figure of the men’s championship match. Many legendary personalities are welcoming this change. The latest NCAA Volleyball tourney game further turned heads.
In this vein, Magic Johnson and numerous others showcased their admiration.
Magic Johnson and others give big praise
As Nebraska celebrated ‘Volleyball Day in Nebraska”, 92,003 people filled Memorial Stadium, in Lincoln. After a match between the Wayne State Wildcats and Nebraska-Kearney, they went into a frenzy as elite Nebraska Cornhuskers dusted off their rivals Omaha Mavericks in three sets.
This broke the previous attendance record which was set during the FIFA Champions League between Barcelona and Wolfsburg in April 2022. The sea of red made for a spectacle proved how much the state loves volleyball. This brought many high-profile names to the fore. This included Lakers legend Magic Johnson, who brought out his usual energetic reaction.
There are so many people dressed in all red on the Big Ten Network. I’m blown away! Shoutout to all the Husker fans that showed their support for women’s athletics and the Nebraska Volleyball team. @HuskerVB
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) August 31, 2023
Las Vegas Aces Forward phenom and former South Carolina superstar A’ja Wilson also shared her piece. As a pioneer in women’s sports herself, she enjoyed the moment:
As an NCAA superstar herself, Caitlin Clark relished the moment too:
Former Bulls Head Coach Fred Hoiberg, who was born in Lincoln and now coaches Nebraska’s men’s basketball program, had many reasons to be proud. He was present during the historic event:
The adulation from basketball personalities who all have been part of the NCAA is nothing surprising. This fills many of them with immense joy and pride, seeing an NCAA woman program turning the pages of the history book.
Amidst this, Nebraska’s focus on volleyball is stamped further.
Nebraska, where NCAA volleyball women players are made
Nebraska women’s volleyball home stadium Devaney Center Court has seen 306 consecutive sellouts. Out of the nine record crowds during NCAA volleyball games, eight games have been played in Nebraska’s home floor. As per AP News, the state of Nebraska has 75 women on Division Volleyball rosters, and their 44 per million figure is only second to Hawaii.
The immense popularity of the game has dwarfed basketball for many decades now. Thus, the state has concentrated a lot of funds on developing the game and, thanks to that, it is the only profitable program. It has netted $1 million in profits.
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As the game grows in Nebraska, women’s sports have to savor another fulfilling memory to accelerate growth.
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