When a Nebraska team plays volleyball, the crowd is bound to get bonkers. The January 31 game vs Columbus Fury was no exception, as CHI Health Center shook with 11,712 fans cheering for the likes of Ally Battenhorst and Kaitlyn Hord. However, during the break, it was Harper Murray who had the crowd’s attention. She had, of course, turned up courtside to cheer for her former Husker teammates, but there was something else as well. Something much bigger than her and the team she was cheering for.
On National Girls and Women in Sports Night, the Nebraska outside hitter was at the CHI Health Center to honor the achievements of the female sporting community. Speaking to the Digital Director of Hurrdat Sports, Ana Bellinghausen on the ovation she received from the fans, Murray was at the top of her spirits and full of gratitude, “Yeah, I mean, it’s my first time at one of these games and I’m really glad.” But she was quick to draw the attention away from herself and to the sport at large and Nebraska’s impact on it.
“And I think it’s really good just to bring attention to this sport and bring it to Nebraska, and obviously Omaha and Lincoln bring a great fan base,” Murray added. And thanks to the likes of Lindsay Krause and Ally Batenhort, the sport has caught the fancy of young minds who are filling stadiums to cheer for their idols: “But it’s really special to see all the girls here and little girls watching. Ally and Lindsay were at Nebraska just a year or two ago. And it’s really special because I know a lot of these girls came to watch them, and Nebraska fans love former players, and you can feel the love when you’re here.”
When Murray was asked if she was surprised to see such a loud crowd of around 10,000 people in the arena, she said, “This is what I expect at a volleyball game in Nebraska. So honestly, no. It’s obviously amazing to see it, but it’s not surprising at all. It’s just the second year that we’ve had pro volleyball in the U.S.” And honestly, we agree with her.
“You feel like you finally complete your purpose in life when you see little girls look up to you.” @AnaBellMedia caught up with @harpermurray4 on our National Girls and Women in Sports Night. pic.twitter.com/csM6rc6j1O
— Omaha Supernovas (@OmahaSupernovas) February 1, 2025
I mean, come on! Just a month ago the Omaha Supernovas began their title defense campaign against Atlanta Vibe in front of a whopping 13,486 fans at the CHI Health Center. The previous record? 12,090. The suspects? The Supernovas again. In its inaugural season alone, the Supernovas hosted 134,869 fans in just 14 matches. And I am not even counting the Nebraska volleyball fans who traveled to the away games! In fact, the match that Harper Murray attended was the fifth-largest attendance for a professional match in the entire country.
And it goes without saying that among those fans who shower love on their athletes day in and day out, there must be more than just a few young girls who might want to play volleyball on some level or the other, and Murray, herself, is glad to be playing her part in inspiring the next generation.“So it’s amazing seeing them here just because you feel like you finally complete your purpose in life when you see little girls look up to you and you see them want to do what you do,” she added.
Now as for the audience in the game itself. Was Harper Murray the only star in attendance that night?
Harper Murray was joined by an array of Huskers
Somebody must have screamed Huskers! Assemble because, oh boy, they did! Harper was joined by her boyfriend and No.2 Huskers quarterback Heinrich Haarberg, and the Raiola brothers – Dylan and Dayton. As if the game did not have enough football star power already, Nebraska’s highest-paid coach Matt Rhule also turned up at the arena to celebrate his 50th birthday with his family.
“My family said, ‘Where should we go for your 50th birthday?” Coach Rhule said. “I said I want to go to the best athletes in the best place for volleyball in the world. Came to Omaha to see the Supernovas,” he added. And considering how the Supernovas dominated the Fury to clinch a 3-0 clean sweep, it’s safe to say that the Nebraska football coach returned home with a pretty neat gift. However, if you are thinking that’s all the star power the audience had during the game, you’ve got another thing coming.
To add icing on the cake, the 2x undisputed champion Terrence Bud Crawford was also in attendance and was spotted posing for pictures with Dylan Raiola. Crawford, of course, never went to Nebraska University, but let’s not forget he is an Omaha native, and his involvement only goes on to show how beautiful Nebraska fandom is. It also is a testament to how, when it comes to the sport and the spirit of volleyball, “There is NO PLACE like Nebraska”
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