"I didn't even know you could play volleyball"- Nebraska captain Merritt Beason reflects on childhood aspirations before discovering the sport
Nebraska Cornhusker's Women's Volleyball player Merritt Beason shared the perspective of her younger self before discovering the sport of volleyball. This came just after her team's loss to Penn State in the 2024 NCAA Championships.
With this defeat, Beason's impressive tenure with the Huskers came to an end. Following this defeat, Beason featured in a press conference during which she was asked about how her younger self would react to this impressive collegiate volleyball career.
In reply, Beason stated that as a young kid she had limited knowledge about picking volleyball as a career. She said (via X on Hail Varsity):
"I didn't even know you could play volleyball at a young age. I was one of very few girls that went to play in college out of the whole state of Alabama... It's just something that you don't really dream of especially like I didn't grow up watching it."
She further added:
"I thought it was, go be a cheerleader for the football team, that's how it is in the south or you play softball. I had no idea what world I was stepping into and I'm so grateful I did. I almost tried out for cheer instead."
As the team captain of the side for two season and as the outside hitter of the team, Merritt Beason played a crucial role for the Huskers. She has accumulated 455 and 339 kills in the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons respectively. Additionally, she has also inflicted 248 and 150 digs in these two seasons.
Merritt Beason shares emotional take as she ends her stint with the Nebraska Cornhuskers
Merritt Beason recently expressed her emotions of leaving the Nebraska Cornhuskers program after spending two seasons with the University. Before joining the Huskers, Beason represented the University of Florida.
In an interview after their NCAA semifinal loss to Penn State, Beason said (via KLKN-TV):
"It’s really hard to put it into words. There’s truly not another group of girls that I’d want to go out with.”
After Merritt Beason's tenure with the Huskers came to an end this season, she was recently picked by the Atlanta Vibe during the 2024 Pro Volleyball Federation draft.