‘It’s the Mecca’: Husker volleyball fans take pride in Lincoln hosting AVCA First Serve

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — People from across the U.S. traveled to Lincoln on Friday for the AVCA First Serve Showcase.

Husker fans flooded the Railyard to watch the teams make a red-carpet appearance before the games started.

“We love all of the players,” said Sandy Amos, a fan from Tecumseh. “My daughter actually played against the Huskers’ new coach when they were in high school, so that’s kind of fun, too.”

One Canadian family making the trek all the way from Calgary, Alberta.

“Three of us are volleyball players, and we just really like watching NCAA,” Sophia Schultz said.

But it wasn’t just Nebraska fans filling the stands.

There were people there to cheer on Florida, Pitt, Vanderbilt and all of the other teams.

One former Husker fan from Kansas said he’s a new Stanford volleyball fan — and for a good reason.

“I’m here to watch my granddaughter play for the great Stanford Cardinal,” John Majerus said.

He said he’s most excited to hear the introduction for his granddaughter, Logan Parks.

“I’m a native Nebraskan, actually, so I want to see Nebraska play, and I want to see them do good until Sunday,” Majerus said.

That’s when the Huskers play Stanford.

Despite the air of competition, there’s a sense of community between the volleyball fans gathered in Lincoln.

They all said Nebraska is the best place to hold an event like this one.

“It’s the Mecca,” Trent Schultz said.

Another woman said the fan following for the Huskers always brings in droves of people.

“They are the hot bed of college volleyball,” Majerus said.