In this episode Darren dives deep into the world of Husker volleyball. He is joined by Lincoln Arneal, who shares insights into Nebraska and Big Ten volleyball. In the discussion, they cover topics ranging from the passion of Nebraska players, team dynamics, transfer players, the competition within the team, and the dedication of the coaching staff. They also cover what makes the Nebraska team unique, including the significant community involvement and fans’ recognizability of players. Join them as they explore the dedicated journey of these players and their commitment to the sport.
What’s up volleyball fans I’m Darren Tipton and welcome to the VB adrenaline podcast our podcast we will dive deep into the heart of the game bringing you the hottest topics prospects and a buzz surrounding prep and college volleyball especially the world of recruiting in each episode our crew will
Spotlight rising stars who are shaking up the national game plus we will serve you the scoop on current events that help coaches and fans talking Courtside tune in for the episodes that Spotlight tomorrow’s College Stars new trends in the Sport Plus interviews that will keep you informed on the explosion
That is volleyball in the USA you can connect with us on social media Instagram atvb adrenaline.com and Twitter atvb adrenal be part of the conversation share your thoughts on your favorite players prospects and predictions by using # VB adrenaline so grab a seat volleyball fans and get ready to dive into the
World of spikes sets and serums with the VB adrenaline podcast see you there hey everybody we appreciate you listening tuning in is as we talk to recruits prospects and people in the business of volleyball all over the country and today I’m lucky to be joined by Lincoln from Lincoln Lincoln arneal he is
Everything Nebraska volleyball this guy follows Big 10 volleyball Nebraska volleyball in an amazing fashion I listen to your stuff all the time I read your stuff he is breaking news in Nebraska and in Big 10 so Lincoln uh thanks for taking time today you bet
Glad to be here Darren and glad to join the show yeah well you’re probably catching your breath a little bit after what’s been a worldwin a few months quite the year in Nebraska for volleyball starting well with their South America Tour way back in July yeah it felt like I mean
The year was really broken up into segments from February to like the end of August the stadium match felt like one one season Once We got past that okay get through the non-conference okay get through the Big 10 the Big 10 season and then at the tournament so I felt
Like all these big hurdles to get through and kind of survive and look look forward to as well too so it it was definitely a long year and but it was a fun ride I’m glad to be a part of it glad to cover it and glad to be part of
The Nebraska volleyball ecosystem yeah and then the way volleyball is now those coaches take about 12 hours off and now you go back into the transfer portal and getting ready to recruit again it starts all over and crazy ending which we will get more into now but I want you to start
For people that just don’t know talk about Empire that is Nebraska volleyball talk about what it means Nebraska it is not hey I’m just going to college to play it’s something a lot bigger than anybody realizes talk about that yeah I mean it’s a full-time job too just to
Play volleyball in Nebraska too I mean it starts when they are getting looked at kind of being scouted we talked to Jaylen Reyes earlier this fall too and he’s looking at 2027 2028 or starting to come on the radar too so even from a young age they it’s a process to get
There and then once you they make their commitments a lot of them do during their junior year you you’re part of the family too I mean they show up at volleyball matches just to watch or on unofficial visit fans recognize who these players are I mean we got two two
Recruits coming in coming in next year and Skyler Pierce and Olivia Mach I mean they’re many celebrities within the Nebraska volleyball World fans will approach them get their autographs or say hey I hey Sky I saw that you broke the uh career blocks record at ala Northwest congratulations I mean they
Know what’s going on in their world so it really starts then and then once you’re they’re here it continues on I mean they are celebrities within the town of Lincoln and the state of Nebraska too I remember hearing an interview with Bergen Riley where she was just out in downtown Lincoln getting
Some ice cream too and these people recognize them and I they want to take a selfie with them too so it’s really cool kind of how the community Embraces them I don’t it’s not malicious but it’s they’re just they’re fans of the sport and fans of the players and they want to
See them succeed want to see them do well and they’re there to support them and it starts I mean from the time their recruits to when they’re here players and just kind of the building of the program as well too yeah and I think social media I mean
You well we talk about your job with Husker you know Husker Illustrated I told you before we started recruiting one of the reasons I started doing what we’re doing is they’re they’re aren’t recruiting you know in-depth volleyball specific sites for colleges where College fans follow well of course Nebraska
