“In my mind they’re both starters and we need both of them as bad as the other,” said the Nebraska volleyball head coach, Dani Busboom Kelly, last month, about how she was having a hard time selecting her starting libero. While DBK was referring to Laney Choboy and Olivia Mauch in her comment, Nebraska has even more options to skim through when it comes to the DS/libero position. Thankfully, the athletes themselves are pretty clear on the bigger picture.

On Friday, the Huskers bagged their 10th sweep of the 2025 season by defeating Northwestern 3-0 at the John Cook Arena in the Bob Devaney Sports Center. Choboy had a match-high 10 digs, further cementing her elite status as a prolific libero. However, after the match, the junior student-athlete cleared the air on what the ultimate goal for the Nebraska volleyball program is.

In an Instagram post by Hail Varsity from October 24, Choboy’s post-match comments were shared. “We’re not working for ‘Let me be libero’…We’re working for a national championship,” the Nebraska volleyball star said, highlighting that the athletes are much more focused on ending the NCAA title drought rather than solidifying their spot in the starting line-up. The Huskers haven’t won the national championship since 2017, and it seems they have a chance to finally end the dry run with this roster.

Laney’s comment perfectly reflects the kind of mentality Busboom Kelly has instilled in the locker room in her maiden season as Nebraska volleyball’s head coach. In the match against Creighton in September, DBK was criticized for her decision to sit Choboy and play Mauch as the starting libero. The coach later explained that the move was prompted less by the athletes’ individual abilities and more by her focus on making sure her stars were being rotated.

“I thought our passing had been a little shaky the last couple games and just not confident so I thought maybe Liv could steady that out and I thought she did a great job…They’re both starters to me I know one has to wear the jersey but they’re both equally important to this team and our success,” Dani said about how both the liberos play crucial roles behind Nebraska’s campaign.

Nebraska volleyball’s libero legacy is among the best in the country. A lot of it can be attributed to Lexi Rodriguez. The ex-Huskers star was former coach John Cook’s go-to option for the starting libero for four years, and Choboy only wants to keep the tradition going. “Obviously, Nebraska has a legacy of liberos and big-time liberos too — Justine (Wong-Orantes) and Lexi going to play in the Olympics and trying to make the Olympic team. It’s insane to think that I’m in this position now, but I’m just going to continue to have gratitude for this position and be thankful that I’m here and then continue to work and hopefully carry on those legacies,” she said after making her libero debut at the AVCA First Serve.

With the liberos on agreement on what the ultimate objective is, the Huskers are looking firmly in control.

Nebraska volleyball is showing encouraging signs

With the win over Northwestern on Friday, Nebraska improved its regular-season record to 19-0 (9-0 Big Ten). 10 straight clean sweeps, and Busboom Kelly’s first season at the helm is already showing promising signs. Could this be the year the curse finally lifts? As good as Lexi Rodriguez was, she never got around to winning the NCAA title, despite coming painfully close to doing so on several occasions. For Coach Cook, the unfulfilled feat remained a haunting issue. But under the leadership of Busboom Kelly, the campaign so far should make anyone believe that great things might be on the horizon.

With the 2025 season shaping up to be a brilliant one, Nebraska fans are also cheering for the team. Their fervor has been further fueled by how the legendary John Cook also feels about the current roster, especially Olivia Mauch. Cook was present at the “Bob” last month to watch the game between Nebraska and GCU, and was left stunned by just how good Mauch looked in the libero position. After the Huskers’ win, Cook even admitted that the sophomore reminded him of Lexi Rodrigue from the last season.

With the iconic Nebraska volleyball coach’s seal of approval, do you think the Huskers will be able to continue their triumphant journey? Busboom Kelly’s girls are set to welcome Michigan State on Saturday. The two teams clashed just last Friday, and the Lincoln girls posted yet another 3-0 sweep at the Breslin Center. Who would you like to see in the libero’s stripes at the upcoming meeting? Tell us!