It’s no secret that Harper Murray is a massive star in Nebraska. But have you ever wondered how big a star she is? Well, if you have, then what happened after Murray’s big NIL deal may give you the answer. So what’s the big deal? Well, footwear and sports apparel giant Adidas announced its NIL deal with Nebraska Volleyball’s 20-year-old outside hitter on social media.

“She IS the main character,” Adidas captioned the announcement. “You don’t always have to speak loud to be heard,” Murray said in the clip, sporting Adidas gear. “The work, the pressure, the pause before the serve…that’s where I live. I carry the calm and the chaos all at once. Watch close. This is how I show up,” she added. However, NLU went all out in celebrating the milestone.

This wasn’t just a simple nod, as “Nebraska lit up Love Library to celebrate @harpermurray4signing with Adidas,” wrote Hail Varsity. The clip showed a giant image of Harper Murray projected onto the south side of the NLU library, with the text “The Main Character” on the wall. “This is crazy,” Hail Varsity added, and they weren’t the only ones who thought it was awesome.

Harper Murray couldn’t believe her eyes. The Huskers’ outside hitter posted a snapshot of the projection on Love Library on Instagram. “Is this real??” she asked in the closed captions, tagging both the primary Adidas and Adidas Volleyball social media handles. As if landing a brand deal and joining the likes of former Husker Lexi Rodriguez wasn’t enough, she couldn’t believe the scale of the tribute.

And it was truly special because Huskers quarterback Dylan Rioa also signed an NIL deal with the brand. However, it was Harper Murray who landed the grand tribute, and that’s not the end of it. KLKN reported that Adidas will hand out free drinks to fans to commemorate the deal at The Mill from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Thursday and Friday.

They can pick up free vouchers near The Mill or Pinnacle Bank Arena. While details of the deal are still under wraps, the partnership with Adidas is more than just a personal milestone for Murray.

A big boost for Harper Murray

While Adidas is already Nebraska’s official footwear and apparel partner, the NIL deal marks a deeper collaboration with Murray. Needless to say, the success and grand acknowledgment were huge motivators. “After competing as an Adidas athlete these last two years at Nebraska, I’m excited to partner with Adidas in a bigger way as we work together to elevate the sport we both love,” Murray said.

“The way they’ve invested in women’s volleyball and women’s sports more broadly makes me proud to join the Three-Stripe family and more motivated than ever to bring a national championship to Lincoln,” Harper Murray added. Although Murray had served as the volleyball shoe brand Avoli’s brand ambassador for two years, the Adidas deal marks a switch.

And if this wasn’t a big enough boost for Murray to go all out to earn the national title, then there’s more. From July 22 to July 24, the AVCA named 30 athletes as its Player of the Year candidates. Nebraska volleyball, which was recently named the No. 1 preseason team and whose coach was voted No. 1 in the preseason coaches poll, earned three spots.

Becoming the only university to have three athletes on the list, Harper Murray joined Bergen Reilly and Andi Jackson. So with the AVCA First Serve knocking on the door, Murray is brimming with confidence. Thankfully, fans won’t have to wait too long to see how that confidence materializes on the court.