Volleyball has that with Husker Illustrated because you do everything that college football does it it is a religion if you will in Nebraska for sure yeah I mean going to their dream team Camp people want to know who are who’s showing up to that who’s making official visits who’s on
Campus so I think there is that the knowledge The Thirst for knowledge for what’s going on in the recruiting world too what’s who’s the next great player coming through the pipeline and because Nebraska is recruiting some of the best volleyball players in the nation from the prep ranks that kind of generates
Excitement too when you especially when you see a handful of them all playing on those Junior national teams winning World Championships too I think that generates a lot of excitement too and that’s something that a lot of them can really rally behind too because they’re not just rooting for Nebraska they’re
Rooting for the country as well too to do well so it’s really enjoyable and it’s a fun part of the process well and with that you move on with that passion and with all that Pomp and Circumstance that comes with it you know and with them year in year out recruiting all of
The top players in the country something we talked about and I have wondered I’ve asked Skyler about this a few times comes with a pretty jam-packed roster right and let’s move into now you know that there’s going to be transfers with that but the competition in that program just look at
Their outside hitter room or their labero DS room how deep those are and all of them were Alphas in their Club what’s that Dynamic like Nebraska talked about that earlier this season two especially with this current class of freshman how they really changed the dynamic of the practice gym too and and
Becca Alec even said this later in the year two that she wants them to come in and push them she doesn’t want to see look at the depth chart say oh there’s a couple Juniors or upper classmen that have are slated to start this position they should just hand over and just
Learn the role and buy their time like no they want those incoming freshmen or incoming players to really push them and raise the bar and I think that’s what you saw from Nebraska’s class to but you you look at the kind of the the depth chart of that outside hitter room I mean
There were four outside hitter I mean just left pin hitters in the program this year and Alli baon horse lindsy crowy Harper Murray and Hayden cubic I mean Hayden cubic was a top 20 recruit and she’s buried at Fourth on that she has a load of talent could be a star
Anywhere and that maybe that’s one reason why she hit the transfer this week too because I mean she’s not getting the opportunity to show how really good she is and she’s a very talented player in the limited action that Nebraska fans have seen her so it’s
Tough at times too but it’s also I think Nebraska takes that approach too because you don’t know how a lot of the players will kind of translate to the college level too so there’s a little bit of mystery work too so they rather have a couple players and all of a sudden you
Get Harper Murray at the college level and oh she’s one of the best outside hitters in the country regardless of age too so you strike gold like that too and you hope for that for every single player too but you don’t know how that will translate or how they handle the
College game jumping from the club and high school levels well I think this class is set probably I mean they probably didn’t do well for you know those coaches that are building programs and the developmental because all the prospects now see that and they’re like well Harper Murray
Jumped into Nebraska plate as a freshman I’ll do the same thing Bergen Riley took over at set and even at Nebraska there’s kids that just need to develop and and that’s the hard thing you can tell a kid all you want hey you’re going to compete
Right but I don’t think until they get there and then they have to sit for the first time that it’s hard it’s that’s a difficult process and then especially when you see other of your classmates playing right away you know difficult concept for some of these recruits to
Handle yeah and that’s where feel for a player like Caroline dericious who was again one of the top players too they asked her wret her because she’s behind Merritt B who is one of the leading candidates for National Player of the Year too I mean no fa I mean Caroline
Could be a top 15 outside hit or opposite hitter in the country too but she stuck behind a player who is slightly better than her and she had stuff to learn about her freshman year to and kind of acclimate to that too but it it’s exciting to see when it starts
To click from I mean Andy Jackson wasn’t one of the more highly touted players when Nebraska recruited her and she committed but she really blew up and I think the other key part of this too is a lot of the players are getting time with the junior national team too I mean
Save as much as you will for Club tournaments and kind of competing on that level too but when you bring all of the top prospects to kind of be in the same gym and see what other Elite prospects are doing that pushes them to not be content with dominating whatever
Local competition they may have but they realize that there’s a higher bar out there that they can meet too so I think that has really played a lot into the development of these players to be ready when they come in as freshman is that working with that Junior national team
