Nebraska senior libero Lexi Rodriguez was named a finalist for AVCA National Player of the Year. One of four finalists, Rodriguez joins Pitt right-side hitter Olivia Babcock, Kentucky outside hitter Brooklyn DeLeye and Wisconsin outside hitter Sarah Franklin. Rodriguez is trying to become the first-ever libero to earn the award as college volleyball’s top player. The winner will be named at the AVCA’s banquet Friday in Louisville, Ky.
Rodriguez has already claimed one first: the first libero to be named AVCA Region Player of the Year. She is likely to become the third four-time All-American when those teams are announced Wednesday. She enters the national semifinals second in school history in career digs with 1,882, eight behind Olympian Justine Wong-Orantes for the school career digs record. She’s one of five Huskers to earn first-team all-conference honors all four years and is only the second player in Big Ten history to earn three Defensive Player of the Year/Libero of the Year honors.
This season, Rodriguez has 3.91 digs per set and has helped the Huskers hold their first four NCAA opponents to a combined .066 hitting, the best of any team in the tournament.