By Christina Fernández-Morrow, Hola America
In front of more than 92,000 fans — the largest audience ever recorded for a women’s sporting event — Lexi Rodriguez made history before even turning professional. As a junior libero for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL), she played in the match that shattered global attendance records for women’s sports. The event added to UNL’s remarkable streak of more than 300 consecutive sold-out volleyball matches, an NCAA record across all collegiate athletics, and filled Memorial Stadium, usually home to Husker football. It’s no surprise that Rodriguez had committed to Nebraska early, accepting her scholarship offer at just 14 years old.
The 2025 Honda Sport Award finalist, who grew up in Sterling, Illinois, discovered volleyball at age seven by watching her older sister play. “I was always tagging along at tournaments and practices, playing with the younger siblings as much as I could. I loved it so much I begged my mom to sign me up for club,” Rodriguez recalls. But in her hometown, opportunities were limited. Her family drove hours each week to Chicago’s suburbs so she could train, often balancing her schedule with her sister’s. With her grandparents pitching in to help, Rodriguez spent nearly a decade sharpening her skills before stepping into the college spotlight.
Her family’s sacrifices paid off. At Sterling High School, Rodriguez led her team to two Illinois state championships and earned Gatorade Player of the Year. College recruiters took notice at club tournaments and summer camps. “I was offered my Nebraska scholarship at a camp and accepted right away. I was really young, so I didn’t know how it would turn out, but it ended up being one of the best decisions of my life,” she says.
As a Husker, her list of honors grew quickly: 2021 AVCA National Freshman of the Year, four-time All-American, and 2024 Big Ten Libero of the Year. In her final game in December 2024, she tallied 15 digs, surpassing the mark set by Justine Wong-Orantes, a former Husker who later became an Olympic gold and silver medalist. Looking back, Rodriguez admits she thought she would need to play overseas to continue after graduation. “I always dreamed big, but I thought going pro meant leaving the country,” she says.
Instead, just three weeks after graduation, Rodriguez signed with League One Volleyball (LOVB) Omaha, Nebraska’s new professional volleyball franchise. There she reunited with Wong-Orantes, sharing libero duties with the two-time Olympian. “I’m still young, so every day is a learning opportunity. Being in the same gym as some of the best in the world is incredible,” Rodriguez explains. Surrounded by 15 of the top-ranked players nationally and internationally, she says the environment feels both challenging and familiar: “It’s exciting to be in a place where I feel comfortable and to play alongside teammates I already know.”
Her goals are ambitious. “We want to win the championship, that’s our main focus,” she says. LOVB Omaha is off to a strong start, sweeping Houston in their Jan. 10 season opener and following with another victory against Madison in Wisconsin. Their undefeated record builds momentum heading into the much-anticipated home opener on January 24–25, where they’ll face Madison again on Friday and Austin on Saturday.
Fans can follow updates on LOVB Omaha at HolaNebraska.org, with coverage in both English and Spanish. And next week, readers can look forward to our exclusive interview with middle blocker Candelaria Herrera, the Argentinian Olympian and former Iowa State standout.
For Rodriguez, who once helped pack 92,000 people into Memorial Stadium, going pro is more than a personal achievement—it’s a way to help build the sport’s future. Her journey shows how passion, sacrifice, and perseverance can transform small-town dreams into history-making realities.
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