You look at that under 19 team that a handful of Nebraska I mean Bergen Riley did a great job learning there Harper Murray was on that program too ly Troy as well too so there’s a lot of these players that get to know each other and set that standard working with that
Junior national team that kind of helped them prepare for the college game and I tell everybody that’s why we’re on our way we’re recording this right after right before Christmas but we’re heading out to ntdp and to cover it and then we’re going to go to the under arour all
All-American Game because I love watching a gym where it’s best versus best and they you either step up or you step back in situations like that but you really find out where you’re at and I think coaches do as well so that’s a great point when they play in that not
Only do they see where their game at I I still I’ve told the story 200 times but what makes Bergen Riley special was the first time she got invited to ntdp or whatever it was called then she came back and we’re all like oh my God you
Got to go to Team USA and what was that like and she’s like yeah the experience was cool but I was in a gym where I was not the best and I love that because now I know what I have to do oh yeah to be the best and that’s her mentality I
Think this freshman class at Nebraska s now quite a few of them have that mentality don’t they that I am going to do whatever it takes to be the best for sure yeah and and I mentioned too I mean they changed the gym when they came in and they really competed
For that role too and you look at what they did they made it very difficult to keep them off the court too I mean Andy Jackson’s I think my favorite example of that too I mean she was kind of there was a three-player pool between Becca Alec Maggie Mendelson and Andy Jackson
But Andy Jackson was just so athletic and so quick and so powerful too is like how can you keep her off the court so she really kind of pushed and improved her blocking figured out how to do a slide attack which she had never done at
The high school level and really kind of developed and P and pushed herself so she inserted herself in the conversation and made the coaches make a decision that we’re going to ride with her there there’ll be some mistakes some errors along the way but the ceiling that she
Has is so high that it’s tough to keep her off the court yeah and I think it talks about we talked about jro vious and you know the transfers they they get their chance now the nice thing about the portal you know you say what you want now they get their
Opportunity to go somewhere and prove that they are very good players and and you got to have that there are more talented there’s more Talent than ever before there’s more girls playing at a high level coming in ready to play early and there’s other programs that would
Gladly take them and they’re going to get their opportunity but you know they are like a mini a mini All-American team if you look at Nebraska’s roster yeah there’s some Elite Talent I mean this is the work that assistant coach Jaylen race has done of stacking those
Like a number one class a number two class and number one class all kind of consecutively too and then all of a sudden oh you have no seniors but you have so much talent on the roster that it’s really tough to ignore and it really kind of puts Nebraska in the
Position where they were they were playing for a national title like I said with no seniors on the roster we didn’t even have this on the list but talk about the coaching staff with adding I mean their little addition this year you know Jaylen Kelly just go down the line
And talk about all the knowledge on John’s bench yeah and you forgot the biggest name on the list too I mean you add a third assistant coach too who’s Nebraska G to bring in oh Jordan Larson one of the best volleyball players in the entire world so we talked to the players
Too and they appreciated having her there just kind of because that was the one spot where Nebraska didn’t have that playing expertise was outside hitter and being a pin hitter and Jordan just having her in the gym and talking about simple things like attacking or even just pass and serve receive that really
Made a difference to them and just kind of the little things that she could do uh picking up that just watching her play because she’s still trying to play in the Olympics next summer as well too so she’s still in playing shape can do great things so she’s a great addition
To the Nebraska gym uh Kelly Hunter three-time All-American two-time National Champion she’s really impressive and she’s young in her coaching era but uh she’s really impressive to talk to and I’ve talked to her just a little bit about like the setter development what they did last year what they did with Bergen Riley
This year and the development and what they’re trying to do offensively and she knows the game John Cook has always talked to her about getting into coaching and she just has she has the mind for and the demeanor as well too and is exciting to her and then Jaylen
Is just a ball of energy that never stops and he loves coaching defense he loves figuring out how to slow down opponents and also he loves the recruiting side of things too so John cooks really built a great staff that complement what he likes to do so he can
