Surprise! Surprise! It’s another year, and another sold-out crowd gathered inside the Bob Devaney Center to watch the intra-squad Red-White Scrimmage. The only difference is that Dani Busboom Kelly is leading Nebraska Volleyball this year, and the play area is now known as the John Cook Arena, in honor of the former coach. However, people saw big changes on the court.

Last year, the Whites trumped the Reds 3-1 in the four-set battle, while the Reds flipped the script this year. In fact, the Reds swept the Whites in the first three hard-fought sets (25-23, 25-23, 25-22) before the Whites finally won set four (25-17). While many of the Huskers made their case for why they deserve to be in the starting lineup come August 22, one player stood out.

One of the unique twists about Nebraska Volleyball’s Red-White Scrimmage is that players switch sides, and the one player who managed to stay on the winning side for all four sets was middle blocker Rebekah Allick. Not just that, the senior even notched the highest kills of the night at 16 and felt overwhelmed as she earned the Lifter of the Year Award.

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Allick fought tears while accepting the award, before her teammates rushed in to celebrate with the middle blocker. Last year, Andi Jackson took home the Lifter of the Year award with 15 kills, but this year, Allick scored one more kill, achieving a .433 hitting percentage with five blocks. “Today feels like a fairy tale. You pray for moments like that to work out,” Allick said, as per the Huskers Illustrated.

The Nebraska Volleyball coach also thought Allick deserved every bit of praise for the performance. “I thought she was the player of the game,” DBK said about the 20-year-old. And this is exactly the kind of performance she’ll need to replicate moving forward. After all, the Huskers still have one more test before the AVCA First Serve Showcase.

Nebraska Volleyball’s test against its former stars

While Rebekah Allick and her teammates showed their readiness ahead of the season kickoff against Pittsburgh on August 22, another exhibition awaits them. However, this one will be the much-awaited Nebraska Women’s Volleyball Alumni Scrimmage on August 16. With the Huskers already naming the alumni team, it looks like the current squad will have its work cut out.

The Huskers’ alumni team will feature some of Nebraska Volleyball’s biggest stars in recent memory, including pros and Olympians. The star-studded lineup includes Olympic gold medalist Jordan Larson, two-time All-American Kelly Hunter, LOVB Omaha star Lauren Stivrins, and libero Kenzie Maloney. PFVs pro Layla Blackwell (San Diego Mojo), Lindsay Krause (Omaha Supernovas), and now-former Supernova Ally Batenhorst will also be part of the squad.

Thankfully, Allick wasn’t the only one who showcased exceptional form tonight. Harper Murray scored 15 kills, while the Husker’s Italian connection, Virginia Adriano, scored 11. Meanwhile, Laney Choboy, Bergen Reilly, and Olivia Mauch all put on a stellar defensive show during the scrimmage. Another newcomer, the No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2025, Teraya Sigler, also made a statement.

With 10 kills, 10 digs, and 22 serves, the youngster showed that she didn’t just belong in the big leagues but was equally at home with offense and defense. This is exactly what Dani Busboom Kelly is looking for, as she believes the girls are “hungry” for a title. The Red-White Scrimmage may be an exhibition, but the score reflects just how competitive it was. Not only does Nebraska Volleyball need this spirit to excel in the alumni match, but also to make a run for the title.