Six Husker players appear in political ad supporting anti-abortion amendment

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – Five University of Nebraska softball players and one volleyball player appear in a new ad supporting an anti-abortion ballot measure.

“Nebraska, it’s time to get off the bench,” softball star Jordyn Bahl says in the ad.

Volleyball player Rebekah Allick then says, “Out-of-state activists are pushing a radical amendment, Initiative 439.”

Initiative 439 would grant a constitutional right to abortion until fetal viability or when it’s necessary to protect the health or life of the patient.

The Husker players are supporting Initiative 434, which would amend the Nebraska Constitution to ban abortion in the second and third trimesters, with exceptions for medical emergencies, incest and sexual assault.

POLL: Which abortion ballot initiative in Nebraska will you support?

That’s in line with current state law.

Softball players Abbie Squier, Lauren Camenzind, Hannah Camenzind and Malia Thoms are also in the ad.

One University of Nebraska-Lincoln student, Emma Redler, thinks student-athletes should stay out of politics due to their influence, especially when it comes to such a controversial topic.

She’s worried that students will listen to the players without doing their own research.

“Because they’re so well-known, there’s so much clout and all that,” she said. “So people will see that, and if they truly respect them, they’ll follow it.”

SEE ALSO: Dueling abortion petitions heading to November ballot in Nebraska

A political science professor at UNL, Kevin Smith, said the student-athletes have the same right to speak about their views as any other student.

He doesn’t think the ad will make a huge impact, but he thinks it might lead some voters to research the topic.

“Student-athletes tend to be prominent people on campus, so if they’re talking about an issue, that’s an issue that other students will probably talk about,” he said. “I don’t think it will have a huge persuasive impact in terms of moving large blocks of students on one side or the other.”

SEE ALSO: Some Nebraska voters are confused by abortion initiatives. Here’s what you should know

Students said they get most of their information from social media.

But sophomore Jasmin Juarez said the ad is a good way to get voters’ attention.

“I feel like social media has a really big impact on this year’s election,” she said. “I think this ad is a good way to spread information to those who don’t do their research and don’t know anything about what they’re going to go into.”