Take big picture but also he really John Cook also really empowers the assistant coaches too I think that was a big change from 10 12 years ago too of he he wants them to kind of develop who they are and hopefully one day go take over his program he has a pretty pretty
Extensive coaching tree out out in the world too and I think he takes a great pride in that of just Co being a coach’s coach and kind of helping set them up up for success as well too yeah whenever that happens and he decides we let’s do
A two-hour podcast and let’s break down the potential candidates to take over the successor that would be a great conversation someday I’ve got a I’ve got a long list in my head because they never know some John Cook made a stud he’s had enough he’s going to go live
That cowboy life and his his dream world I so I’ve got a list in my head of and it’s changed a little bit over the last year couple years but I’ve got a good list that I need to actually be ready when whenever that announcement does happen yeah he literally will ride that
Horse off into the sunset someday dream I know I wish it’s been interesting get to know and follow the program let’s talk about the press conference after the national championship game and a lot of conversations been had about that what were your thoughts first of all
On the athletes not only the three that were on the main stage but in the background it let’s just talk about I I thought I mean it did brought tears to my eyes a little bit because it was so real oh yeah yeah and I first off I mean
I credit to the players too who probably had the most gut-wrenching loss I mean they got handed Tech Texas dominated them in a way they had not seen all year to yes they lost to Wisconsin but that was a little bit closer than Texas just took them behind the Woodshed but credit
To Nebraska is I think every player who played in the match um except for maybe servant specialist or didn’t play but everyone who played extensively came out and spoke to the media too so I mean I give credit to them too after a loss like that to be
Able to kind of answer questions talk about your feelings talk about what happened on the court too so um props to them for that and kind of I mean there was a caravan of Nebraska media there to so uh I I appreciate the effort that they did and just kind of be the
Consideration and thoughtfulness to help us do our job they were able to talk about but like you said it was a lot of raw emot you saw Harper Murray kind of she was very blond and truthful and Becca Alec just she wears her emotions on her
Sleeve that’s who she is so I think I appreciate that because like we were talking that leads to a lot better quotes and thoughts it’s not just kind of we played hard Texas was just the better team and we’ll come back next year and yeah okay anybody could say
That you could predict some of those quotes too but they gave what they were thinking and were honest about it and I appreciate that too it wasn’t coming from a place of putting Texas down it was coming from a place of they were motivated they were hurt this is what
They were feeling in the moment too so I don’t think they had said anything that they should be ashamed of or they hopefully I hope they don’t regret because I think it was honest it was their truth and it was what they were feeling at the
Moment yeah I mean Beck Alec gained a new fan and me watched that I’m like I can pull for her when she made the quote about this is what you get this what you get for Karen and how many of us everybody has felt yeah this is the pricey date for
Karen I mean man is that hit home as an athlete as a person who’s you just you totally felt where she was at yeah and a fan too I mean there were a lot of fans that were disappointed down there too but I mean to show that
She kind of I know she was on the same wavelength as they were it wasn’t just another match like yeah we’ll have I’m a sophomore I’ll have a couple another chance L she was hurting from that so I I mean I it was just a great quote and
She even said I think with the next sense after that was if I had to do this all over again with the same exact result I would because I enjoyed my teammates so much I enjoyed the experience so much that yes it ended on a sour note but the journey was so worth
It and I think that’s maybe hopefully what Nebraska fans do appreciate and college volleyball World appreciates is the journey that the Nebraska team went on yet their season was not a failure because they did not win a National Championship they had so much to be proud of and so much development and
Just accomplishments throughout the year that it was a great season for them well think about what everybody was saying in August this is the building year this is the rebuilding no seniors for Nebraska and the way they walked through the year yeah yeah it’s disappointing you know
What it reminded me of and age us a little bit but do you remember when the Fab Five got beat their freshman year and Chris Weber it like their interview after the national championship well that was the second year that one yeah okay no time out okay yeah yeah yeah the
First year where they were like no freshman we got that’s what everybody expected them and for them to come in and they took a lot of backlash from that from Outsiders how they acted but to me it was the same this is exactly how we feel I came here to win multiple
Championships I am for I am angry I’ll be in the gym tomorrow yeah well and also too it it it nothing is guaranteed I mean yes Nebraska has no seniors but we’ve already seen a little bit of roster change it’ll be a different team next year coming back yes most of them will
