COLUMBUS, Ohio — Four Huskers earned All-America honors from the American Volleyball Coaches Association on Wednesday as the NCAA Women’s Volleyball Championship got under way in Ohio.
Senior outside hitter Kadie Rolfzen and senior libero Justine Wong-Orantes earned first-team honors, junior setter Kelly Hunter was named to the second team and senior middle blocker Amber Rolfzen was named to the third team. Sophomore outside hitter Mikaela Foecke and junior middle blocker Briana Holman picked up honorable mention honors.
Nebraska’s four All-Americans were the most for the program since 2007 and it was the first time since 2006 that two Huskers earned first-team honors. Kadie Rolfzen became just the second Husker to earn first-team honors four times, joining Sarah Pavan.
“I don’t really knows what it means,” Rolfzen said. “That was one of my goals coming in, but at the same time that’s not really a team goal, so I guess my team goal would be to win the national championship and be the first team [at Nebraska] to do it back-to-back.
“As exciting as it is for the individual awards, my goal and our goal is to win that national championship.”
Wong-Orantes recently broke the Nebraska school record for career digs and was the only libero among the 42 first-, second- or third-team All-Americans.
“A lot of times the liberos are not recognized for what they do,” Coach John Cook said. “There are very few liberos that have been named first-team All-America. I think that’s just great respect for Justine and what she’s done and what level she’s playing at and has played at.”
Nebraska’s two first-team certificates gives the Huskers 44 all time, which ranks first in the Big Ten and second nationally behind Stanford (51).
Nebraska faces Texas in an NCAA Semifinal match on Thursday at 8:30 p.m. (CT) on ESPN.