When Big Ten heavyweights Nebraska and Wisconsin collided with the national championship in women’s volleyball at stake in 2021, the match lived up to its considerable billing.
The Badgers won in five sets and celebrated their first title, denying the Huskers a sixth. A larger crowd (18,755) attended than had seen any NCAA volleyball match in history.
That December day in Columbus, Ohio, served as a catalyst for growth in the sport. And while Texas walked away with championships to end each of the past two seasons, the two programs involved three years ago in that championship match continue to lead the way in generating excitement and interest.
“Not only has the rise of Nebraska and Wisconsin and the rivalry fueled each other,” said Emily Ehman, a TV commentator for the Big Ten Network, ESPN and Fox, and a former Northwestern libero, “but I think it’s sparked massive interest in the sport from people who otherwise were not paying attention.”
Since 2017, Nebraska and Wisconsin have appeared three times apiece in the national championship match. A Final Four appearance this year would mark the Huskers’ 18th since 1986 and seventh since 2015. For Wisconsin, a trip to Louisville next week would be its seventh Final Four and fifth since 2019.
But they can’t both go.
On…