Be on this team and they’re not guaranteed to make another national championship match so you want to win that while you’re there while you have the opportunity so I think that’s what also makes it hurt a little bit more too because I think and Becca talked about
This in the the days leading up to this that nothing is guaranteed you got to earn it so just because you made a national championship this year doesn’t mean that you’re it’s a Nebraska’s Birthright to make it next year they have to earn go back and earn earn it
Put in their work too do they have a chance yes it’s a very good chance because of their skill level and their work ethic but this was a chance that they let slip through and I think that’s also what made it hurt a little bit more too is they didn’t seize the opportunity
When it was in front of them yeah I mean that could absolutely nailed it it hurts when you invest so much and you care so much and you get so close my only thought is I know how hard they work anyways I hope them they give themselves
A little bit of peace and don’t just you know absolutely kill themselves in the gym waiting for that one they will work hard they are talented I mean they set volleyball history look at those things and I I hope they can do that as competitors because next December is a
Long way away and they gota they got to give themselves some Grace and some rest as well so I hope they’re not quite in the gym yet they heal up and and get it but it it was as we everybody talks about okay the growth of volleyball and
We still don’t get this from ESPN well listen ESPN wants great storylines you want great story lines I want story lines coming in and giving Pat answers don’t make for great storylines that is part of the growth like or dislike it gives you a reason to watch those players next year because
You remember what she said in the press conference remember what John Cook said Etc yeah I mean it gives bolt and board material for everyone but if you need stuff on a bolt and board you yeah you got to look internal a little bit after that too from an
Athlete standpoint I completely agree I’m just talking about the general fan yeah who needs a reason to maybe tune in as you try and grow you know we we talked I brought up that Michigan team right back then you were Michigan or you were Duke you loved them or you didn’t
Like them but guess what even if you didn’t like them you tuned in games to cheer against them and that’s what grows the sport I think his rivalries and that’s what you see too I mean a lot of the look at the top teams in the sport
Too you look at Wisconsin you look at Texas Nebraska I mean there’s a lot of fans that enjoy watching them but there’s probably also a lot of people who enjoy hate watching them too and want to see them lose want to see them go down so a viewer is a viewer I don’t
Care what your motivation is but if you can get behind the storyline and get behind the programs too and it it all helps grows the sport too and if people get to the point where they watch stuff out of hate watching great the sports made it made it to that level too so
We’ll take you yeah and and people need to understand with the growth right it’s not going to be and I think sometimes they think okay well it’s just this nice young female athlete we want her to be all you know bubbly enjoy us and give us a great you know couple quotes and
Interview no they’re athletes right and athletes care and athletes hurt and they get excited and they might trash talk a little bit and you know so does the middle linebacker Alabama get a yellow card for trash talking across the net too great R not that I think it should become like a UFC
Fight and we’re throwing punches but I mean you’re on the biggest stage the all the hours and the excitement that they put in that just comes out and that’s Athletics I don’t think yeah I mean heck we’re going to go and compete in Anaheim together this weekend at the you know
1920 ntdp it’s not like they hate each other it’s just that’s I mean that’s Sports so yeah that’s a whole compe that’s a whole another podcast red cards and yellow cards but I do want to get into as we’ve talked about and I tweeted the other night that the reason you know
You look at college football and you look at college basketball over the years great rivalries are what make the sport um ABC talked about back in the day the huge boost during the Miami Florida State rivalry way back how it boosted their ratings and really set them to where they are
Today Texas Nebraska volleyball it is a full-fledged rivalry if it wasn’t before it sure is now yeah for sure and you need more of those too I mean the last couple years there been a lot of Nebraska Wisconsin I think and they drive the Big 10 too but what makes the
Nebraska Texas one a little more is the familiar faces that have been on both sides of it too I mean you had Lexi son went from Texas to Nebraska Kayla cfy Kaya aana also went there now you have Whitney lonstein who is going to be a longhorn too Jordan lson was
Also on the coaching staff for a few months before she left and then eventually joined Nebraska’s a coaching staff too and Eric Sullivan who’s I mean he’s been with Eric he’s been with Jarett Elliott for 13 years now too but he learned under coach Cook for three
