Alumni Spotlight: Part Two

It was recently announced that – alongside the traditional annual red-white scrimmage – there would be an alumni exhibition as well, an extra treat for the fans. With professional volleyball leagues kicking off in the USA, and Omaha being home to two of them, there is a plentiful number of former Huskers close to home and in ripe athletic shape. This event is shaping up to be a Husker Homecoming of various generations congregating into one – all united under the same program, sistership, and creed. Since the format of the scrimmage isn’t entirely determined yet, nor is the personnel list, here are some likely names that you can expect to see.

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Madi Kubik (2019-2022): At Nebraska, you probably recall her as the outside with a messy bun that never seemed to stop smiling. She was a key factor of the 2021 National Runner-Up season, where she posted a team-high 3.11 kills per set and was an All-Big Ten First-Team selection. She finished her career as a Husker just shy of the double 1000s club; 1,264 kills – 13th in program history – and 983 digs. She played professionally in Puyerto Rico and Italy for two seasons before LOVB was launched and she signed with Omaha. While she received little playing time early in the season, she stepped up into a starting role halfway through and became a major bright spot. At Nebraska, the All-American was known for her ball control, offensive range, and most notably – infectious personality, but there's a new and matured shaft in her demeanor. She was a fan-favorite as a six-rotation player, and it would be so heartwarming to see her play in Devaney once more. 

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Justine Wong-Orantes (2014-2017): Justine’s reputation precedes her; Best Libero at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and at the VNL 2021 Tournament. Ironically enough, Justine didn’t even play libero until her senior year, originally an undersized setter who managed to run an impressive 5-1. Unfortunately, the nature of her position limited her recruiting options, and she landed a full-ride scholarship to Nebraska after they recognized her defensive prowess. Currently, Wong-Orantes is the starting libero for LOVB Omaha, and mentor to burgeoning star, Lexi Rodriguez. In the most recent generation, Lexi has definitely won over as the household libero name, but Justine was the blueprint, paving the way for short girls to flourish against all adversity. Being able to watch her again in a Husker Jersey would be surreal, especially if we got to have a Lexi-Justine head-to-head defensive clinic.

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Lindsay Krause (2021-2024): Another familiar name, Krause has been a Nebraska sensation since her high school days for Skutt Catholic, where she went 4 for 4 on state titles. The Nebraska Gatorade Player of the Year and top outside prospect in the country was a key contributor to earning gold at NORCECA in 2018, the 2019 FIVB Championships, and Husker Volleyball’s 2021 season. She had a breakout match her freshman season in the most hostile environment imaginable – the elite eight versus Texas in Gregory Gymnasium. She was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman team after hitting .300 or better on 12 occasions and averaging 3 kills a set. In her Junior season, she had glimpses of greatness after racking up 15 kills on a .519 clip and 9 kills on a .381 – earning Big Ten Player of the Week. She held the top hitting percentage for an outside hitter in the conference before suffering an ankle injury that took her out for the season. Her senior year, she was a standout in the 5-set win over Creighton with a career-high 17 kills, 6 digs, and 5 blocks. Lindsay currently is a member of the Omaha Supernovas, just an hour up I-80.

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Kenzie Knuckles (2019-2022): One of my all-time favorite Huskers, Kenzie is someone who left a lasting imprint in my mind even past her graduation. It was likely due to the tragic nature of her final season – ending with an unexpected ACL tear before the last week of conference play. It was a major blow to both team morale and the backcourt, and was such an unsatisfying ending to a fantastic career. Knuckles was the libero for two seasons before Lexi Rodgriguez stepped in as a freshman revelation, where she transitioned into a 3-rotation defensive specialist. Rather than viewing it as a demotion or getting down on herself, she flipped her mindset into how she could best help the team in this role. She has been an outside hitter in high school, so she started to establish herself as a weapon on the back-row attack. When they ran out of subs late in a set and Kenzie found herself stuck in the front row, she was the one to block First-Team All-American Stephanie Samedy on set point. Though she no longer plays volleyball, she works for PVF as the Manager of Marketing for the Indy Ignite. 

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Kayla Caffey (2020-2021): Yet another Supernova, Caffey made her mark with the Huskers despite only starting for one season. She tallied double-figure kills 10 times and ranked fourth in the Big Ten for hitting percentage (.376), a critical piece of the offense and defense at the net. Despite being an undersized middle, she was always the first one to catch your eye with her insane vertical and even more unbelievable kills. In 2021, she was recognized as a second-team AVCA All-American and North All-Region. While there was some drama regarding her transfer to Texas the year later, she has fully maintained bonds with her former Husker teammates and there seems to be no bad blood. She proudly acknowledges herself as a Nebraska Alumni and more than qualifies to participate. 

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