Cover Story: Women’s Volleyball in the United States Breaks Records
The popularity of women’s volleyball in the United States is soaring, with record-breaking attendance at recent matches. At the Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida, 19,598 spectators gathered to watch the NCAA semifinals, where the Nebraska Huskers faced off against the Pittsburgh Panthers and the Texas Athletics took on the Wisconsin Badgers.
This trend is continuing with the university championship attracting more and more fans, breaking the previous indoor competition record of 18,755 spectators set in December 2021.
The sport’s popularity was evident in August 2023 when the regular league game between the Nebraska Huskers and the Omaha Mavericks set the world record for attendance at a women’s sporting event with 92,003 spectators at Memorial Stadium in Nebraska, surpassing the attendance of the women’s soccer match between Barcelona and Wolfsburg at Camp Nou.
Next Sunday, December 17th, the Texas Athletics will defend their title against the Nebraska Huskers in the NCAA women’s volleyball final. The competition, which was created in 1981, is experiencing a golden age in the United States, with former player Raquel Lazaro, a Spanish setter, competing in the Italian Superlega after finishing as a runner-up in last year’s NCAA competition.