Years before he kind of moved on too so there’s a lot of familiar faces I’ll even say I’m on this side too because I used to work at the University of Texas in their compliance office for a couple years too about a decade ago too so I’ve
Been on both sides of this too so there’s just a lot of familiar faces that go back and forth well and then even you go to this year I followed it and then not had anything to do but look at the 25 class with you know a names a names yeah and
And I know Ellis Wendell was also looked at Nebraska very closely and Nebraska came down to looking at either Bergen Riley or ell Swindle so they’re very familiar with there too so yeah there’s this a lot of lot of It’s a Small World of volleyball that Elite level as well
Too and I think I mean and also Nebraska and Texas played in Regional finals and the pandemic season in 20 spring 2021 and they played again in December of 21 the Nebraska be Texas on their home court in the regional final so they’re just they tend to meet a lot too and
This was the third time they’ve played for a national title as well too this year so just a lot of history a lot of motiving factors and I think a little bit of it spills over from other sports too there’s some football animosity at the base layer of there of that as well
Too so yeah Way Way Back in the big eight the the the old school the old school days of college football but and you look at two iconic coaches who you know both are proud and and I think they they do things their own way but they’re
You know two of the elite in the sport and you know they’re they compete as well and it’s always going to come down to those two at least for the near future and the way things are economically and whatnot with college volleyball it’s going to come down to
Those two programs for a lot of the Elite Talent and transfers yeah they’re competing for the same athlete they’re going after the same transfers there’s just a lot of competition to get the same those elite players on their roster too because all again at the end of the day it’s about
Talent acquisition and coaching them up too and Jared Elliot and John Cook are two of the bethman college game too and they want what’s best for their program and they’re going to try to find every Advantage they can over other teams it it makes for good TV though and it
Definitely makes for good press conferences which we’re all about I I mean I love the drama bring on the drama yeah which after I mean Texas Nebraska went first and then Texas went and another reporter asked asked Ellis wendle about Harper Murray’s comment they’re going to win the next three and
Jared Elliott stepped in said no comment they they have no thoughts on that too so again makes for more entertaining press conferences well and they talk I I didn’t get all of Coach Cook’s comment on you know you know the whole transfer building the roster and then Texas fans
Firing back you know Lexi sun says hi and it was like Hey you add you had transfers but they both I mean it’s part of the game now yeah yeah and I did this kind of Deep dive yesterday for a volleyball Ma and looking at Nebraska’s
Had a transfer on their roster for the last 20 years there’s been at least one but the the person that Nebraska take is more kind of as a gap filler or something didn’t happen been they’re not actively I mean I think they’ve never had more than two transfers on the same
Roster at once and then Texas takes a different approach they just want Talent they want to build a team five of the 10 players who played all three sets were transfers so it’s just different approaches there’s nothing wrong with it and there’s no one way is better than
The other it’s just we’ll see maybe you get a great nucleus that can play together for a couple years or maybe you just get talent that can’t be match and you get a Masson Skinner who is by far the best player on the court too would
It doesn’t matter most of the time who what you put up against her yeah wrap up a little bit but what do you see for this I I just want to talk about the drive of this freshman sophomore class because I think they they set the bar extremely high you know other prospects
Are looking it’s not it is definitely not easy just to jump in as an 18-year-old and play at that level especially at Nebraska but you are around them day in day out talk about the drive and the competitive competitiveness of the special class yeah I mean I think I mentioned it
Before too but they came in day one they changed the gym in Nebraska too and it really made everyone kind of realized oh I’m just because I’m a sophomore junior now doesn’t mean I’m guaranteed playing time so the Freshman really changed uh the Dynamics of the gym too and you saw
A lot of them prove that they’re worthy they earned playing time on the court over maybe some upper class men so and I think that’s not going to change too you heard from Harper Murray saying that she’s gonna come in work harder and I think Harper Murray is I mean we she was
A third team All-American too but there’s still a lot that she can do to grow her game and kind of really take a step forward too so I’m excited to see what she can do Andy Jackson has still I mean still a little bit Raw on some
Things so there there’s just a lot that they can do and but it comes down to they want to they enjoy the sport of volleyball they enjoy practice just as much as they do being out in a match on the stage performing so I think that’s
