August 30, 2023 is a day many Nebraskans will remember as Volleyball Day. The Cornhuskers set the stage in Memorial Stadium with the hope of breaking a world record for the biggest attendance for a women's sporting event. In the stadium was the Louisville Lions volleyball team ready to make history.
The day started with the Lions taking a 40-minute drive to the stadium where they talked about who they were most excited to see.
Sophomore Kelsey Haynes said,” I couldn’t wait to see the libero [Lexi Rodriguez]. She is so good!”
Anticipation grew as the Lions walked through the gates leading to history. They watched the first game between the UNK Lopers and the Wayne State Wildcats. After the Wildcats won the game, planes flew over the stadium as the Huskers took the field to warm up.
Freshman Brylee Peterson said, “I love how dynamic they are in warmups.”
The Huskers left to get ready for their match as the crowd watched a video talking about what went on behind the scenes to make this special day happen. The Cornhuskers ran back through the tunnel as the whole crowd stood on their feet clapping along to the classic volleyball hype song, “Can You Feel It,” by Michael Jackson.
Junior WyLeigh Bateman said, “The atmosphere was insane.”
The Huskers put on an impressive game, winning with a clean sweep of 3-0, but the real show was afterward. The crowd found out with the help of the cheer team that they had beaten the original world record with 92,003 in attendance.
The Lions cheered as they knew that they were a part of something that would forever be in Husker history. The whole stadium turned red with music booming through the speakers as fans enjoyed a firework display. Guest singer Scott McCreery then gave the Lions a bonus show with his astounding concert. All of the crowd sang along excited to be living this once-in-a-lifetime experience.
All of the girls left the stadium with smiles on their faces wanting to relive the night already.
Peterson said, “This is going to be a core moment forever.”