Record-Shattering Triumph! Nebraska Volleyball Claims a Historic World Record for Women’s Sports Attendance—You Won’t Believe the Numbers!

On Wednesday, in front of a record crowd of 92,003, the Nebraska Huskers volleyball team defeated Omaha 3–0 to win their fifth consecutive NCAA championship.

The Huskers’ red-clad following went wild upon learning that the first two sets had set a new attendance record.

This match, played on what was dubbed “Volleyball Day in Nebraska,” was the culmination of months of preparation for a program and state that have consistently shown the most excitement for volleyball.

On April 22, 2022, in Barcelona, Spain, the previous world record for a women’s sporting event was set with 91,648 people in attendance at a Champions League match between FC Barcelona and Wolfsburg.

This, too, was a for-fee affair. Adult tickets for the doubleheader started at $25, while youth tickets cost $5.

Before the Huskers and Mavericks played, Wayne State defeated Nebraska-Kearney, a Division II opponent, in an exhibition game. Tickets on the secondary market, however, were selling for $400.

The middle blocker for Nebraska, Andi Jackson, had this to say: “It’s incredible; I don’t have enough words to describe it.” As we emerged from the tunnel following the second set, we were informed via loudspeaker that we had broken the record.

Everyone was trying their best to conceal their enthusiasm, but it was palpable. The opportunity to take part means more to me than I can express.

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Is there hope for the Big Ten? And here are some other 2023 5d volleyball predictions from our NCAA roundtable ESPN The previous record for a women’s sporting event in the United States was 90,185, set at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California for the 1999 Women’s World Cup final between the United States and China.

That match, which the United States of America won on penalty kicks thanks to a goal by Brandi Chastain, marked a turning point for women’s sports and women’s soccer specifically.

John Cook, the coach of Nebraska, has said of that World Cup match, “I remember that like it was yesterday.” Witnessing these women compete and then celebrate made me feel empowered.

It had a lasting impact on women’s sports in the United States. They showed what could be done. Even though №5 Nebraska is undefeated this season, the stakes weren’t as high as they would have been in a World Cup final on Wednesday.

The University of Nebraska, Nebraska as a whole, and the program there all took this tournament very seriously. The University of Nebraska has set a record for consecutive sellouts with 389 in football and 306 in volleyball.

On December 18, 2021, the NCAA women’s volleyball championship match between the Huskers and the eventual champion Wisconsin drew an audience of 18,755 to Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio.

The Badgers set a new NCAA record in September 2017 when 16,833 people showed up to watch a regular season women’s volleyball game in Madison, Wisconsin.

The Huskers set lofty goals for themselves, and they were met. “There’s a great business case and strategy around women’s athletics long-term that maybe college athletics hasn’t embraced,” said Trev Alberts, the athletic director at the University of Nebraska and a former star football player for the Huskers.

He went on to say, “we think here in Nebraska, long before I became the athletic director, we’ve significantly invested in women’s athletics,” adding, “and you’re seeing the result of that by seeing the success of the volleyball program and the fan base surrounding it.”

Even though the NCAA does not keep track of attendance across all sports, the game’s associate director of media coordination and statistics, Jeff Williams, told The Associated Press that the crowd of 90,000+ was easily among the largest for a non-football game.

More than 113,000 people watched Michigan and Michigan State play outdoor hockey at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor in 2010.

Thousands of spectators were already milling about outside the stadium as the first match began at 4:30 p.m. local time on Wednesday, with the sun directly on the court and the temperature in the mid-80s.

The sun had set, the temperature had dropped, the stadium was packed, jets were flying in formation above, and the crowd was roaring by the time the Huskers took the court for their 7 o’clock tipoff.

On the north side of the original stadium, which opened in 1923, a volleyball court was built. The Huskers of Nebraska then made their way out onto the field. As he emerged from the tunnel into the sea of red, Cook joked that he felt like a football coach.

Despite having coached the Huskers volleyball team to four NCAA titles under Cook’s watch, the veteran coach admitted to crying at least five times on Wednesday.

The significance of the event and the presence of so many of Nebraska’s former players moved him to tears. Lexi Rodriguez, a junior forward for Nebraska, said that the stadium’s size and the wind sometimes made it difficult to judge where the ball was going.

It didn’t seem to bother her or anyone else there. The potential impact of the nationally broadcast match was a topic of inquiry.

When asked about the importance of volleyball’s presence at the Olympics, Rodriguez said, “I’ve been saying it’s so huge for little girls to get to see a women’s sport and volleyball being played on this big of a stage, and having so many people invest in it.”

As a kid, your goals are much higher. In their pursuit of a career in volleyball, many young women will keep this in mind.

The game on Wednesday added to the century’s worth of memories that Nebraska football fans have made at Memorial Stadium. Nebraska’s football team had something to play for with a record crowd of 92,003.

A record-breaking 91,585 people watched Nebraska and Miami play football in September of 2014. The big screen in the north end zone of the stadium showed a drone presentation illuminating the number “92,003” as Cook thanked the university, the state, and the fans in attendance after the game.

According to Cook, only three things ever result in a day off of classes at the University of Nebraska, so students could take the day off to attend the event. Blizzards come first. “Two!” Cook exclaimed. “COMVID.” Volleyball game at Nebraska’s stadium, set for three….Read More