Nebraska Volleyball Debuts in Renovated Arena with Commanding Victory
The Nebraska volleyball team made a strong statement on Thursday as they played their inaugural match in the newly refurbished Bob Devaney Sports Center. The Huskers showcased their prowess by decisively sweeping New Mexico with set scores of 25-12, 25-13, and 25-15.
The renovations introduced a new seating arrangement, leading many season ticket holders to experience changes in their usual spots. Jennifer Snyder, a longtime season ticket holder, found herself positioned several rows up despite an increase in ticket costs. Initially, she expressed some dissatisfaction with the reseating process. “The seats themselves are not bad, as far as the view,” Snyder noted. “I think the process — I still think they could have been a little more honest with what they were doing.”
Despite her initial concerns, Snyder praised the quality of the renovations. “They take the time to do things right, as far as actual renovations,” she said. “It looks great. Hopefully, our home court advantage will still be here. That’s all we asked for.” The improvements included consolidating student seating and adding more accessible options, reflecting a meticulously planned upgrade.
The arena now boasts an increased capacity of 10,000, with about 1,500 additional seats, cementing its status as a top venue in college volleyball. Snyder also commended the new sound system, which energized the atmosphere as the match commenced.
Virginia Adriano, a standout opposite hitter, shared her enthusiasm about the revamped arena. “Everything is new, so we still have to get used to all the energy,” Adriano remarked. “The atmosphere was super cool, the lights, the smoke at the beginning. And the fans, obviously, we have more fans now. It’s even better than last year and the years before.”
Head coach Dani Busboom Kelly appreciated being back at home but noted that the team’s dominant performance made it difficult to gauge the full impact of the renovations on the crowd’s energy. “I don’t know if it was much different tonight than a big game,” she commented. “We’ll see tomorrow night. I expect more energy tomorrow for a ranked team.”
With the victory, the No. 1 ranked Huskers advanced to a 5-0 record for the season. They are set to face No. 20 Baylor on Friday at 7 p.m. Central time.