The key difference to to this class of Nebraska has the soon to be soft mores of what they kind of their approach is they’re willing to put in the effort willing to put in the grind I I remember even watching before Harper Murray arrived at Nebraska she would just on
Social media she would put out her workout videos too and oh I got tired just watching them just the the effort that she would put into her training not just her physical training not just her volleyball training but just kind of building up strength and stamina stamina
So it it’s really impressive what they can do and and Bergen Riley too is just putting in reps playing with the senior national team too she’s finding ways to her craft too and Lanny Troy will do anything to get that extra little bit of edge too so again it’s it’s the entire
Class uh of all of them are really kind of push everyone in the gym and but they enjoy the process they enjoy being in the gym putting in the effort and finding ways that they can improve themselves so before we go what so what’s on tap for you now what does it
Look like because volleyball is kind of a year- round job what what does your schedule look like now that the college season season is over it it does take a take a step back a little bit too and kind of like Nebraska players they don’t start classes until the end of January things
Will get a little bit slow here too but living in Nebraska the next big thing is the professional volleyball Federation the Omaha Supernova start in late January so I’m probably going to be around that see how that team they play their season starts in late January and
Goes through May so I’ll kind of watch that and be there a little bit to cover that but Beach season then starts in February for Nebraska so they are one of the anomalies within Beach where the all the indoor players also play Beach so following that and kind of making their
Spring break trip to Hawaii California and then the mystery is then too is what what smaller Nebraska city will get to host their spring exhibition match it’s a cool thing where they kind of take Nebraska volleyball out into the state and sell out whatever high school or Community College or State College gym
To take the game to the people that’s awesome well I have two goals my goal you talk about random I have to talk to Jaylen or Kelly or somebody my professional goal is I want to be able to sit and watch Dream Team Camp I to me that’s my fandom I
Can’t imagine oh all right I’m there I’m there I ask all the kids and get invited like what’s that like but just the environment of that and for kids that age to do it but I will there’s some good volleyball in the Kansas City Omaha
Area Club wise I’ll give you a shout and you can come join Jaylen and start watching those 14 15 year olds that’ll be oh I don’t know if I want to get still around we’ll still around but hey I thank you for your time your work is
Mer uh tell everybody about your podcast that’s been number one in the volleyball industry pretty much all fall yeah it’s a little side project that myself and Jeff Sheldon who also covered Nebraska volleyball kind of I took over his beat at the Omaha World Herald a couple years ago too but we go
Way back but we have a podcast volleyball state we do it weekly during the season sometimes more than weekly but that’s also going to take a little bit of step back but we cover everything I think we have a tagline it’s all about volleyball mostly college volleyball
Mostly Nebraska too but we do kind of cover the national scene we cover some International stuff too so volleyball state is what it’s found what it’s called you can find it anywhere uh that podcasts are released to and v i occasionally write for volleyball mag I vote on their All American team which
Should be coming out here uh came out late December and I voted their weekly poll too so that’s the other cool thing too is the media poll that they kind of organized so I I I I like to have my hand a lots of things as a fun sport to
Cover and it never ends so there’s always projects and opportunities to kind of help write about and grow the sport so I appreciate what you’re doing too Darren with all of that volleyball adrenaline and uh covering the recruiting process as well too yeah it’s
Cool to get to meet these kids and I am late to the game but I have learned a lot from people like your yourself check out Lincoln’s content on Twitter is where I see most of it but he is it is always my goal to break news before you
Do which I never do but I think if I can break something before Lincoln then I’m doing well but you’re on top of a man thank you for your time and we will definitely take you up on that dream team this summer but we’ll keep following your stuff and
Everybody again on on Twitter check out their podcast but Lincoln arneal he is is the beat of the Huskers and big really big 10 volleyball but I’m going thank him for his time everybody I thank you for tuning in again to the VB adrenaline podcast if you want to check
Us out go to uh Instagram our insta is atvb adrenaline.com and on the X atvb adrenaline chime in tell us what you think uh give us what you want to hear and help us keep growing in this little project that we’ve taken on and we’re loving every minute of it so until next
Time everybody thank you and thanks to Lincoln for his time take care
1 Comment
Great interview. Lincoln is always a wealth of Husker knowledge 🔥