Harper Murray recalls mental health struggles following NCAA Championships exit [Image Source : Instagram]

"Nothing short of exhausting yet rewarding" - Nebraska volleyball player Harper Murray recalls mental health struggles following team's NCAA exit

Modified Dec 21, 2024 17:51 GMT

Nebraska Cornhuskers player Harper Murray opened up on her mental health struggles following the team's exit from the NCAA National Volleyball Championships. The Cornhuskers lost in a closely contested semifinal to the Penn State Nittany Lions.

In a post shared on her Instagram stories, Murray wrote:

"As many of you know, 2024 has been a rollarcoaster. There will always be a side of someone that people don't see and there is always more to the story than what is shown on social media. My struggle with mental health has been nothing short of exhausting yet rewarding. I was able to persevere through my struggles and come out the other end as a better volleyball player but most importantly a better human being."

Screengrab of Harper Murray's Instagram stories [Image Source: Harper Murray's Instagram]

Murray was also thankful to the fans for their support of the Huskers. She wrote in the post that athletes are also humans, and that their feelings must be considered. As an outside hitter, Murray joined the Nebraska Cornhuskers in 2023. She had previously represented the USA in the FIVB World U19 Championships in 2021, where the American team won the bronze medal.

Harper Murray on dealing with her father's tragic death

Harper Murray at the 2024 Division I Women's Volleyball Semifinals [Image Source: Getty]

Harper Murray has been through a lot since her childhood. She recalled the time when her father succumbed to lung cancer in 2011, when she was no more than six-years-old.

In her conversation with ESPN, Murray stated:

"I was three when he was diagnosed with cancer. He passed away when I was six. I'm a very anxious person in general. I do tend to think of the worst situation possible, because that's just kind of how I've seen the whole situation with my dad go. I think it's just changed how I view life and view certain situations" [0:53].

In another interview in 2023, Murray had expressed her confidence in the Cornhuskers' ability to win the National Championships for three consecutive years, for which she was severely criticized. She responded to the criticism as she said (via ESPN):

“I just got a bunch of hate comments a lot of Dms. Some people would tell me that I ruined the sport of volleyball. Some people told me to kill myself. When you see things like that you start to believe it and you lose yourself in it and I never thought that I would be at such a low point.”

The Nebraska Cornhuskers have lost to the Penn State Nittany Lions, who will now be clashing with the Louisville Cardinals for the National Championships on December 22, 2024.