With John Cook Arena under construction, the Huskers used the NU Coliseum and other venues for their biggest summer event.
To try to secure its future, Nebraska volleyball had to turn to its past.
The Huskers hosted their annual “Dream Team” camp this past weekend, with many of the top prospects from the Class of 2029 and younger in attendance. However, with John Cook Arena under construction, Nebraska moved the camp to its old home at the NU Coliseum and other venues across the city.
The camp is an important part of the Huskers’ recruiting strategy, as many of the players there will be recruiting targets next summer or in future years. Almost all of the Huskers’ recruits over the past few years have attended the camp to showcase their skills to the NU coaching staff.
NU coach Dani Busboom Kelly said on X that the event attracted volleyball players from around the world, including campers from Canada, Estonia, Costa Rica, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany.
The camp started in 2017 and gained notoriety after the heralded class, which included Kennedi Orr, Ally Batenhorst, Lindsay Krause and Lexi Rodriguez, all committed soon after attending the camp.
This year’s edition didn’t attract many of the current commits because almost all were training with the U19 national team; however, outside hitter Shaye Witherspoon and setter Malorie Boesiger, both Class of 2027 commits, were on hand. Witherspoon didn’t participate in any of the drills or scrimmages, but Boesiger was involved in the action.
None of the three members of the 2028 class, which committed to the Huskers last month — middle blocker Shaya Rautenberg, setter Josalyn Samuels and pin hitter Megan Hodgers — were on hand for the camp.
With the 2028 recruiting class likely wrapped up, the rising sophomores took center stage at the two-day camp.
Keri Knotts, generally regarded as the top overall prospect in the 2029 class, wasn’t on hand this year after attending last year.
Lexi Coleman, an outside hitter who plays for Legacy in Michigan, returned to the Dream Team camp and was the headliner of the group, as Volleyball Adrenaline considers her the second-best in the class. She’s also gone to camps at Louisville, Texas, Texas A&M, Kentucky and Michigan this summer.
Coleman and Knotts will team up later this year at the U17 World Championships from Aug. 6-16 in Santiago, Chile.
Two other members of the U17 team were also in Lincoln this weekend: Libero Grace Hengler and outside hitter Peyton Smith. They are both from the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex and play for MADFROG.
Outside hitters Naomi Stevenson from NC Academy in Durham, North Carolina, Baylee Wilson of Wave in San Diego, California, and Skye Lincoln, who plays for Dallas Skyline, were also in attendance. VB Adrenaline ranks all three of them among the top dozen prospects in the 2029 class. Elyse Wong also participated in the camp. She goes to Oaks Christian outside of Los Angeles, the same school that produced NU sophomore middle blocker Manaia Ogbechie.
In addition to Boesiger, the other top setters participating were Sophia Gregg from Arizona Storm, the same club as current Huskers Teraya Sigler and Kenna Cogill, Haven Enselman from Adversity Volleyball Center in Chicago, and Taj Davidson from Hawaii.
Saniya Tucker of Legacy in Michigan led the middle blocker group and is ranked as a top 15 prospect by VB Adrenaline. She was joined by Jael Smith of SC Rockstar and Yemaya Chappell from Actyve, both in the Los Angeles area and Journie Evans from MADFROG.
Piper Hudson from KC Power was the top opposite in attendance, while libero Ireland van der Pyl from the Hawaii Volleyball Club joined in on the action. Lincoln Pius X libero Whitney Mertens was at the camp but did not participate in the drills.
The camp also had more than a dozen 2030 and younger prospects, including outside hitters Kora Callahan of Arizona Storm and Sammi Wehrman from Ohio; middle blocker Jacqueline Ryan from Austin Juniors and setter Brady Collins from Triangle Volleyball in North Carolina, which was the former club of current Husker Ryan Hunter.
