For the second time since the end of the season, Nebraska has lost a player to the Big 12. Redshirt sophomore opposite hitter Anezka Szabo is transferring to Kansas.
Szabo’s club program, Kairos Elite, broke the news on Twitter on Friday.
https://twitter.com/kairoselitevbc/status/1215741361573507072?s=20
Szabo later confirmed her commitment to Kansas on Instagram.
Outside hitter Capri Davis, who took a medical leave of absence from the team in October, transferred to Texas in December.
Szabo joined the program after a standout prep career at Lincoln High School in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. PrepVolleyball.com ranked her as the No. 34 overall prospect in the 2017 class.
She played in 14 matches and 26 sets as a freshman, recording 15 kills on .205 hitting, three blocks and three digs. She played in nine matches and 20 sets as a sophomore before an injury cost her the rest of the season. She received a medical hardship to get that year of eligibility back and entered the 2019 season as a redshirt sophomore.
This year, she played in 29 matches and 49 sets, more than her first two years combined, as Cook regularly used the double-substitution that saw the 6-foot-3 Szabo replace 5-foot-10 setter Nicklin Hames in the front row to provide more blocking. She recorded four blocks including one solo stuff and she also chipped in five kills on 12 attempts. The lefty also played an important role on the B-side in practice, backing up Jazz Sweet at right side hitter.
Nicknamed the “Block Nesh Monster” for her blocking prowess, Szabo was named Academic All-Big Ten in 2018 and 2019 (the latter year for beach volleyball) and she earned Tom Osborne Citizenship Team recognition in 2018 and 2019. She was one of the recipients for the Sam Foltz Hero 27 Leadership Award in 2019 and was Nebraska’s Big Ten Sportsmanship Award honoree.
Szabo’s departure leaves Nebraska with Lexi Sun and Madi Kubik at left side hitter and Jazz Sweet at right side. Riley Zuhn and incoming freshman walk-on Abby Johnson have the flexibility to play either outside hitter or middle blocker. In total, Nebraska’s 2020 roster is set to include 17 players.
Jacob Padilla has been writing for Hail Varsity since 2015. He covers football, volleyball men’s basketball and prep sports. He also co-hosts the Nebraska Preps Postgame and Nebraska Shootaround podcasts for the Hurrdat Media and Hail Varsity podcast networks. His love of basketball can best be described as an obsession and if you need to find him, he’s probably in a gym somewhere watching, coaching or playing hoops.
