Nebraska volleyball prepares to head west
It feels like we're due for a Nebraska volleyball update, especially as the Huskers prepare to head to Kearney for their spring exhibition match.
Country singer Zach Bryan’s tour arrived in Omaha for two sold out nights on Monday and Tuesday of this week. Plenty of Nebraska coaches and athletes were in attendance — coach Matt Rhule was invited on stage Monday night, and quarterback Dylan Raiola on Tuesday — but it was coach John Cook’s singing and dancing that stole the show on Tuesday night.
Someone should’ve invited him on stage, no?
Regardless, it was great to see Cook enjoying the night with his team ahead of the Huskers’ spring match in Kearney on Saturday. Team unity and camaraderie, after all, are often built in these moments.
As we prepare for Saturday’s matchup against Denver, let’s dive into the latest on Nebraska volleyball. There’s plenty to recap.
Class of 2025 grows
Nebraska gained its fifth commitment of the 2025 recruiting class on Wednesday when Manaia Ogbechie announced her commitment on Instagram. The 6-foot-3 middle blocker from Oaks Christian High School in Westlake Village, California, is ranked No. 123 overall by PrepDig and No. 90 by PrepVolleyball.com.
Over her three seasons at Oaks Christian, Ogbechie has recorded 679 kills. She has averaged 2.6 kills per set over that time with a .376 hitting percentage. As for her blocking, well… that’s an especially exciting component of her game. Ogbechie had 119 total blocks as a junior — averaging 3.8 blocks per match — and 116 as a sophomore.
She also recorded 29 aces over her junior and sophomore seasons.
Heading west
First serve for Nebraska’s spring exhibition match with Denver is slated for 2 p.m. CT on Saturday, May 4. As the Huskers finished their sixth week of spring practices,1 Cook also found time to talk with those in Kearney and surrounding areas. He joked after Wednesday’s practice that those on the western side of the state are “his people,” i.e. farmers, cowboys, you name it.
But heading west is an opportunity Cook doesn’t take for granted, especially knowing what it means for the communities that Nebraska visits. This spring match, after all, sold out in 46 minutes and required individuals who wanted tickets to pay in cash.2
“You hear the tone and the excitement in people’s voices in Kearney where we’re going,” Cook said. “And just the last couple of years what it’s felt like, the reception that we get, this is going to be another one that’s really special.”
As for who fans can expect to see, Cook said he wasn’t going to share who would and wouldn’t play. Instead, he just said that “everyone is available.” It should still be interesting with the newcomers — freshman defensive specialist Olivia Mauch and freshman outside hitter Skylar Piece — and those returning from injuries. Both outside hitter Lindsay Krause and middle blocker Bekka Allick have been working their way back onto the court this spring, and Saturday could be an interesting day for both.
For those wanting to watch at home, Nebraska Public Media and BTN+ will carry the match.
An unfortunate update
Mauch hails from Bennington, Nebraska, a community that was devastated by last Friday’s tornados. Cook shared some tragic news regarding the Mauch family’s home.
“I don’t know if you guys know, but Olivia’s house got taken out by the tornado,” Cook said. “That kid was MVP today. I complimented her on here’s someone whose family just lost their house, they’re trying to figure out where they’re going to live (but) she’s coming in here and performing really, really well.”
Mauch said she went home to Bennington on Saturday, sharing that you don’t really realize how bad it is until you see it firsthand. She also just found out Wednesday that it will be nine or 10 months before her family is back in their home.
Despite the heaviness of news like that, Mauch feels volleyball has been the perfect distraction.
“I feel like when I step on the volleyball court, I can kind of just forget about that stuff,” Mauch said. “It’s easy (because) the girls have been so comforting to me and stuff. I think I just try to forget about it and I think volleyball helps trying to get it off my mind.”
Nebraska announced Wednesday that the “Nebraska Together” line of apparel to benefit the Red Cross to assist with local relief efforts are now being sold locally in Lincoln and Omaha (in addition to online).
Wednesday also marked Ally Batenhorst’s last practice with the team before she departs for USC following the spring semester. “Ally and I and her teammates are very close,” Cook said. “We’ve had a great relationship her whole career here so there is nothing but mutual respect and I want her to stay in touch and still feel part of Nebraska volleyball.”
This was done to ensure individuals in Kearney and those in surrounding communities were the ones to get tickets and not scalpers.
I have to say I am proud of how we have presented ourselves.