Ignoring Northwestern Volleyball’s Cellphone Name, Lexi Rodriguez’s Future Teammate Breaks Digs File Forward of Nebraska’s 2025 Season

On November 7, Lexi Rodriguez made a severe transfer up the Nebraska volleyball document books, climbing to second place on the all-time digs listing with 1,720 digs. The one individual forward of her? Justine Wong-Orantes, the Olympian herself, with 1,890 digs. So, Rodriguez is simply 171 digs away from claiming the highest spot. Not dangerous, proper? Alongside the way in which, she’s already knocked a number of huge names down a notch, including her recruiter, Kayla Banwarth, who occurs to take a seat on that listing of legends.

It’s wild to assume that simply 4 years in the past, Banwarth handed the baton to Rodriguez when she recruited her for the Huskers. And now, Rodriguez is at that bittersweet second the place she’ll quickly must move the baton herself, as this season will likely be her final with this system. However don’t fear, Huskers followers–they’re not precisely left within the lurch. Phrase is that they’ve already bought a brand new recruit lined up, and from the seems of it, she’s already on fireplace.

Lexi Rodriguez finds a ‘fearless’ performer in her successor 

On November 7, Lincoln Lutheran volleyball hit a significant milestone as senior libero Keri Leimbach reached 2,000 profession digs. She hit that milestone with a stable 20 digs in a sweep towards Hastings St. Cecilia. However that’s not all! Leimbach can be eyeing the Class C-2 match title, proving she’s a key participant for the Warriors. And right here’s the twist: She’s already dedicated to the Nebraska Huskers for 2025. And what place is she aiming for? The identical one was held by the legendary Lexi Rodriguez, defensive specialist/libero. So what makes Keri the subsequent Lexi? Effectively, her teammates have some perception.

Tattooed with “Fearless, Belief, No. 4” on her wrist in everlasting marker, Leimbach is the final word workforce participant. Her teammate Ava Jurevicius, explains it finest: “She doesn’t let anybody else tackle what she’s feeling or let anybody tackle any stress. She takes all the warmth for herself and that’s what makes her an excellent chief.” Appears like a future Husker chief within the making, proper?

On a podcast, the veteran athlete mentioned, “When it comes to her [Lexi Rodriguez] poise and her management, I do know the women love her as a pacesetter and the way in which she communicates. She instructions the court docket. She really is the quarterback again there. To see her blossom into that position has been actually neat.” Lexi Rodriguez’s grown into that position superbly, however Keri is about to step into her personal model of it. Whereas Rodriguez had her particular signing second with the Huskers 4 years in the past, Keri’s dedication is making its personal distinctive mark on the way forward for Nebraska volleyball.

A diehard Nebraska Huskers fan, she ignored calls from different faculties

In 2023, Keri Leimbach stood because the thirty sixth recruit within the nation. She had a number of choices. Then again, John Cook dinner, the top coach of the Nebraska Huskers, stored this system’s door open for the instate skills. The squad had already signed up Natalie Wardlow as the center blocker. Nonetheless, Keri suited the eligibility. How? Born and raised in Nebraska, the participant had performed for the Nebraska ONE Synergy workforce. So her inclination was there for the Massive Purple. In the meantime, she pulled off a courageous act. 

Leimbach’s dedication to Nebraska was a giant second, particularly after fielding provides from faculties like Northwestern, Vanderbilt, Ohio, and Creighton. However when it got here all the way down to it, she knew precisely the place she belonged. “I principally referred to as them and instructed them I used to be going to go to my dream faculty,” Keri mentioned, reflecting on the second that sealed her future with the Huskers.

She later made it official with a celebratory Instagram publish: “I’m so, so excited to announce that I’ve dedicated to play volleyball on the College of Nebraska.” Now, simply months away from becoming a member of her dream workforce, she’s gearing up for her subsequent huge chapter—however don’t be stunned if she feels the absence of Lexi Rodriguez within the camp subsequent 12 months. There’s a whole lot of management to fill, but when anybody can step into these footwear, it’s Keri Leimbach!