Nebraska volleyball star Andi Jackson is not fond of tattoos. She likes them on other people but never imagined that she would have one. This is why one can easily overlook a small ‘23’ written on her right arm—roughly the size of a coin. So why did she get it? The reason is deeply personal and sentimental.

A recent report by Omaha.com revealed that Andi got the tattoo in memory of one of her teammates from the Diff volleyball club. Ellen Jackson, the 17-year-old budding star from the club tragically died in a car accident on June 5, 2022, while returning from a volleyball tournament. This deeply moved Andi. She shared, “She is the person who made me realize, at the end of the day, when volleyball is all over, who do you want to be? It’s really unfortunate that I had to lose someone to realize that.”

She continued, “But once she left, I realized that I didn’t care about anything that she did volleyball-wise. I was so honored that I even got to be her teammate and her friend because of how well she treated people and how welcoming she was, and how personable she was. And then I realized, yeah, I can be an amazing volleyball player, but if I don’t treat people well, it’s all for nothing.” Andi has moved on but still keeps it close to her heart, while also doing her bit to take Nebraska forward. Look how he has been dominating the court.

The No. 2 Nebraska volleyball team just made history by co-clinching a share of the Big Ten title with a 3-1 victory over Maryland, and Andi Jackson was right at the heart of it. With a career-high seven kills and eight blocks in the game, she’s made a huge mark this season. But her impact isn’t just on the court. Back in October, the AVCA National Player of the Year watchlist dropped, and Nebraska only had four players on it. No one expected that list to grow, but just days later, Andi was added to the extended list, solidifying her place as a rising star.

Then came even more good news on October 28, when Lincoln Arneal, Nebraska volleyball’s go-to guy, shared that Andi had been named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week. “Ms. Jackson is for reallllll,” the post declared, and it couldn’t have been more true.

As a senior at The Diff, she had 3.5 kills per set and a hitting efficiency of .386, with a team-high 67 service aces and 202 digs. She was essentially the pulse of the Bulldogs and was bestowed the first-team all-state prize following her last year in 2022. But what makes her journey to Nebraska even more incredible is how she got here.

Jackson makes it to Nebraska Volleyball!

When Andi Jackson was 15, volleyball was not the vibe. Picture this: she’s slumped in the back seat of her mom’s old Volkswagen Passat, heading to tryouts at The Diff Volleyball Club with a scowl that could rival a storm cloud. “I’m not going to be good at it. It’s not my thing,” she huffed, stubborn as ever. But her mom? Totally unfazed. “We have nothing to lose. Let’s go,” she shot back, probably with a mom-knows-best smirk.

Andi wasn’t dreaming of digs and spikes—her heart was set on other sports. Swimming, tennis, track and field? Check, check, and check. She even competed as a high jumper at the USATF Junior National Championships! Volleyball? Not even on her radar. Her dream? Hooping it up for UNC’s basketball team. But that day, for whatever reason, she decided to give volleyball a shot. And that’s when everything changed.

At her tryout, it was clear Andi Jackson had something. Sure, her underhand serves were a bit shaky, and her ball control needed help. But standing at 5’10” with a vertical that sent her nearly 10 feet into the air, she was impossible to miss. “Oh my gosh. Who is that? Holy cow!” exclaimed Trisha Kroll, the coach running the tryout. Rough around the edges? Sure. But her raw talent and fiery determination were undeniable.

“She knew how to figure out how to win,” Kroll recalled. With one-on-one coaching from Kroll and Christina Houghtelling, Andi quickly leveled up. It wasn’t long before Nebraska came knocking. But the journey wasn’t all smooth sailing. Some schools nudged her to jump ship to flashier teams, but Andi wasn’t having it. “She’s loyal,” Kroll said. “So much of it was about who she was becoming.”

Even as bigger clubs circled, Andi Jackson stuck with The Diff. Kroll reminded her, “(Coach Cook) wouldn’t have chosen you if he didn’t think you were good enough.” By 16, Andi Jackson was fully committed to Nebraska, showing that sometimes, loyalty and hard work are all you need to rise to the top. From slouching in the backseat to soaring on the court, Andi Jackson’s story is proof that sometimes, the thing you least expect might just lead to the dream you didn’t know you had.