LOVB Nebraska Opens 2026-27 Season Against LOVB Austin in LOVB First Serve

OMAHA, Neb. — LOVB Nebraska will open its third season against two-time defending champion LOVB Austin on Wednesday, Dec. 16, at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio.

The marquee matchup will serve as First Serve for the 2026-27 LOVB Pro season and take place one day before the NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball Championship semifinals begin at the Alamodome. Tickets for First Serve go on sale Tuesday, Sept. 15, at 10 a.m. CT at LOVB.com.

“We could not be more excited to be part of LOVB First Serve with the talented team we have assembled,” said Kirsten Bernthal Booth, President of Business Operations for LOVB Nebraska. “Opening against the two-time defending champions will be a tremendous opportunity to showcase LOVB Nebraska and set the tone for the season ahead. San Antonio will be the epicenter of the volleyball world that week. Bringing the college and professional games together in one city creates a powerful opportunity to celebrate the sport, inspire the next generation and show just how bright the future of volleyball is.”

For LOVB Pro, staging First Serve alongside the NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball Championship Week reflects the league’s broader effort to connect every level of the sport.

“San Antonio will be at the center of the volleyball world in December, and we’re excited to bring LOVB Pro to the city to open our new season,” said Sandra Idehen, Commissioner of LOVB Pro. “First Serve brings together everything that makes this moment in volleyball so exciting – the stars fans grew up watching, the players they have followed through college and the next generation preparing to take the stage. With the NCAA champions crowned just days after LOVB’s First Serve, we have an incredible opportunity to celebrate the full spectrum of the sport to give fans an unforgettable week of volleyball.”

The Nebraska-Austin matchup will renew one of LOVB Pro’s emerging rivalries. In their most recent meeting, Nebraska pushed Austin to five sets with both teams’ postseason hopes at stake. Nebraska won the opening set and forced a decisive fifth set before Austin prevailed to secure a playoff berth in the final week of the 2026 regular season. Austin went on to capture its second consecutive LOVB Pro championship.

LOVB Nebraska’s roster features six players with NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball Championship Week experience. Former Huskers Rebekah Allick, Jordan Larson, Lindsay Krause Wildeman and Lexi Rodriguez combined for 11 semifinal appearances and played in 16 NCAA semifinal or championship matches during their collegiate careers. Reagan Rutherford helped Kentucky win the 2020 national championship, while Springfield, Neb., native Sabrina Starks helped Pitt reach its first two NCAA semifinal appearances in program history in 2021 and 2022.

First Serve will also mark Larson’s return to professional competition. The four-time Olympic medalist and former Nebraska All-American and national champion announced her return to LOVB Nebraska for the upcoming season on July 10.

The presence of four Husker alumnae adds another connection between First Serve and a championship week that traditionally draws significant interest from volleyball fans across Nebraska. Nebraska and Creighton have established themselves as perennial NCAA Tournament programs and entered the 2026 season nationally ranked.

The undefeated Huskers (7-0) remained No. 1 in the latest AVCA Division I Women’s Volleyball Coaches Poll released Sept. 14, receiving 48 of 63 first-place votes. Nebraska has occupied the top position in each of the season’s first four polls after entering the year ranked No. 1 in the AVCA preseason poll.

Creighton, another consistent NCAA Tournament contender from the state, was ranked No. 20 in the latest AVCA poll.

The NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball Championship semifinals will be played Thursday, Dec. 17, followed by the national championship match Sunday, Dec. 20, at the Alamodome. Frost Bank Center, home of the NBA’s San Antonio Spurs, is approximately four miles from the championship venue.

Additional details about First Serve, including match time and broadcast information, will be announced at a later date.

Season memberships for LOVB Nebraska’s 2026-27 home schedule are available now, with season-ticket deposits increasing 41% in the period following the team’s roster announcement, bringing deposits to their highest level in team history.

New and returning season members can reserve seats with a single $100 deposit. Season members receive priority access to seat selection, guaranteed seats for every LOVB Nebraska home match, preferred pricing and access to exclusive benefits and events.

For First Serve tickets and additional information, visit LOVB.com. To place a deposit for a LOVB Nebraska season membership, visit LOVBNeb.com.

About LOVB Nebraska

LOVB Nebraska is a professional women’s volleyball team based in Omaha and representing the entire State of Volleyball. The team, which began play in 2025, is an inaugural member of LOVB Pro – the professional league of League One Volleyball (LOVB, pronounced “love”) and the nation’s first professional volleyball league built from the club level up. Through LOVB’s connected youth, club and professional model, LOVB Nebraska brings world-class athletes and elite competition to one of the country’s deepest volleyball cultures while growing the game, inspiring the next generation and giving Nebraskans a professional team that reflects who they are.

About LOVB

Founded in 2020, LOVB’s mission is to reimagine the future of volleyball. With a unique community-up approach, LOVB is one holistic ecosystem – from club to pro. The largest community of youth volleyball clubs in the country, LOVB launched the first serve of its professional league in January 2025, featuring many of the world’s best players, including American Olympic silver medalists and athletes from around the world. Entering its third season, LOVB includes professional teams in Atlanta, Austin, Houston, Los Angeles, Madison, Miami, Minnesota, Nebraska, Salt Lake City, and San Francisco. For more information, visit www.lovb.com.